Chocolate Bread Machine Recipe for Cinnamon Rolls

Dark chocolate cocoa flavors the rich dough to make a fabulous loaf, cinnamon rolls, twists, or snails. The taste will remind you of chocolate doughnuts with chocolate frosting. Be sure to check out the "Tips for Success" in the post if you have questions.

16 servings

Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls with chocolate glaze.

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Mix & Rise Time 2 15

Total Time 3 15

Ingredients

DOUGH

½ cup (114 g) whole milk
⅓ cup (66 g) sugar
3 tablespoons (15 g) unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) salt
2 large (100 g) eggs
¼ cup (57 g) butter - cool and chopped
¼ cup (70 g) Greek yogurt - or sour cream
1¼ teaspoon (5 gr) vanilla extract
3 cups (360 g) of bread flour
2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) bread machine or instant yeast

FILLING

¼ cup (57 g) butter - (very soft)
½ cup (107 g) brown sugar
1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) cinnamon
½ cup (49 g) pecans, chopped - (toasted)

ICING

1-1/2 ounces (14 g) unsweetened chocolate bar
1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) butter
1-1/2 cup (170 g) powdered sugar - (sifted if it has lumps)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2+ tablespoons (2+ tablespoons) milk

Instructions

Preparing the Dough (Bread Machine)

Add dough ingredients to the bread machine pan in the order listed:½ cup whole milk, ⅓ cup sugar, 3 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs, ¼ cup butter, ¼ cup Greek yogurt, 1¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 cups of bread flour, and 2 teaspoons bread machine or instant yeast , Set your machine on the DOUGH cycle and push START.
Select DOUGH Cycle: Press START.
Open the lid of the machine within the first minute.
After 1 minute, check paddles and ensure dough is forming a ball. Adjust with small amounts of flour or liquid as needed.
After 10-15 minutes, open the lid and assess the consistency of the dough again. The dough should stick to the side, then pull away cleanly. Read more details in this post about my surprising secret.
After rising: When the cycle is complete, and the dough has doubled, remove it from the pan onto a lightly floured surface.

Shaping and FIlling:

Divide Dough: Shape dough into a ball, then divide in half. Roll each half into an 11 x 11-inch square.
Spread Filling: Spread two tablespoons of the softened 1/4 cup butter onto one square of the dough. Sprinkle half of the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture (1/2 cup brown sugar + 1 teaspoon cinnamon) evenly over the butter, then half of the 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
Roll and Slice: Roll tightly into a cylinder, seal edges, and cut into 8 slices. Repeat with the second half of the dough.

Rising and Baking:

Prepare Pan: Arrange rolls in a greased 9-inch round pan (or a 13 x 9-inch pan for 16 rolls).
Second Rise: Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled
Bake: Preheat oven to 350˚F. Bake for 13 minutes or until lightly browned. Internal temp should reach 190˚F. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

Icing:

Melt: Combine 1-1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate bar and 1 tablespoon butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 50% power for 1½–2 minutes, stirring until smooth.
Mix: Add the sifted 1-1/2 cup powdered sugar,1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 2+ tablespoons milk. Stir vigorously until your icing is smooth and starts to shine.
Decorate: Drizzle icing over the rolls with a spoon. If you want a neater look, fill a plastic zippered bag with the icing. Zip the bag shut. Snip a small hole in one corner and squeeze icing over the tops of rolls.

Notes

Make Ahead:
- Make dough in a bread machine using the DOUGH cycle. Proof until doubled, shape, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Remove from fridge, bring to room temperature, and rise until almost doubled (1-2 hours) before baking.
Freshness:
- Wrap well and refrigerate. Microwave briefly to warm. Best eaten within 2 days.
Freezing:
- Cool baked rolls, double-wrap (plastic wrap + foil/plastic bag), and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge.

Heads-up: Avoid doubling this recipe. Anything above 4.5-5 cups of flour won’t knead properly in most machines and can cause overheating. More details here.

Making Bread Without a Bread Machine

? Stand Mixer Method:
1️⃣ Add ingredients to the bowl in the listed order.
2️⃣ Mix on LOW until moistened, then knead on speed 2 or 3 with a dough hook for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3️⃣ Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.
4️⃣ Gently deflate and shape as directed in the recipe.

? By Hand:
1️⃣ Mix all ingredients into a shaggy dough ball in a large bowl.
2️⃣ Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 10-20 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3️⃣ Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled.
4️⃣ Gently deflate and shape as directed.

? Yeast Tip: Using active dry yeast? Increase by ¼ teaspoon. It no longer requires dissolving, but you can if preferred.

Nutritional Information