Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Indulge in the ultimate chocolaty delight with these decadent Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls. Fusing the deep, intense notes of black cocoa powder with Dutch process cocoa and cinnamon, these swirls of velvety darkness are destined to become your new favorite.

Death by Chocoalte is an unconventional exit strategy. Most people aspire to croak in their sleep at a ripe old age. Me? I’m banking on a cocoa-infused fate. When I leave this earthly plane, it’ll be with a chocolate cinnamon roll in each hand. And probably a third lodged in my throat. Sure, it sounds ominous, but I’ll die blissfully happy. To prove it, I’m having an open casket so everyone can see the sugar-induced smile on my embalmed face.

Scrumptious or sinister, a chocolaty start to eternity doesn’t get any sweeter. Until my demise, I’ll be savoring every chocolate extravagance between here and the stairway to heaven–or the highway to hell. Whichever it may be, I have no fear of my afterlife address. I am, however, scared to death that St. Peter and Satan won’t have any chocoalte. So, before I leave this mortal world, my mission is to eat all the chocolate on this planet.

First up on this undertaking: triple chocolate cinnamon rolls. I’m talking black cocoa powder, Dutch process cocoa powder and chocolate chips melding toether in warm, gooey swirls of deliciousness. If these rolls don’t make me overdose on chocoalte, nothing will. Seriously, I’ve gone from making peace with a chocoalty departure to practically taunting the grim reaper to come get me. The only way I make it out of this alive is by bribing him with a black velvet cinnamon roll. But if the reaper is beyond reproach, c’est la vie. Don’t feel bad when you read my obituary, this recipe is literally to die for.

Before sharing this Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls recipe, here are a few baking tips to help you out:

Ingredient Tips

For flavor and color, this recipe uses black cocoa powder. If there isn’t black cocoa powder in your pantry, feel free to substitute Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder (or any other brand of Dutch processed cocoa powder). Note that your dough will be dark brown instead of black with this ingredient swap.

Making cinnamon rolls with bread flour is the secret to soft and fluffy dough. All-purpose flour can be used as a substitute but will not yield the same results as bread flour.

Quick rise yeast is recommended for this recipe since it does not require proofing or dissolving in liquid before use. Active dry yeast can be substituted but will require proofing and longer rise times.

Eggs need to be at room temperature before making the dough. If you’ve forgotten to take your eggs out of the refrigerator ahead of time, speed up the process by placing them in a bowl of warm water. Don’t use hot water; we want to warm the eggs, not hatch them.

Take care not to overheat the milk. Liquid hotter than 115 degrees will kill the yeast and your cinnamon rolls will not rise.

Make Ahead Cinnamon Rolls

Chocolate cinnamon roll dough can be made the night before and refrigerated prior to the second rise. Arrange the cut cinnamon rolls in a greased 10-inch pan, cover tightly with plastic wrap then refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove wrap and allow dough to come to room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

Chocolate cinnamon roll dough can be made ahead and frozen before the second rise. Simply arrange the cut cinnamon rolls in a greased 10-inch pan and cover first with plastic wrap then with aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then uncover and allow dough to come to room temperature for 1 hour before baking.

How to Store Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Cover chocolate rolls with plastic wrap then store up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

To freeze cinnamon rolls, place leftovers in an airtight container and store up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator then warm in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes before serving.

I hope you enjoy these Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls! Please leave a rating and review below once you try them out. And, while you’re at it, sign up for my weekly Recipe Newsletter so you never miss a tempting recipe.

Finally, if you’re looking for more black cocoa powder recipes then check out these Oreo Cinnamon Rolls. Filled with black cocoa and crushed Oreo cookies then slathered with cream cheese frosting, these rolls are the bomb for breakfast or brunch.

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Heather Wolf

Indulge in the ultimate chocolaty delight with these decadent Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls. Fusing the deep, intense notes of black cocoa powder with Dutch process cocoa and cinnamon, these swirls of velvety darkness are destined to become your new favorite.

5 from 9 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Course Breads and Rolls

Cuisine American

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

Dough

• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 2 1/4 tsp quick rise yeast (1 packet)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
• 2 3/4 cups bread flour unbleached
• 1/4 cup Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder (Dutch processed cocoa powder)
• 1/4 cup black cocoa powder
• 3/4 tsp sea salt fine

Filling

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar packed
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Icing

• 1 cup powdered sugar packed
• 6 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract pure

Instructions

 

Chocolate Cinnamon Roll Dough

• Heat milk in microwave for 40 to 45 seconds or until it's warm to the touch (about 110 degrees).
• Pour milk into the bowl of an electric mixer then sprinkle with yeast.
• Add sugar, eggs and melted butter. Whisk until combined.
• Using a wooden spoon, stir in flour, both cocoa powders and salt until dough begins to form.

  *If you do not have black cocoa powder, substitute Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder. Note that dough will be dark brown instead of black with this ingredient swap.
• Knead dough by hand on a floured surface for 10 minutes or use an electric mixer with a dough hook attachment on medium speed for 8 minutes.
• If dough sticks to the counter/bottom of the bowl add an additional 2 Tbsp of bread flour and continue kneading until a soft, slightly sticky ball forms.
• Place dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and a dry, warmed towel and let it rise in for 1 hour to 1.5 hours or until doubled in size.

Cinnamon Roll Filling

• Dust countertop with cocoa powder then roll dough with a rolling pin into a 14 x 9 inch rectangle.
• Spread softened (not melted!) butter over the surface of dough. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon then sprinkle over buttered dough. Press cinnamon sugar mixture into the butter with your hands then top with mini chocolate chips.
• Tightly roll the dough into the shape of a log starting with the short side. Trim and discard uneven ends then cut dough into ten 1-inch rolls with a serrated knife or non-minty floss. Fishing line also works great.
• Grease a round 10-inch baking pan then line with parchment paper. Arrange cinnamon rolls in the pan, swirl-side-up, then cover with plastic wrap and a dry, warm towel. Allow to rise until doubled in size, approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Bake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Remove towel and plastic wrap from pan and bake cinnamon rolls for 20 to 25 minutes or until the edges are slightly browned. Avoid overbaking or rolls will be dry.
• Remove from the oven and allow to rolls to cool in the pan while you make the icing.

Icing

• Sift powdered sugar into a mixing bowl to remove lumps.
• Add heavy cream and vanilla then whisk until smooth.
• Drizzle on warm rolls and enjoy.

Store

• Cover leftover rolls with plastic wrap then store up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Keyword chocolate, cinnamon, rolls