Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

By CruelK8E

Ingredients

• FOR THE FILLING:
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (or finely chopped regular chips)
• FOR THE DOUGH:
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk (or 5 tablespoons cultured buttermilk powder, plus 1 1/4 cups water)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• FOR THE ICING:
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese or unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk (1 1/2 teaspoons powder, plus 2 tablespoons water)
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from mybakingdom.com

Preparation

Step 1

To make the filling: Combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand. Set aside.

To make the dough: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Brush a 9-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (and the buttermilk powder, if using). Add the buttermilk (or water, if using buttermilk powder) and 2 tablespoons of the butter and stir until just combined. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth (it will still be very sift and a little sticky, but should be smoother and less lumpy).

Flatten the dough into a rectangle about 12 inches by 8 inches. Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter on and spread around with your fingers. Pour the filling over though dough and spread it evenly over the top, leaving about a 1/2 inch or so border around the outside edge. Press the filling down to sort of pack it on top of the dough. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the dough then gently press them into the filling.

Starting on the long side of the dough, roll the side up, pressing as you go, to create a tightly rolled log (be gentle, as this will likely stick to the counter a bit). Pinch the seam closed and lay the log seam side down. Cut into 8 even pieces, laying each one flat as you go. Gently press down on the top of each roll, then transfer them to the prepared cake pan. Brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

To make the icing: In a medium bowl, cream the cream cheese and add the sugar. Mix until the sugar and cream cheese start to come together a bit. Add the buttermilk and whisk well, until the mixture is smooth.

Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack set over parchment paper. Pour the frosting over the cinnamon rolls. Serve these while they’re still warm.

These will keep in an airtight container for at least 3 days.