Description
Delicious homemade cinnamon rolls with a rich chocolate filling and a sweet glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4–4 ½ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar (divided)
- 1 cup milk (lukewarm, about 120-130°F)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (softened, cut into tablespoons)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Dutch cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3–4 Tablespoons milk (or heavy cream)
Instructions
- Make dough. In a bowl of your stand mixer with a paddle attachment, stir together the flour (start with 4 cups), yeast, sugar, and salt. Add in the eggs and milk and stir to combine. Then add in the softened butter a few pieces at a time and stir to combine until a shaggy dough comes together. Dough will be very sticky and shaggy at this point – do not add more flour at this point.
- Knead the dough. Fit the mixer with a dough hook attachment, and knead on low speed for 8-10 minutes. If the dough is super sticky, add additional flour a little at a time if needed. If you are kneading the dough by hand, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for longer (12-15 minutes by hand). Dough will be sticky at first, and get less sticky as you knead, so add extra flour a tablespoon at a time if needed. The dough should still be slightly sticky to the touch but feel smooth and elastic.
- Let the dough rise. Lightly grease a large bowl, and place dough into the bowl, turning once to coat. Cover the bowl and allow it to rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. If you’re using active dry yeast, the rise time will take longer.
- Prepare Pan. Grease a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick spray or butter.
- Make filling. Place butter, sugar, cocoa, and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat until combined. It should be a very soft paste that you will be able to spread easily.
- Roll out the dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll out the dough into an 18×12 inches rectangle.
- Spread filling. Spread the dough with the softened butter mixture leaving about a ½-inch border at the top long edge. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the butter, pressing down lightly to adhere.
- Cut rolls. Starting on the long edge with filling, roll up the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the dough to seal. Using a serrated knife, cut the log into 12 equal rolls. You can also cut the rolls using a piece of thread or unflavored dental floss, which gives the cleanest cuts. Place the rolls into the pan spiral side up. Cover the baking dish and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 45 minutes until the rolls are slightly puffy, and nearly doubled in size. If you used active dry yeast, the second rise time will be near 75 minutes.
- Bake rolls. Near the end of the second rise time, position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Bake rolls in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then spread glaze on.
- Make the glaze. In a small bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk. Adjust the consistency if needed by adding a bit more milk. Spread on top of the cinnamon rolls.
Notes
- Ensure your milk is lukewarm to help activate the yeast.
- If the dough is too sticky, you can add a little more flour while kneading.
- For the best results, allow the rolls to rise in a warm environment.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 30mg