Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

User Reviews

0

0 reviews
Unrated
  • Prep Time

    45 mins

  • Cook Time

    45 mins

  • Total Time

    3 hrs 50 mins

  • Servings

    18 rolls (two 9x9-inch pans)

  • Calories

    288 kcal

  • Course

    Breakfast

  • Cuisine

    American

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

These decadent, fluffy chocolate cinnamon rolls with chai spices are a special treat to serve for your next brunch or holiday breakfast.

I Made This!

Be the first!

Save this

Be the first!

Ingredients

Servings

For the Dough:

  • 1 cup whole milk or substitute 5/8 cup (5 ounces skim milk, plus 3/8 cup (3 ounces) half and half)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour or substitute unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 package instant yeast (1/4 ounce or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour plus additional for kneading

For the Filling:

  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate (preferably chocolate bars, but chocolate chips can be used in a pinch)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup brown sugar light or dark
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • cup finely chopped candied ginger

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup powdered confectioners' sugar sifted
  • 2 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream
  • teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon cardamom
  • teaspoon cloves
Add to Shopping List

Instructions

Prepare the Dough

  1. Pour milk into a large glass measuring cup. Add butter and microwave on high, until the butter melts and the mixture is warmed to 110°F to 125°F (it should feel warm but not hot.) Start with 30 seconds, then microwave in 10-second intervals, until the desired temperature is reached. Once heated, pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl.
  2. Add white whole wheat flour, granulated sugar, egg, vanilla, yeast, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
  3. Beat on low speed for 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add 2 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour. Beat on low speed, until the flour is absorbed and the dough is no longer sticky, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. If the dough is very sticky, add more flour one tablespoon at a time, combining after each, just until dough begins to form a shaggy ball and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. It should still feel somewhat sticky and tacky.
  4. If using a stand mixer, fit the mixer with a dough hook and knead on medium-low for 6 minutes, until smooth and elastic. If kneading by hand, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Add a little flour, one tablespoon at a time, if the dough is too sticky.
  5. Lightly oil a large, clean bowl with cooking spray. Form dough into a ball and place it in the bowl, turning once to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.

Make the Filling

  1. If using a chocolate bar, roughly chop the chocolate into chunks. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, place the chocolate, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ground ginger, salt, black pepper, and cloves. Pulse until the chocolate is very finely chopped and some parts are powdery. Add the butter and pulse again, until the butter is evenly distributed throughout the chocolate. (If you do not have a food processor, chop the chocolate very finely, then stir in the sugar, spices, salt, pepper, and butter until you have a rough paste.) Add candied ginger and pulse a few additional times, just until barely combined. Set mixture aside.

Shape the Rolls

  1. Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto a well-floured work surface. (To test if the dough has completed rising, gently press it with your first two fingers; if the indentation remains, the dough is ready.) Roll the dough into a 16-inch x 12-inch rectangle (be sure to measure.) Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered on each side. It might seem like too much filling, but use all of it.
  2. Starting at one of the long edges, roll the dough into a tight log, then tightly pinch the end to seal. Turn log so that the seam side is down, then carefully trim each end so that they are straight. (The end scraps can be baked separately in lightly greased ramekins.) Gently stretch and pat the log as needed so that it is 18 inches in length and roughly even in diameter. With a serrated knife, gently saw the log into 18 1-inch segments.
  3. Lightly mist two 9 x 9-inch baking pans with cooking spray (a square 8 x 8-inch pan or round 9-inch pan will work as well.) Arrange the rolls in the pans, cut sides up, dividing the rolls evenly between each.
  4. Cover the baking dishes with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes. (It may take a bit longer but is worth the wait.)
  5. Place rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until the tops are golden and the centers reach 185°F to 190°F, 20-25 minutes. Check the rolls at the 15-minute mark—if they begin to brown too quickly, cover the pan with foil and continue baking until complete. Remove from oven and place pan on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.

Make the Glaze

  1. Stir together the sifted powdered sugar, half and half, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Once rolls have cooled 5 minutes, drizzle over the rolls using the tines of a fork or a small spoon, and serve warm.

Notes

  • TO MAKE AHEAD: In Step 4 of the Shaping the Rolls section, rather than let the rolls rise at room temperature, you can cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap lightly coated in cooking spray, then place in refrigerator to let rise overnight. Let rolls sit at room temperature 15 minutes before baking.

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Serving 1(of 18) Calories 288kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 46g (15%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 22mg (7%) Potassium 137mg (4%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 25g (50%) Vitamin A 166IU (3%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 45mg (5%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 18rolls (two 9x9-inch pans)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 288 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving 1(of 18)
Calories 288kcal 14%
Carbohydrates 46g 15%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 22mg 7%
Potassium 137mg 3%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 25g 50%
Vitamin A 166IU 3%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 45mg 5%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Genuine Reviews

User Reviews

Overall Rating

0

0 reviews
Unrated

Write a Review

Drag & drop files here or click to upload
Other Recipes

You'll Also Love

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (6 reviews)

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (3 reviews)

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (9 reviews)

Chocolate Cherry Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (3 reviews)

Chocolate Hazelnut Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (6 reviews)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (6 reviews)

Strawberry Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

American
0.0 (0 reviews)

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (12 reviews)

Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (12 reviews)

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

American
5.0 (15 reviews)

Chocolate Chip Cinnamon Rolls

American
0.0 (0 reviews)