Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Name: Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup warm milk; 1 tbsp instant yeast; 2 tbsp sugar; 2 and 1/2 cup flour (+ more for dusting); 1/2 tsp salt; 1 egg; 1/4 cup melted butter; 2 tbsp water; 1 tbsp vanilla; 1/2 cup butter; 1/4 cup cocoa powder; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1 tsp cinnamon powder; 1/2 cup dark & milk chocolate (chopped); 1 cup mini marshmallows; Pinch salt; 3/4 cup icing sugar; 4 tbsp cocoa powder; 3 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp hot water; 1 tbsp milk; 1/2 tsp salt; Jumbo marshmallows; Chocolate chips

These fluffy and soft buttery pillow like rolls are filled with an intense hot cocoa spread, topped with chopped chocolate and mini marshmallows. The rolls are baked until golden, frosted with a deliciously intense hot chocolate glaze and toasted marshmallows. The perfect Christmas morning breakfast recipe.

So I posted my classic cinnamon rolls recipe video on TikTok and so many replied saying they love cinnamon rolls but do not like cinnamon. A few said they hate cinnamon rolls in general. This was a shock to me, because I absolutely adore cinnamon rolls and think it is one of the most comforting recipes of all time. It got me thinking, what if I took two of my most comforting recipes of all time, cinnamon rolls and hot chocolate and mashed them together to make one? BEHOLD my hot chocolate cinnamon rolls.

Now, is there cinnamon in this recipe? Yes. Can you taste it in the rolls? No. There is only 1 tsp cinnamon powder and you might say that its too much but there is PLENTY of chocolate and cocoa in this recipe to make you NOT taste it. The cinnamon accents the chocolate so please don’t come at me (all you cinnamon haters). If you must, leave it out but these rolls are going to blow your mind. I think I am actually worried about them getting over and planning on making them again just so that I have them in my kitchen, as my emotional support. LOL.

What are cinnamon rolls? Are cinnamon buns and cinnamon rolls the same?

Cinnamon rolls are a sweetened yeasted bread made with dry yeast, milk, sugar, all purpose flour, butter, eggs, baking powder, which is rolled out and spread with cinnamon butter, cut into slices and rolled into scrolls, baked until golden and risen. Which is topped with cream cheese frosting or glaze.I call them cinnamon rolls and cinnamon buns interchangeably but I have noticed that cinnamon rolls are baked in a large tray that bake into each other making it a pull apart yeasted bread once baked. Cinnamon buns could be baked with space between or in individual muffin moulds for a single cinnamon bun. There is no science to this but that’s the only difference I see in them as the ingredients and equipment needed to make both are the same.

What is hot chocolate? Is hot chocolate and hot cocoa the same?

Hot chocolate or hot cocoa is a drink made with chocolate, milk and sugar. Some recipes use cocoa powder and heavy cream, while others use spices, vanilla and alcohol. It is served with whipped cream, shaved chocolate, marshmallows and cinnamon. It is commonly enjoyed in winter months around the festive season mainly Christmas. Today people make hot chocolate inspired desserts and recipes like cakes, cupcakes, tarts and puddings.

What are hot chocolate cinnamon rolls?

Hot chocolate cinnamon rolls are basically buttery soft dough slathered with a hot cocoa spread, filled with marshmallows and chopped chocolate. It has only 1 tsp cinnamon powder in the whole recipe and you don’t actually taste the cinnamon so don’t worry. They are soft and delicious, topped with a fudge chocolate frosting that melts into the buns while they are warm and topped with jumbo marshmallows which are then toasted. So I took the flavors of my favorite hot chocolate recipe and married it into these cinnamon rolls. A match made in heaven if you ask me.

What ingredients do you need to make hot chocolate cinnamon rolls?

To make the dough we need instant yeast, milk, an egg, butter, vanilla, flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and water. For the hot cocoa spread we need cocoa powder, butter, brown sugar, hot water, cinnamon powder, salt. I have also added chopped dark and milk chocolate. For the fudge frosting we need cocoa powder, icing sugar, hot water and a dash of milk. I have used jumbo marshmallows on the top and toasted them with a blow torch.

