The Memory Behind This Treat
The first idea for these Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls actually came from a happy kitchen accident on a sleepy Sunday. I was making cinnamon rolls for brunch and had a half-batch of chocolate chip cookie dough hanging out in the fridge from the night before. While the dough for the rolls was on its first rise, I kept sneaking bites of that cookie dough and finally thought, “Why am I not putting this inside the rolls?” The next thing I knew, I was pressing chilled cookie dough into the rolled-out bread like it was the most obvious thing in the world. When those first pans came out of the oven, the rolls were puffed, golden, and oozing with melty chocolate in all the best, slightly-messy ways.
Growing up, weekend baking was a two-recipe situation in our house: my mom made cinnamon rolls, and I was in charge of chocolate chip cookies. We always baked them separately—rolls for breakfast, cookies for later—like there was some unspoken rule that they couldn’t share the same tray. These Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls feel like breaking that rule in the most delicious, kid-at-heart way. They remind me of those afternoons when the house smelled like warm yeast dough and butter, and there were always just enough chocolate chips spilled on the counter for “taste testing.” Now, when I make a tray of these, it feels like combining my childhood and adulthood baking obsessions into one pan.
The first time I served these to friends, I slid the pan onto the table without explaining what they were. From the top, they just looked like classic bakery rolls with a vanilla-specked glaze, all soft swirls and shiny edges. Then someone pulled one apart and the room went quiet except for a little, “Wait… is that cookie dough in there?” Moments like that are why I love playful recipes, like my stuffed brownie bars and cookie butter swirl rolls. These Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls are for the days when you can’t decide between a cozy breakfast roll and a classic chocolate chip cookie—and honestly, you shouldn’t have to.
How To Make It (Mix & Ingredients)
To build these Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls, you’ll actually make three components: the soft roll dough, the chocolate chip cookie filling, and the creamy glaze. Start with the tangzhong: cook flour and water together until it turns into a thick, glossy paste. This simple step is what keeps the rolls insanely soft and pillowy for days. Once it cools slightly, you’ll mix it right into your dough ingredients—flour, sugar, instant yeast, salt, heavy cream, milk, egg, and vanilla. Use a stand mixer with a dough hook if you have one; it makes adding the butter one tablespoon at a time much easier and ensures the dough becomes smooth, stretchy, and just a bit tacky rather than sticky.
Instructions Process of Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls
When the dough is ready, you’ll knead in mini chocolate chips, then let it rise until puffy and doubled. While it does its thing, you’ll mix up your cookie dough filling: soft butter, brown sugar, a touch of granulated sugar, egg, vanilla bean paste, flour, salt, baking powder, and plenty of chocolate chips (both regular and mini for great texture). The dough should feel like a classic chocolate chip cookie dough—soft, scoopable, and not crumbly. You’ll roll out the risen dough into a big rectangle, spread the cookie dough in an even layer (right to the edges for maximum gooeyness), then roll it up into a tight log and slice into 12 thick spirals. After a second rise and a quick bake, you’ll whisk together butter, cold cream cheese, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla into a pourable glaze and spoon it over the warm rolls so it melts into all the nooks, just like with my favorite cinnamon rolls or chocolate babka-style treats.
Make-Ahead & Storage
One of my favorite things about these Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls is how well they fit into real life. You have options depending on your schedule. For a slow weekend breakfast, you can assemble the rolls completely, slice them, and nestle them into your greased baking pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (8–16 hours). In the morning, let them sit at room temperature for 45–60 minutes, until puffy, then bake as directed and glaze while warm. You can also make the cookie dough filling up to 2 days ahead, keep it chilled in an airtight container, and spread it onto the dough when you’re ready to roll.
If you have leftovers (lucky you), store your baked Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to line the container with parchment so the gooey chocolate and glaze don’t stick to the bottom. Reheat individual rolls in the microwave for 10–15 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 8–10 minutes, just until warm and soft again. If you know you’ll want to freeze some, skip the glaze, wrap the cooled rolls tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, warm in the oven, and then glaze so they taste almost as fresh as the day you baked them.
