Sweet, chocolaty and creamy, our Chocolate Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting have become a favourite in our home when having a quiet weekend morning or for sharing with family and friends over the holidays.
Disclaimer: This post for Chocolate Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting was sponsored by Vitamix. All opinions are our own.
The first Christmas Eve after Philip's dad passed was spent with his step-mom, Carol. It wasn't planned nor were we spending Christmas day with her. For Philip, his five siblings, his dad and Carol, Boxing Day was when they celebrated Christmas, and this year of course the plan remained the same. Waking up on Christmas morning, Philip went downstairs and started the coffee machine, and a wafting scent of caffeine later, I joined him at the kitchen table.
Carol slowly made her way downstairs, poured herself a cup of coffee and opened the refrigerator door. She pulled out a tiny box with a red string of a handle and brought it to the table. Inside the box was a miniature panettone. Carol carefully unwrapped it, cut the Christmas bread into quarters and as we each ate our piece, she shared with us the Christmas morning tradition of her and Phil's dad sharing a mini panettone for breakfast. It was a story she'd never told before, of a quiet moment they shared together, connecting over Christmas bread and a cup of coffee.
I often find that there's so much anticipation and excitement as the holiday season nears, but once Christmas day comes – between travelling, opening gifts, scarfing down holiday dinner, washing piled dishes and finally, dessert – it's done, just like that. And while it's the perfect day of connecting with loved ones, it's the quiet moments together that truly is a tradition worth celebrating. Honouring the Christmas bread Philip's dad and step-mom would share, our Chocolate Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting made with the Vitamix® Ascent Series A2500 is a quiet take on a meaningful moment that is now part of our Christmas tradition.
A dark chocolate filling, sandwiched between layers of a sweet and buttery dough, then topped with a smooth and creamy icing, our Chocolate Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting have become a new favourite in our home to enjoy during a quiet weekend morning or to share with loved ones over the holidays. And while homemade rolls do require a little effort, with a Vitamix® machine to help you along the way, you will save time, effort and the mess of making rolls the traditional way.
How to Make Chocolate Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Make the Dough
Having a Vitamix® Ascent Series A2500 makes this dough a breeze to put together, and if your like me, it prevents the mess you get on your hands and clothes. Start by mixing the yeast with lukewarm milk in a small bowl. Set this aside until the yeast bubbles and foams on top of the milk. Next, add the flour, sugar, salt and butter to your Vitamix® container. Set the speed to 5 and pulse about 10-12 times until the ingredients resemble sand.
Beat the eggs into the milk. Remove the lid plug from the Vitamix® and slowly pour the wet ingredients into the container while pulsing. Continue to pulse until a dough is formed and it no longer sticks to the blades. Scrape down the sides of the container if necessary.
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Turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. Place in a well oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
Chefs Tip: If you have a food thermometer, the temperature of the milk should be between 110° and 115°.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
While the dough is rising, you can make the frosting. Make sure your ingredients are room temperature, so you get a smooth and cream consistency. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. To enhance the flavour, you can add a tiny pinch of salt.
Roll Out the Dough and Fill It
Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured surface. Using your fingertips, press the dough out into a rectangular shape, then roll it out to 9" x 14". Make. To make the filling, mix the butter, sugar, salt, and cocoa powder together. Stir in the chocolate chunks. Spread the filling evenly all over the dough, save for about half an inch on one of the short ends. With the filled short end towards you, tightly roll the dough into a log. Place seam side down on a cutting board and shape the log until its uniform and the ends are relatively flat. Cut the log into 1" rounds and place the rolls in a well buttered skillet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
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Bake, Ice and Serve
Preheat the oven to 350°. Once the rolls of finished rising, place them in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before icing. Eat them quick, because once they are out on the table, they'll be gone before you know it.
Chocolate Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Dough
- ¾ cup milk lukewarm
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active yeast 1 packet
- 3 cups bread flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
Filling
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter
- 4 oz dark chocolate chips/chunks
Frosting
- ½ cup cream cheese room temperature
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the yeast with the lukewarm milk. Set aside until it becomes bubbly and foamy on top, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the flour, sugar and butter to your Vitamix® container. Fasten the lid securely and set the speed to 5. Pulse the Vitamix® about 10-12 times until the ingredients resemble sand.
- Once the yeast is ready, beat the eggs into the milk until combined. Remove the lid plug and slowly pour the wet ingredients into the Vitamix® and pulse until the dough comes together and it no longer sticks to the blades. Scrape down the sides of the container if necessary.
- Turn the dough out to a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes. Place in a well oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 1 ½ - 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
- While the dough is rising, make the frosting by mixing the cream cheese, butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt in a small bowl until smooth.
- Once the dough has doubled in size, place it on a lightly floured surface. Using your fingertips, press the dough out into a rectangular shape, then roll it out to 9" x 14".
- Make the filling, by mixing the butter, sugar, salt, and cocoa powder together until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chunks. Spread the filling evenly all over the dough, save for about half an inch on one of the short ends.
- With the filled short end towards you, tightly roll the dough into a log. Place seam side down on a cutting board and shape the log until its uniform and the ends are relatively flat. Cut the log into 1" rounds and place the rolls in a well buttered skillet. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Once the rolls of finished rising, place them in the oven to bake for 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before icing.
Notes
- Optimal milk temperature is between 100°-115°F
- You can use mascarpone or ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese for the frosting at a 1 to 1 ratio
- Dough and frosting adapted from Ambitious Kitchen.
Nutrition
Jennifer R says
I was surprised by how easy these buns were to make. My boyfriend loved them and we ended up eating the whole batch in two days ?
Chef Sous Chef says
We're so glad you and your boyfriend enjoyed them. They definitely don't last long!
Cyndi Buchanan says
These look amazing! I might have to make these for our Christmas breakfast!
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks Cyndi. Such a delicious way to start off Christmas morning!
Live Learn Better says
That looks pretty easy and very yummy. I would love to try it. My kids would so love it
Konstantina says
Absolutely delicious recipe!! I wonder if it would work as great with white chocolate insted of black . I might give it a try cause all mu family LOVESSSS chocolate.
Diana says
OMG those look amazing! I usually just buy the premade cinnamon rolls and pop them in the oven. You make it look so easy though! I have never had chocolate ones, but I love chocolate, so will have to try making these!
Chef Sous Chef says
Thanks Diana. They are totally worth the effort of making. The chocolate is a nice twist on the classic.
Annemarie LeBlanc says
Oh wow. Those chocolate rolls look so good! I want to make some but I have to get the ingredients first. The cream cheese topping made it even more mouth watering!
Gill T says
This recipe sounds heavenly. Cinnamon rolls have become a Sunday morning staple for my grandchildren. I am definitely going to try this and see how they like it! Thanks!
Kemi says
I seem to be the only one that cannot bake or knead or measure flour!! I've tried, trust me. I'm a good cook and I thnk it's because baking requires strict measurements whereas cooking is by eye and taste. Lol. That looks so delish and I'm pinning for when I'm brave enough to attempt kneading and rolling. *shudder* Lol.
Karen Monica says
These look yummy and the recipe seems easy to follow. Since I am a chocolate lover, I am going to try to make it.
aisasami says
Mmmmmm, this looks so delicious! I want to try this next week with my mom!
val says
.... can we please mention that the house will smell incredible!!!
Philip + Mystique says
Very true! ?