What equipment is needed to make hot chocolate cinnamon rolls?

To make the dough we need a large mixing bowl, rubber spatula and your hands. It is a no knead dough but I like shaping it with my hands a little to form a rough ball before letting it rest. Cover the bowl with cling wrap. The dough is rolled out with a rolling pin. To make the filling and frosting we need a mixing bowl and whisk. I have used an offset spatula to spread the hot cocoa mixture over the dough, I like using a pizza cutter to divide the dough and roll into scrolls. The buns are baked in a 9 x 6 inch rectangle tin but you can bake them in a round tin or any baking tray you like.

How to make hot chocolate cinnamon rolls?

In a large mixing bowl add the warm milk, instant yeast and sugar. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes or until frothy. Add the egg, flour, salt, vanilla, water and stir together until a shaky dough. Pour in the melted butter and stir into the dough. Once it gets tough to mix, remove the spatula and use your hands to knead the dough together until to form a ball around 1 – 2 minutes. Place the dough in the same mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap. Let this rest and rise for 45 minutes to 1 hours or until doubled in volume. In the mean time let us make the chocolate filling. In a mixing bowl add the butter, brown sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon powder and salt – whisk until it is combined and smooth.

Once the dough is doubled in volume remove from the bowl onto a clean kitchen surface and sprinkle a little flour with baking powder. Roll out the dough to 9×13 inches. Spoon over the chocolate butter spread evenly and cut the dough with a pizza cutter into 6 strips. Sprinkle over the chopped chocolate and mini marshmallows. Roll up each piece into scroll and place in a 9×6 baking tray. Repeat the process until all the pieces are in the baking tray. Cover with cling wrap and allow it to rise for 15-20 minutes. In the mean time preheat the oven to 180℃. Once risen, bake the rolls in the oven for 25 minutes. While they are baking make the fudge frosting by mixing icing sugar, cocoa powder, hot water and salt in a bowl until thick and smooth. Add 1 tbsp milk into the frosting and stir again. As the buns are out of the oven spread the frosting on top of each of them while warm/hot. Top with jumbo marshmallows and torch until toasted. You can do this step in the oven under broiler as well for a couple of minutes.

Serving hot chocolate cinnamon rolls?

They are BEST served hot/warm with milk. I promise you there is no better combination. It is so simple but so so good. These buns taste exactly like hot chocolate or hot cocoa and has an intense chocolate flavor from all that cocoa in the filling and frosting. You can also serve it with my sugar cookie martini. Better yet, serve it with my French toast latte as well. If you want to avoid the frosting let me sit you down and tell you a little story, it might seem like the frosting is a supporting actor but as it melts into all the little nooks and cavities of the buns it creates even gooier hot chocolate pockets all through the tray. We don’t add cream into the frosting because they are NOT CINNAMON ROLLS. They are hot chocolate cinnamon rolls so we are staying true to the flavors here. Moral of the story: make it.

Storing hot chocolate cinnamon rolls?

The leftovers can be stored in an air tight container or in zip lock bags in the fridge for 5 days. When ready to eat warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds or until warm and enjoy. They keep well in the freezer for up to 1 month. When ready to eat, let them reforest a little and then warm before eating. You HAVE to warm them before eating to enjoy them the way they were born to be enjoyed.

Can these hot chocolate cinnamon rolls be made ahead of time?

The buns can be assembled, rolled and placed into a baking tray, cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge over night. Next morning, remove from the fridge, preheat the oven and allow the buns to come to room temperature. Once they are proofed and doubled in size, transfer to the oven and bake as the recipe suggests.

Looking for more Christmas morning breakfast ideas?

Now that we have covered how to make this Hot chocolate cinnamon rolls, you can have a look at the video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more baking recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on pinterest or instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.