Best Ingredients & Party Variations
For the best Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls, start with high-quality butter and real vanilla bean paste if you can swing it. The dough stays extra tender thanks to the tangzhong and a mix of whole milk and heavy cream, so don’t swap those for water unless you absolutely must. Use instant yeast (not active dry) to keep the rise time predictable, and measure your flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling it off to avoid dense rolls. For the filling, a mix of mini chocolate chips and regular semi-sweet chips gives the perfect balance of melty pockets and even distribution. If you prefer a sweeter vibe, you can use milk chocolate chips, but I love the contrast of semi-sweet with the creamy glaze.
These Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls are also a dream for parties because you can customize them like a dessert bar. For a birthday brunch, press a few rainbow sprinkles into the warm glaze and add extra mini chips on top for a cookie-dough-meets-confetti-roll moment. For a more grown-up dessert spread, drizzle warm salted caramel over the rolls and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Hosting a cozy holiday morning? Fold chopped toasted pecans or walnuts into the cookie dough layer, then serve the rolls alongside a pan of classic cinnamon rolls or something equally comforting, like sticky toffee–style breakfast buns. You can even do a “roll flight” with half the batch baked as Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls and the other half turned into a s’mores variation with mini marshmallows and crushed graham crackers sprinkled over the filling before rolling.
Serving of Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls
Conclusion
If you’re still reading this, I wish I could slide a warm pan of these right across your kitchen table. There’s just something about that first swirl you pull apart—soft, melty, and studded with chocolate—that makes everyone around suddenly lean in a little closer. That’s why I love baking recipes like these Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls: they’re not just dessert, they’re tiny excuses to pause, linger, and share a moment with the people you love.
I hope you feel excited (and totally capable) to try these in your own kitchen. Don’t worry about perfection—your rolls might bake a little unevenly or the filling may sneak out in spots, but they’ll still taste like pure comfort. Put on some music, flour your counter, and enjoy the process. I promise, when that pan comes out of the oven and everyone crowds around, it will all be worth it.
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Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cookie Rolls
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for tangzhong
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/3 cup heavy cream room temperature
- 1/3 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla bean paste
- Tangzhong from above
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/8 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ounce cream cheese cold
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Make the tangzhong by whisking 1/4 cup flour and 3/4 cup water together in a small saucepan until smooth.
- Cook the tangzhong over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens into a paste, about 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together 3 1/2 cups flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, instant yeast, and 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt.
- Add the heavy cream, whole milk, egg, vanilla, and cooled tangzhong to the dry ingredients and mix with the dough hook on low speed until a rough dough ball forms, about 2 minutes.
- With the mixer running on low, add 6 tablespoons softened butter one tablespoon at a time, letting each addition fully incorporate before adding more.
- Continue kneading the dough on low speed until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, about 11 to 12 minutes.
- Add 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips and knead just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape the dough into a smooth ball, place it back into the mixing bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- While the dough rests, make the cookie dough filling by beating 8 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, and 1/8 cup granulated sugar together in a bowl until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla bean paste until fully combined and smooth.
- Add 1 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking powder to the bowl and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips until evenly distributed and set the cookie dough aside.
- Lightly flour your work surface and roll the rested dough into a 15 by 21 inch rectangle with the long side facing you.
- Evenly spread the cookie dough filling over the dough rectangle, leaving a 1 inch clean border along the top long edge.
- Sprinkle any remaining chocolate chips from the filling over the surface and gently press them into the cookie dough with your hands.
- Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the rectangle into twelve 1 3/4 inch wide strips along the short side.
- Roll each strip into a tight spiral, rolling away from you, to form individual rolls.
- Transfer the rolls, cut side up, into a buttered or parchment-lined 9 by 13 inch baking pan, spacing them evenly.
- Cover the pan with plastic wrap and let the rolls rise at room temperature until doubled in size and puffy, about 1 hour.
- Near the end of the rise time, preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Bake the risen rolls for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted at an angle into the center roll reaches 170°F.
- While the rolls bake, make the glaze by beating 4 tablespoons butter and the cold cream cheese together in a bowl until completely smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and mix until no dry streaks remain, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla until the glaze is smooth and pourable.
- Transfer the baked rolls in the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Spread or drizzle the glaze evenly over the warm rolls, then serve while still slightly warm.
Notes
- If your kitchen is cool, place the covered pan in a slightly warm, turned-off oven to help the rolls rise.
- Chilling the cookie dough filling briefly in the fridge can make it easier to spread over the rolled-out dough.
- For cleaner slices, use a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss to cut the rolled dough into spirals.
- These rolls taste best the day they are baked but can be stored covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days.