Hot Chocolate Rolls
These hot chocolate rolls are perfect to celebrate the holiday season! They use a chocolate dough (like my chocolate rolls), hot chocolate filling with chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. It is topped with a hot chocolate icing.
These taste like gooey hot chocolate in a chocolate sweet roll, it uses two packets of hot cocoa mix.
Quick Look: Hot Chocolate Rolls
- What it is: Decadent hot chocolate rolls with a hot chocolate filling and hot chocolate icing.
- Why Make THIS Version? The chocolate filling uses hot cocoa mix and cocoa powder. It also has mini marshmallows in the filling so when it is hot, it tastes like super gooey hot cocoa.
- Key Ingredients: Hot cocoa mix, all-purpose flour, cocoa powder
- Calories Per Serving: 619kcal.
- Total Time: 2 hours 33 minutes with an 1 hour 20 minutes being rest time.
- Pairs Well With: hot coffee, hot chocolate, and a glass of milk.
Why You Will Love These Hot Chocolate Rolls
- Gooey chocolate rolls- These have chocolate in every layer for the best chocolate flavor. They are baked in a heavy cream bath, so every bite is soft and gooey.
- Hot chocolate filling- The filling is made like cinnamon filling in cinnamon rolls, minus the cinnamon. It also uses cocoa powder and hot cocoa mix.
- Hot chocolate icing- The icing is similar to my hot chocolate cupcakes frosting or my hot cocoa cake.
Ingredient Notes
As always, the full recipe with measurements & directions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- All-purpose flour: You don’t need bread flour for this recipe. For best results, spoon your flour into a measuring cup and level it off. If you stick your measuring cup straight into the flour, it can compact it resulting in more dry rolls.
- Cocoa powder: I used dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder to increase the chocolate flavor.
- Hot cocoa mix: I used 2 packs of the Swiss Miss. Make sure it doesn’t have the little marshmallows. I also used hot cocoa mix in my hot chocolate cheesecake.
- Yeast: I used active dry yeast. It gives the best rise in my opinion.
- Mini marshmallows- Use the minis so they roll easily into the rolls.
- Cream cheese- I used full fat Philadelphia cream cheese for the icing.
How to Make Hot Chocolate Rolls
- Make the dough. Then, let it rise for 1 hour before rolling out into a large rectangle. Use a knife to trim the uneven ends. It needs to be 1/4 inch thick.
- Spread the hot chocolate filling and add chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Then, roll into a log starting on the short side. Make sure to roll it tightly. Trim off the uneven ends and cut into 12 rows using a serrated knife.
- Place the rolls in a 9X13 inch pan and let them rise for 20 minutes. Then, pour the heavy cream around the rolls before baking.
- Bake at 375F for 28-30 minutes until the middle reaches 190F. After they are done baking, make the icing.
Serving + Storing
The rolls are best served right after icing when they are hot. Then, let them cool before storing in an airtight container up to 5 days in the fridge. You can use leftover mini marshmallows in my s’mores cheesecake.
Stephanie’s Expert Baking Tips
- Rising the dough- I like to raise my dough in the oven that has been preheat to 200F. Then, turn off the oven and prop open the door. This allows the dough a nice warm place for the yeast to help rise the dough. You can also let it rise at room temperature if you are house is warm.
- The dough needs 2 rises- First rise is to actually rise the dough. The second rise is because after forming into rolls, all the air gets knocked out. So, it needs time to rise again to get a better texture.
- Heavy cream bath- I really like making my cinnamon rolls using a heavy cream bath. The cream soaks into the rolls as it bakes. Allowing the outside of the rolls to be just as soft as the center.
Hot Chocolate Rolls FAQ’s
Can I make these hot chocolate rolls overnight?
Yes you can! Follow the instructions until you finishing rolling them up and placing in the pan. Cover with foil and let the second rise happen in the fridge overnight. Let these come to room temperature before baking.
Can I make these hot chocolate rolls without a stand mixer?
Yes you can! The dough can be made by hand. When it is time to knead the dough, do it on a very lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough passes the window pane test. Where you take a small amount of dough and spread it thinly using your hands. If you see light through it, then the gluten has formed enough. The filling and icing can use a hand mixer.
Why didn’t the hot chocolate rolls not rise?
This usually comes down to the yeast. You need to warm the milk to 110F. If it is too hot it will kill the yeast. If it is too cold, it can dramatically slow the yeast down. Both leading to a dough that doesn’t rise. You can tell if it works during the yeast blooming step. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over the milk and let it sit for 10 minutes. It will become frothy. If it doesn’t this means either the yeast is dead or the milk was too warm or cold.
