Chocolate Rolls

5 from 8 votes

These chocolate rolls are the most ultimate chocolate rolls and taste like having brownies for breakfast. They have a super soft chocolate dough full of brown sugar chocolate filling and chocolate pieces. They are also topped with a chocolate icing.

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Resting Time1 25

Total Time2 55

Servings: rolls

Calories: 510kcal

Ingredients

Chocolate Dough

1 cup Milk warmed to 110°F
2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast full packet
2 Large eggs room temperature lightly beaten
4 cups All-purpose flour
½ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon Salt
¼ cup White granulated sugar
10 tablespoon Unsalted butter room temperature and cubed

Chocolate Filling

½ cup Unsalted butter room temperature
½ cup Brown sugar packed light or dark
2 tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder
8 oz Chocolate bar chopped I used Lindt 70%

Chocolate Icing

1 ¼ cup Powdered sugar sifted
1 tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
¼ cup Heavy cream or milk

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chocolate Dough

This is for using a stand mixer with a dough hook. For making by hand instructions, see notes.
Heat the milk in the microwave until warmed to 110°F. Pour the yeast on top and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will let the yeast be foamy and activate.
1 cup Milk, 2 ¼ teaspoon Active dry yeast
In a mixing bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Add in the cubed butter. Use a pastry kneader or your hands to knead the butter into the flour. It should be the size of a pea.
4 cups All-purpose flour, ½ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, ¼ cup White granulated sugar, 10 tablespoon Unsalted butter
Add in the milk/yeast and lightly beaten eggs. Mix on low speed until a dough starts to form. Then, switch to medium speed and knead for 5 minutes. The dough will be very soft and slightly tacky.
2 Large eggs
Preheat the oven to 200°F. Spray a large bowl with nonstick spray. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a kitchen towel. Place in the oven, turn off the oven, and crack open the door. Let it rise for 1 hour until doubled in size.

Chocolate Filling

Using a hand mixer in a small bowl, beat the butter on high speed until soft. Add the brown sugar and cocoa powder and mix on high speed until smooth. It should look like a paste. Chop the chocolate into small pieces.
½ cup Unsalted butter, ½ cup Brown sugar, 2 tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder, 8 oz Chocolate bar
Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle that is ¼ inch thick.
Spread the chocolate filling on top of the dough using an offset icing spatula. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly on top.
Roll the dough into the log starting on the short side. Use a serrated knife to cut off the uneven ends. Cut the log into 12 rolls. Make sure to use very light sawing motions when cutting the rolls so they don't squish.
Spray a 9X13 inch pan ( I prefer to use a 9X14 inch casserole pan) with baking nonstick spray. Place the 12 rolls in the pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise for 25 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the rolls for 25-30 minutes. When I checked the rolls at 25 minutes, they were bubbling a lot. At 30 minutes they bubble less which is what we are looking for since chocolate is hard to tell when its baked. You can use a stick thermometer in the middle of the roll. If its 160°F, it is baked.

Chocolate Icing

In a small bowl, sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder together. Then, add the vanilla and heavy cream or milk. Mix until combined.
1 ¼ cup Powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon Unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract, ¼ cup Heavy cream
Normally I like to ice the rolls right out of the oven, but it cooked the icing too fast when I tested this. Ice the rolls after they have been out of the oven for 10 minutes.

Notes

Flour- Make sure flour is spooned and leveled or use a kitchen scale. Compacted flour can dry out the rolls.

High altitude baking- Add an extra 3 tablespoon of flour.

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.

Nutrition