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.
A dark chocolate filling, sandwiched between layers of sweet and buttery dough, then topped with a smooth and creamy icing, our Chocolate Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting has become a new favourite in our home to enjoy during a quiet weekend morning or to share with loved ones over the holidays, alongside our Christmas Morning Wife Saver or Breakfast Strata.
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 you're 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.
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.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
While the dough is rising, you can make the frosting. Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature, so you get a smooth and creamy 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. 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 the seam side down on a cutting board and shape the log until it is 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.
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 quickly, because once they are out on the table, they'll be gone before you know it.
Recipe Card
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.
Recipe 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.
val says
.... can we please mention that the house will smell incredible!!!
Philip + Mystique says
Very true! ?
aisasami says
Mmmmmm, this looks so delicious! I want to try this next week with my mom!
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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.
Live Learn Better says
That looks pretty easy and very yummy. I would love to try it. My kids would so love it
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!
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!