Chocolate cinnamon rolls loaded with chocolate dough, cinnamon filling, and a glossy chocolate glaze. Soft, gooey, and crazy good.
These chocolate cinnamon rolls are my full-chocolate twist on the classic—soft, gooey, and loaded with cocoa.
The dough is chocolatey, the filling is warm and spiced, and the glaze is glossy and rich. Pure comfort food.
You get the same cozy homemade cinnamon roll vibe, just deeper, darker, and perfect for chocolate lovers.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Extra Soft & Gooey – A fluffy chocolate dough with the same pull-apart texture you love.
- Double Chocolate Filling – Cocoa + cinnamon + melted chocolate for a rich, cozy swirl.
- Shiny Chocolate Glaze – Finishes the rolls like a bakery-style chocolate cinnamon treat.
Ingredients you need
- Flour — All-purpose flour for a soft dough.
- Cocoa powder — Unsweetened cocoa to make the rolls chocolatey.
- Sugar — Granulated sugar for the dough and brown sugar for the filling.
- Yeast — Instant yeast or active dry yeast.
- Milk — Warm whole milk to activate the yeast.
- Eggs — At room temperature for a fluffy texture.
- Butter — Unsalted and softened (for dough + filling).
- Cinnamon — For the cinnamon swirl.
- Vanilla extract and salt — Enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate — Melted semi-sweet chocolate (filling + glaze).
- Powdered sugar — For the chocolate icing.
- Heavy cream — Makes the glaze smooth and creamy.
Tips for this recipe
- Warm milk to activate the yeast without overheating it.
- Soft dough (slightly sticky) = extra fluffy rolls.
- Even filling for clean, chocolatey swirls.
- Tight roll so they don’t open up in the oven.
- Don’t overbake to keep them soft and gooey.
How to make chocolate cinnamon rolls
Rehydrate the yeast in warm milk for 5–10 minutes. (Instant yeast goes straight into the dry ingredients; active dry yeast needs this step.)
Place the flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in the bowl of your stand mixer with the dough hook.
Add the egg, butter, warm milk, and yeast, and let it mix on medium speed until the dough becomes soft and slightly sticky (about 3 minutes).
Cover the bowl and let the dough rise for 1½ to 2 hours, until doubled in size.
Mix the brown sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl until smooth and combined.
Roll out the dough into a thin rectangle, then spread the softened butter all over the surface.
Add the chocolate-cinnamon mixture and spread it evenly over the butter so it sticks.
Roll the dough into a tight log and slice it into 9–11 even pieces.
Place the rolls in a baking dish, let them rise 30–60 minutes, bake at 350°F/180°C for about 20 minutes, then let them cool slightly.
Mix powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and heavy cream in a bowl until smooth, then pour the glaze over the warm rolls and spread evenly.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm with extra chocolate glaze on top.
- Add fresh berries or sliced bananas for a fruity touch.
- Pair with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a cozy dessert vibe.
Storage
- Room temp: 2–3 days in an airtight container. Warm 10–15 sec in the microwave.
- Fridge: Up to 5 days, well covered.
- Freeze: Up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, warm before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Nutella or PB – Swap the filling for Nutella or peanut butter.
- Oreo or Biscoff – Add crushed Oreo or Biscoff spread for a fun twist.
- Berry – Mix strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries into the filling.
- Extra chocolate – Add chocolate chips for a deeper chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate glaze – Melt chocolate with cream for a rich, glossy topping.
Recipe Questions
Can I make chocolate cinnamon rolls ahead of time?
Yes — make the dough, shape the rolls, and let them rise in the fridge overnight. Bake the next day.
Can I use instant yeast?
Yes, instant yeast goes straight into the dry ingredients (no rehydration needed).
How do I keep them soft?
Don’t overbake and store them airtight. Reheat a few seconds in the microwave.
Can I freeze them?
Yes — freeze baked rolls for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp and warm before serving.
Can I use other types of chocolate?
Sure — milk, dark, or semi-sweet all work for the dough, filling, or glaze.
More Chocolate Rolls
I hope you’ll love this recipe! Rate it ★★★★★ and leave a quick comment — it always helps. Happy baking!
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Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 11 rolls
Description
Soft chocolate cinnamon rolls made with a fluffy chocolate brioche, a rich cinnamon-chocolate filling, and a smooth chocolate glaze. Makes 9–11 rolls.
Ingredients
Chocolate Brioche
- 240 ml (1 cup) Milk – lukewarm
- 7 g (1 ½ tsp) Dry baker’s yeast
- 430 g (3 ½ cups) All-purpose flour
- 60 g (⅓ cup) Granulated sugar
- 1 Pinch of salt
- 1 Egg – room temperature
- 70 g (⅓ cup) Butter – melted and cooled
- 50 g (½ cup) Unsweetened cocoa powder
Chocolate–Cinnamon Filling
- 120 g (⅔ cup) Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 55 g (¼ cup) Butter – softened
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze
- 1 tbsp Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 70 g (⅔ cup) Powdered sugar
- 60 ml (¼ cup) Heavy cream
Instructions
Chocolate Brioche
- Mix the lukewarm milk with the dry yeast and let sit for 5–10 min.
- In a stand mixer bowl, add flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Mix on medium speed.
- Add the egg, melted butter, and the milk–yeast mixture. Knead for 3 min until smooth and soft.
- Cover and let rise at room temperature for 1h30–2h, until doubled.
Chocolate–Cinnamon Filling
- In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and vanilla.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle (about 0.5 cm thick).
- Spread the softened butter all over.
- Add the sugar-cinnamon mix and press it into the butter.
- Roll tightly into a log and cut into 9–11 rolls.
Baking
- Place rolls in a baking dish with space between them.
- Let rise again for 30–60 min.
- Bake at 350°F / 180°C for 20–25 min.
- Let cool slightly.
Chocolate Glaze
- Mix powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and heavy cream until smooth.
- Pour the glaze over the warm rolls and serve.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Warm 10–15 sec in the microwave before serving.
Tips:
- Use a scale for accuracy (especially the flour).
- Warm milk, not hot → protects the yeast.
- Roll tightly for clean and even swirls.
- Don’t overbake → keeps them soft and gooey.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert, bread
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 458
- Sugar: 24.6 g
- Sodium: 242.4 mg
- Fat: 15.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 88.4 g
- Protein: 11.8 g
- Cholesterol: 46.3 mg
LadyMilonguera
OMG... How greedy they are!
Fadela
Too greedy!
Méla
I love cinnamon rolls and this chocolate version really makes me want them! Thank you for this lovely recipe! Have a nice day!
AI
Thank you for your really well explained recipes. I just made these rolls, this stuff is totally crazy! It's just incredibly melt-in-your-mouth, I added sprinkles, it was sickening.
Amy
I’m thinking that there’s a mistake regarding how thin to roll the dough, as 0.5 mm would be pretty impossible. Can you please share info as to how large the rectangle should be, then I can figure out the thickness on my own?
Thank you
Rebekah
I made these chocolate cinnamon rolls last night for a breakfast for supper we were having. They were incredible! Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Paola
Hi! I’m making this recipe today. However, I was wondering, can it be made without egg? I have a friend who is allergic to egg, but would love to make some of these for her, if I can do no egg. Thank you! ☺️
Fadela
Hi, to make the brioche dough simpler without eggs, you can just omit the egg and slightly increase the liquid content to maintain moisture. For instance, add a bit more milk or water (about 2-3 tablespoons) to compensate. The dough might be a bit less rich, but it will still work fine for a soft cinnamon roll texture.