Chocolate cinnamon rolls are the next-level twist on the classic cinnamon roll. They’re made with an easy homemade dough, a rich chocolate filling, and are topped with a decadent chocolate cream cheese frosting.
If classic cinnamon rolls are good, these chocolate cinnamon rolls are next-level. Soft, fluffy homemade sweet rolls are filled with a rich chocolate filling and finished with a rich chocolate cream cheese icing that melts right into every swirl.
They’re perfect for Valentine’s Day breakfast, Mother’s Day brunch, or anytime you want a chocolate-forward twist on the breakfast classic. These rolls bake up tender, decadent, and just sweet enough to feel special without being too over-the-top.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Milk: I recommend whole milk for softer cinnamon rolls.
- Butter: If using salted butter, decrease the salt to 1/4 teaspoon in the dough and omit in the frosting.
- Yeast: Or an equal amount of active dry yeast.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch-processed cocoa powder will also work.
- Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest frosting.
How to make chocolate cinnamon rolls
Here you’ll find instructions and step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Grease a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, and butter together. Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to about 100-105 degrees F.
Step 3: Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
Step 4: Add the yeast and warm water.
Step 5: Add 2 cups flour and salt. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.
Step 6: With the mixer still going, add remaining 1 cup flour. Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.
Step 7: Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. The dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
Step 8: Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel. Let it rise in a warm place, for about 10 minutes.
Step 9: While dough is rising, prepare the filling by adding sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon to a small bowl. Mix to combine.
Step 10: Once dough is done rising, roll onto a floured surface into a 12×16-inch rectangle.
Step 11: Spread softened butter on top of the dough. Sprinkle top with cocoa powder mixture.
Step 12: From the long side of the rectangle, cut dough into 12 equal strips. Roll each into a tight cinnamon roll.
Step 13: Place each roll into the prepared baking dish.
Step 14: Cover the dish with the towel and let rise again for about 20 minutes. Towards the end of the rise time, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 15: Bake rolls for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 16: Let rolls cool slightly while you prepare the icing.
Step 17: To the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese together until well combined, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.
Step 18: Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Mix again until incorporated.
Step 19: Add icing on top of chocolate rolls before serving.
Recipe Tips!
- Mixing: You can stir the dough by hand. You’ll just want to add about 3 minutes to the kneading time. For the frosting, you can use an electric hand mixer instead if you prefer.
- Freezing: You can freeze the baked and cooled unfrosted cinnamon rolls. To freeze, let the cinnamon rolls cool to room temperature on a wire cooling rack, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe container.
Storage
Store any leftover iced cinnamon rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cinnamon rolls will keep for about 3 days when properly stored in the fridge.
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Soft Chocolate Cinnamon Roll Recipe
Ingredients
Dough
- ⅓ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- 3 ½ teaspoons instant yeast
- ¾ cup warm water 105-115 degrees F
- 3 cups sifted all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Filling
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened but not melted
Frosting
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 8 ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Grease a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small saucepan, stir milk, sugar, and butter together. Heat over low heat just until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Cool to about 100-105 degrees F.⅓ cup milk, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ⅓ cup unsalted butter
- Pour the milk mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the yeast and warm water.3 ½ teaspoons instant yeast, ¾ cup warm water
- Add 2 cups flour and salt. Using a dough hook, mix on low speed for about 1 minute.½ teaspoon kosher salt
- With the mixer still going, add remaining 1 cup flour. Mix about 1 ½ minutes, or until the dough starts to clean the sides of the bowl.
- Knead on low speed for about 2 more minutes, or until dough is smooth and elastic. The dough will still be slightly sticky to the touch.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning it to grease the top. Cover the dough with a clean dish towel. Let it rise in a warm place, for about 10 minutes.
- While dough is rising, prepare the filling by adding sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon to a small bowl. Mix to combine.½ cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Once dough is done rising, roll onto a floured surface into a 12×16-inch rectangle.
- Spread softened butter on top of the dough. Sprinkle top with cocoa powder mixture.6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- From the long side of the rectangle, cut dough into 12 equal strips. Roll each into a tight cinnamon roll.
- Place each roll into the prepared baking dish.
- Cover the dish with the towel and let rise again for about 20 minutes. Towards the end of the rise time, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Bake rolls for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Let rolls cool slightly while you prepare the icing.
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and cream cheese together until well combined, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl.8 ounce package cream cheese, ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Add powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt. Mix again until incorporated.2 cups powdered sugar, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add icing on top of chocolate rolls before serving.
Notes
- Milk: I recommend whole milk for softer cinnamon rolls.
- Butter: If using salted butter, decrease the salt to 1/4 teaspoon in the dough and omit in the frosting.
- Yeast: Or an equal amount of active dry yeast.
- Cocoa powder: Dutch-processed cocoa powder will also work.
- Cream cheese: I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the creamiest frosting.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Jk says
Kate, why do you say in order to freeze these rolls, do so unfrosted?
I freeze my cinnamon rolls with frosting and have no issues..
The only difference in your frosting recipe is to add cocoa powder….
I am a bit confused, thanks
Kate Dean says
My experience has been that the frosting texture isn’t as nice when it has been frozen and thawed. I also rewarm the rolls after thawing, and I like the frosting to go on after they’ve been rewarmed so that the frosting doesn’t melt. If you’re happy with how freezing frosted cinnamon rolls turns out, you can absolutely do it. It’s just my preference and suggestion.