Alright you guys- it’s crunch time! I hope you’re all finished with your shopping and ready to relax and spend time with family and eat a lot of food. Speaking of, I’ve got something super great for Christmas day breakfast today- super chocolatey rolls! They aren’t cinnamon rolls (because they don’t have cinnamon) but they are kind of a cross between a cinnamon roll and a chocolate babka.
What I want on Christmas morning is pajamas and something indulgent while gifts get opened. This is that recipe. It’s intensely chocolate, and something that comes together really quickly. Make them on Christmas Eve, and warm them up on Christmas morning, and sit back and watch the magic happen.
How to Make Chocolate Rolls
So let’s get started. This is a simple enriched dough, and if you have a stand mixer, the process is even easier. You start by blooming the yeast in a mixture of warm milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Add that to softened butter and beaten eggs, and mix until you’ve got a lumpy mixture.
Then, you’ll start adding in the flour slowly. If you are using a stand mixer, you’ll want to keep the paddle attachment running for a bit here. Here’s what it looks like before you switch to the dough hook, right about when a dough starts to come together:
And once you switch to the dough hook, you just want to let it knead your dough for about 5-10 minutes, or until the dough bounces back when poked. It will look smooth and will be fairly firm- here’s what it looks like before and after rising:
The filling mixture comes together super quickly- you just melt together some butter and chocolate, and then stir in the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. The mixture will be thick but soft. Then, roll out your dough into a large rectangle, with the dough about 1/2 inch thick. Evenly spread the filling over the entire dough, and roll tightly.
You slice the roll into 12 rolls. Start by trimming the ends off, and then slicing it in half. Then each of those in half again, and then each of those in thirds. Place them in a greased pan, and let them puff for about 20 minutes. Then you bake em up guys, and glaze them with the easiest glaze ever. DONE. DEAL.
Seriously you guys, this recipe is warmth. It’s right for this season, and you won’t regret it.
Tips & Tricks for The Best Chocolate Rolls
These rolls are well worth the work, but they still come together pretty easily! Here are my tips & tricks to help with the perfect Chocolate Rolls!
- Knead the dough thoroughly, give it plenty of time to become smooth, stretchy, and well developed. This will take about 10 minutes in a mixer, and 10-15 minutes by hand.
- How long will it take my dough to rise? For me this dough rises pretty quickly, usually doubling in size in about 30 minutes, but you really want to just keep an eye on the size of the dough itself.
- Don’t let the dough over-proof which is a common mistake with high-altitude bread baking. Pay close attention to the size of your dough as it rises, and lean on the side of just under doubling in size.
- What kind of chocolate should I use in my chocolate rolls? Go for whatever kind of chocolate you prefer to eat, but keep in mind that these can get pretty sweet. I like to use a dark chocolate for better balance, something around 60-70%.
- How do I know when my chocolate rolls are finished baking? You want your chocolate rolls to be lightly golden brown all over the tops, which will tell you they have baked thoroughly!
- Do I have to use the chocolate glaze? You can use any kind of glaze you prefer, or even go without if you’d like something a little less sweet in the end. I love the chocolate glaze to really bring everything together!
- I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level, and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes!
Enjoy!
Chocolate Rolls
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 tbs. plus 1 tsp. active dry yeast
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup very soft butter
- 5- 5 1/2 cups bread flour
- 1 tsp. salt
For the filling:
- 4 oz. chopped chocolate
- 6 tbs. butter
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbs. cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. espresso powder
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
For the dough:
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Heat your whole milk in the microwave until it reaches about 120 degrees. Stir in the sugar and vanilla, and then stir in the yeast. Set aside until lightly frothy and bubbled. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs and softened butter. The mixture will be lumpy.
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Add the yeast mixture into the egg mixture and stir until combined. Add in the salt, and then add the bread flour 2 cups at a time, mixing between, until you reach 5 cups. Switch to the dough hook attachment (or turn out and knead by hand for 10 minutes) and knead for 5-10 minutes. The dough should bounce back when you poke it.
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Cover your bowl and let the dough rise for about 30 minutes, or until it’s risen about 1/3 in size. While the dough rises, make the filling.
For the filling:
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In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate together until incorporated. Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, salt, espresso powder. The mixture will be thick and soft.
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Once the dough has risen, roll it out into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Spread the filling evenly over the dough all the way to the edges. Sprinkle on the chocolate chips evenly. Roll the dough starting on a long side into a log. Cut the log into 12 even rolls.
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Place the rolls evenly into a 13×9 inch cake pan that has been sprayed with baking spray. Cover and let the rolls rise for about 20 minutes until puffed. While this happens, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
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Once the rolls are puffed, uncover and bake for 15-18 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on the tops.
For the glaze:
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In a medium bowl, microwave the heavy cream until boiling. Add in the chocolate chips, vanilla, and salt, and whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the rolls when they are still warm, and enjoy!
Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!
These were so good! Ours took about 15 minutes longer to cook, but well worth the wait. Thanks for the recipe!
Oh good I'm so glad!!