Description
Warm, gooey chocolate cinnamon rolls with a tangy cream cheese glaze. A perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ½ cups (420g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ teaspoons (7g) active dry yeast (1 packet)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, warmed to 110-115°F (43-46°C)
- ¼ cup (60ml) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (45g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (170g) chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark, your choice!)
- 4 ounces (113g) cream cheese, softened
- ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk, or more as needed for desired consistency
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: In a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), combine the warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Give it a gentle stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, or until the yeast is foamy. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast might be old, and you’ll need to start over with fresh yeast.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the melted butter and beaten eggs to the yeast mixture. Whisk everything together until well combined.
- Gradually Add the Flour: Gradually add the flour and salt to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed with the dough hook attachment (if using a stand mixer) or with a wooden spoon (if mixing by hand). Add the flour about ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Knead the Dough: Once the dough comes together, increase the speed to medium-low and knead for 6-8 minutes if using a stand mixer, or 8-10 minutes if kneading by hand. The dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky. If it’s too sticky, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
- First Rise: Lightly grease a large bowl with oil or cooking spray. Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar (Filling): In a medium bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You can use a hand mixer or do this by hand with a sturdy spoon.
- Add Cocoa, Cinnamon, and Salt (Filling): Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, and salt to the butter mixture. Mix until everything is well combined and there are no lumps of cocoa powder.
- Incorporate Chocolate Chips (Filling): Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- Punch Down the Dough: Once the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air.
- Roll Out the Dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a large rectangle, about 12×18 inches.
- Spread the Filling: Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the entire surface of the dough, leaving a small border along one of the long edges.
- Roll Up the Dough: Starting from the long edge opposite the border, tightly roll up the dough into a log.
- Cut the Rolls: Use a sharp serrated knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the log into 12 equal slices.
- Arrange the Rolls: Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish. Place the rolls in the prepared dish, spacing them evenly apart.
- Second Rise: Cover the dish with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let the rolls rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until they have puffed up slightly.
- Preheat the Oven: While the rolls are rising, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake the Rolls: Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. A toothpick inserted into the center of a roll should come out clean.
- Cool Slightly: Let the rolls cool in the baking dish for about 10-15 minutes before frosting.
- Cream the Cream Cheese and Butter (Glaze): In a medium bowl, cream together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add Powdered Sugar (Glaze): Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until combined.
- Add Milk and Vanilla (Glaze): Add the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Frost the Rolls: Generously spread the cream cheese glaze over the warm rolls.
- Serve and Enjoy: Serve the rolls warm and enjoy! These are best enjoyed fresh, but they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also reheat them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
Notes
- Make sure your milk is warm enough to activate the yeast, but not too hot, or it will kill the yeast.
- If your dough is too sticky, add flour one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
- Dental floss works great for cutting the rolls cleanly.
- For a richer flavor, use dark chocolate chips in the filling.
- Store leftover rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes