Indulge in the ultimate chocolate cinnamon rolls with chocolate dough, a chocolate cinnamon swirl and chocolate cream cheese frosting.

When it comes to the holidays, there isn't much better than cinnamon rolls - from brioche cinnamon rolls to blueberry cinnamon rolls to orange rolls to apple pie cinnamon rolls.
As you can tell, there are more options than just the traditional roll. And these are a decadent roll for any chocolate lover.
Why This Recipe Works
- Flavorful - The combination of chocolate and cinnamon is hard to top. And if you love chocolate, you'll get it in the dough, filling and frosting!
- Make-ahead - The beauty of these chocolate cinnamon rolls is you can prep the day before, then throw in the oven the morning or night you are ready to eat.
- Holiday friendly - I don't know about you but I love having cinnamon rolls on the holidays as I just do the work the night before and then throw in the oven in the morning. You get that irresistible smell while they are baking!
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Ingredient Notes
- Milk - Use milk, preferably whole milk, to enrich the dough and create a softer texture. Additionally, you may need milk for thinning the frosting to the desired consistency.
- Instant yeast - I'm a fan of instant yeast for this recipe as you can just throw it in with the ingredients and you don't have to activate it with water.
- Sugar - Granulated sugar is used for the dough, light brown sugar for the filling and powdered sugar for the frosting that goes on top of the rolls.
- Butter - Unsalted butter works well for both the dough and the filling. Ensure it's softened for easy incorporation into the dough and for the filling. Some is also used for the frosting.
- Eggs - Incorporate eggs into the dough for structure and richness. Ensure they are at room temperature for better blending.
- Flour - Select a high-quality all-purpose flour for the dough.
- Cocoa powder - Unsweetened cocoa powder is used to add the chocolate flavor to both the dough and frosting.
- Salt - Enhances the flavors of the dough, filling and frosting.
- Cinnamon - Opt for fresh ground cinnamon for the best flavor. Adjust the quantity based on personal preference, balancing the warmth of cinnamon with the richness of chocolate.
- Chocolate chips - Adds pops of chocolate to the filling.
- Cream cheese - For the chocolate cream cheese frosting, choose a good-quality cream cheese. Adjust the amount of powdered sugar to achieve the desired sweetness and thickness.
- Vanilla extract - Enhance the overall flavor by adding a splash of pure vanilla extract to the frosting.
Ingredient Swaps
As with any recipe, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- While I like instant yeast, you can use active dry. You'll need to heat up ¼ cup of water to 110°F and let yeast bloom for about 10 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder is used, but dark cocoa powder can be used for a richer chocolate flavor.
- Experiment with alternative flours like whole wheat or a gluten-free blend for a different texture and flavor profile.
- While I'm a fan of light brown sugar for the filling, you can use granulated or dark brown sugar as well.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Make the dough by adding all of the ingredients a bowl of a stand mixer. With the dough attachment, knead until everything is combined, about 4-5 minutes.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
Roll out the dough to a rectangle that is about 14x10 inches. In a bowl, mix together the cinnamon sugar filling.
Spread the butter over the rolled out dough and add the cinnamon sugar and chocolate chips. Roll the dough up into a log, trying to keep it tight throughout. Cut into 12 rolls, about 1" thick.
Place in a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to a fridge to rise overnight. Bake the rolls at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top and the middles are done.
Prepare the chocolate cream cheese frosting in a bowl and spread on top before serving.
FAQs
You want to add just enough flour where the dough is just starting to not stick to the sides of the bowl. It varies between 3 ½ and 4 cups.
I've learned to roll out the dough to the desired length, in this case 14 inches and then trim the sides with a pizza cutter. This makes it more even when rolling up.
No you can do the second rise at room temperature for 30 minutes in a pinch. I just prefer to make ahead and throw in the oven in the morning.
As I said above, you need to add just the right amount of flour. Too little flour and the dough will be too sticky and will result in dense rolls. Too much and they'll be tough and dry.
You know the chocolate cinnamon rolls are done by inserting an instant read thermometer in the middle of one and it registers at 190°F.
Yes, cinnamon rolls can be frozen both before and after baking.
When freezing before baking, let them rise once and cover with foil before freezing for up to 6 weeks. When ready to bake, let them thaw in the fridge overnight.
When freezing after baking, let them cool completely and then place in an airtight container before freezing for up to 3 months.
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the cinnamon rolls turn out. What is needed is the following:
- Stand Mixer - Saves the arms and shortens the kneading time.
- Rolling pin - Need a rolling pin to evenly roll out the dough to a 14x10 inch rectangle.
- Baking dish - You want a 9x13 size to fit everything.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- You want your milk warm but don't overheat it or it will kill the yeast. It should be between 105-110°F.
- Use melted butter in dough. When we use melted butter in the dough, it mixes in better and makes the rolls more delicious!
- When you make the filling for the rolls, it's best to use butter that is at room temperature. If you use butter that has been melted, it will come out too quickly when we roll up the dough and you'll lose some of the yummy filling. You want to keep as much filling inside the rolls as possible!
- If you have dental floss, you can use it to cut the dough when making the rolls. This is better than using a knife because it won't squash the dough and will help the rolls keep their shape. If you don't have dental floss, use a serrated knife.
- Chill the dough overnight. Not only does chilling overnight break up making the cinnamon rolls over two days, it allows for the rolls to really double in size.
- If you want larger rolls, instead of 14x10 inches, roll out to 18x12 inches. This makes them slightly wider when you cut.
Similar Recipes
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Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
Rolls
- 1 cup warm whole milk
- 1 tablespoon instant yeast
- 6 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 ½ - 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Filling
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the milk, instant yeast, sugar, eggs, butter, 3 ½ cups flour, cocoa powder and salt. With a dough attachment, mix the ingredients until the flour is incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If dough is too sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time but it's better to be on the sticky side. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- In a small bowl, mix together the light brown sugar, cinnamon and salt for the filling. Set aside.
- Lightly dust your work surface with some flour. Remove dough from mixing bowl and punch down. Roll the dough to about ¼" thick and a rectangle about 14x10 inches. It doesn't have to be perfect. I use a 9x13 baking dish as reference.
- Spread the softened butter evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the butter and lightly push into the butter. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top.
- Starting with the long edge close to you, roll the dough into a log, trying to keep tight throughout. With a sharp knife, cut 12 rolls about 1" thick. Place the rolls in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to fridge so it can rise overnight. (You can let rise for 30 minutes at room temperature in a pinch)
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top and the middles are done.
- While the rolls are baking, make the frosting. In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, just add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Spread the frosting over the warmed rolls and serve immediately.
Notes
- You want your milk warm but don't overheat it or it will kill the yeast. It should be between 105-110°F.
- Use melted butter in dough. When we use melted butter in the dough, it mixes in better and makes the rolls more delicious!
- When you make the filling for the rolls, it's best to use butter that is at room temperature. If you use butter that has been melted, it will come out too quickly when we roll up the dough and you'll lose some of the yummy filling. You want to keep as much filling inside the rolls as possible!
- If you have dental floss, you can use it to cut the dough when making the rolls. This is better than using a knife because it won't squash the dough and will help the rolls keep their shape. If you don't have dental floss, use a serrated knife.
- Chill the dough overnight. Not only does chilling overnight break up making the cinnamon rolls over two days, it allows for the rolls to really double in size.
- If you want larger rolls, instead of 14x10 inches, roll out to 18x12 inches. This makes them slightly wider when you cut.
- You know the cinnamon rolls are done by inserting an instant read thermometer in the middle of one and it registers at 190°F.
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