More Christmas Recipes
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Hot Chocolate Rolls
These hot chocolate rolls have a chocolate dough, with a hot chocolate filling and chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. It is topped with a hot chocolate icing.
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Ingredients
Chocolate Dough
- 1 cup Milk, warmed to 110℉
- 2 1/4 tsp Active dry yeast, 7g
- Sprinkle of sugar
- 4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Large eggs, room temperature
- 10 TBSP Unsalted butter, room temperature, cubed
Hot Chocolate Filling
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup Light brown sugar, packed
- 2 TBSP Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup Hot chocolate mix
- 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup Mini marshmallows
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream
Hot Chocolate Icing
- 1/4 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 oz Cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 cup Powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 TBSP Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 TBSP Hot cocoa mix
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Chocolate Dough
- In a microwave safe bowl, heat the milk in the microwave for 1 minute until heated to 110℉. Add the yeast and sprinkle of sugar to the top. This helps to bloom the yeast to start the activation process. Let it sit for 10 minutes it will look frothy on top.1 cup Milk, 2 1/4 tsp Active dry yeast, Sprinkle of sugar
- These instructions are for a stand mixer with a dough hook, for making by hand instructions see notes. In a large bowl, sift the flour and cocoa powder together. Add in sugar, salt, lightly beaten eggs, milk/yeast mixture, and cubed butter.4 cups All-purpose flour, 1/2 cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup White granulated sugar, 1 tsp Salt, 2 Large eggs, 10 TBSP Unsalted butter
- Using a mixer and mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Switch to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes. The dough will feel tacky but not stick to your hands. It is ready when you pull a small piece of dough thinly with your hands. If you see light through it, then the gluten has been formed enough.
- Preheat the oven to 200℉. Spray a large bowl lightly with nonstick spray. Place the dough ball into the bowl. Add a clean kitchen towel. Place in the oven, turn off the oven, crack open the door, and let rise for 1 hour. It will double in size.
Hot Chocolate Filling
- In a small bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, cocoa powder, and hot chocolate mix on high speed for 2 minutes. It will be fluffy and smooth in texture.1/2 cup Unsalted butter, 3/4 cup Light brown sugar, 2 TBSP Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup Hot chocolate mix
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to a 15X19 inch rectangle. Use a knife to trim the uneven sides.
- Spread the hot chocolate filling over the dough using an offset icing spatula. Spread to the edges. Sprinkle the chocolate chips and mini marshmallows over evenly. Roll the dough starting on the short side, roll it up tightly into a log.1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 cup Mini marshmallows
- Use a knife to cut off the uneven ends. Use a serrated knife to cut into 12 rolls by doing light sawing motions.
- Spray a 9X13 inch baking pan with baking nonstick spray. Place the 12 rolls into the pan evenly spaced. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉, while the dough rises. Pour the heavy cream around the edges of the rolls.1/2 cup Heavy cream
- Bake for 28-30 minutes. The best way to tell chocolate rolls are done is using thermometer and they need to be 190℉.
Hot Chocolate Icing
- Start the icing right after you pull the rolls from the oven. In a small bowl using a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on high speed for 1 minute until creamy.1/4 cup Unsalted butter, 4 oz Cream cheese
- Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Add in the hot chocolate mix and vanilla. Mix on high speed until creamy.1 cup Powdered sugar, 2 TBSP Unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 TBSP Hot cocoa mix, 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- Use a spoon to scoop the icing evenly onto each roll. Spread the icing. Add chocolate chips and mini marshmallows *optional.
Notes
Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the rolls.
Pull out dairy ingredients 2 hours before baking.
Making by hand:
Mix the wet ingredients into the dry by using a rubber spatula. Switch to using your hands to mix until a dough starts to form.
Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead using your hands for 5-8 minutes.
It is done when your spread the dough apart thinly using your fingers. Hold the dough to the light. If you can see light through it, then it is done.
Overnight Instructions
Follow instructions until you have cut the rolls and placed in a pan. Cover with foil and place in the fridge.
The next morning/day. Pull the rolls out of the fridge while the oven preheats.
Calories: 619kcal, Carbohydrates: 80g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 36g, Saturated Fat: 22g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 9g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 80mg, Sodium: 290mg, Potassium: 293mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 30g, Vitamin A: 960IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 4mg
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