Chocolate Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

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.