Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Putting a spin on the classic cinnamon roll with these chocolate cinnamon rolls. Packed with a chocolate-mocha filling, these rolls are perfect for those looking to change things up a bit!
Servings: 16 people
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water (somewhere between 105°F and 115°F)
- 1 (2.25-oz) packet active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 4 cups (583g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the Chocolate Filling
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 (4-oz) bar bittersweet chcolate, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder (or use instant coffee - see above)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Generous pinch of kosher salt
- 2/3 cup heavy cream, divided
For the Vanilla Bean Glaze
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 to 3 tsp vanilla bean paste (or use pure vanilla extract)
- up to 1/2 cup heavy cream (see instructions)
Instructions
For the Dough:
- Combine the water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes or until the yeast is slightly foamy (this is your sign that the yeast is alive. If this doens't happen, you need to get fresh yeast).
- Meanwhile, combine the milk, butter, and sugar in a small bowl and microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the butter is melted and it is warm to the touch (don't let it to get too hot - if this happens you may kill the yeast. Shoot for lukewarm).
- Add the warm milk mixture and eggs to the yeast/water mixture and whisk until everything is combined (whisking by hand here is more effective).
- Add the flour and salt, and beat on medium speed for 6 to 8 minutes. The dough should be slightly tacky and should stay attached to the hook when you pull it out of the bowl. It shouldn't be so sticky that it gets all over your hand when you touch it.
- Remove the dough from the bowl, and spray the bowl with cooking spray. Add the dough back to the oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it's doubled in size.
For the Chocolate Filling
- 30 mintues before the dough is finished rising, make the filling. Combine the butter, chocolate, sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, vanilla, and salt in a small saucepan, whisking until smooth.
- Set the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir every so often until the chocolate is fully melted and you're left with a relatively thick mixture.
- If it gets too thick while you're rolling out the dough, you can warm it up again or add a bit of milk or cream. You want it to be spreadable, not runny and not too thick.
- Punch the dough down using the fist of your hand (this will help expel some gases), and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 12x18-inch rectangle.
- Evenly spread the filling all over the dough using an offset spatula or a knife, leaving a 1/2-inch border on each side.
- Starting on one of the long ends, tightly roll the dough from end to end and gently press the edges together to seal.
- Cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch thick sections using a sharp knife or a strand of unscented dental floss. Place the rolls in 2 lightly greased 9-inch round cake pans (this recipe makes about 18 buns, so you'll need 2 pans!
- Cover the pans with plastic wrap and let them rest in a warm spot until the rolls have doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Divide the heavy cream between both pans (about 1/3 cup in each pan - just pour it straight onto the rolls). Bake the rolls until they're golden brown and puffed up, about 20 to 25 minutes (Tip: make sure your oven racks are spaced a good bit apart because these rise quite a bit and you don't want them hitting another oven rack).
- Remove from the oven and cool completely on wire racks.
For the Vanilla Bean Glaze
- Beat the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment 2 to 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
- Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, until you've added all of it. Beat in the vanilla.
- Beat in the heavy cream, 1 Tbsp at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. For a looser glaze, add more. For a thicker glaze, add less.
- Pour the glaze directly on the warm cinnamon rolls.
Notes
If you want to make these overnight chocolate sugar buns, see the above section "Recipe FAQs" for information on how to do that.