The Practical Why Behind It

If you want cinnamon rolls that bake up tall, soft, and extra chocolatey without needing bakery skills, these Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls are your new weekend project. You get deep cocoa flavor, gooey chocolate pockets, and soft spirals that actually stay tender the next day.

There’s a real reason these Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls work so well, and it’s not just “because chocolate.” The warm milk and a touch of sugar gently wake up the yeast, so your dough rises into soft, bakery-style swirls instead of dense little bricks. Adding cocoa powder right into the dough does two things: it infuses the rolls with deep chocolate flavor and slightly tightens the gluten, which helps the spirals hold their shape as they bake. The melted butter in the dough keeps everything tender, so when you tear a roll apart, you get that stretchy, pillowy texture instead of something bready and dry.

The way you build the layers is just as practical. Spreading melted butter on the rolled-out dough acts like glue for the cinnamon sugar and chocolate chips, so they don’t all leak out onto the bottom of the pan. Rolling the dough tightly helps you get that classic, visible swirl and prevents big, empty pockets inside the rolls. Leaving space between each slice in the baking dish seems fussy, but it allows them to expand and “kiss” as they bake, giving you soft sides with gently caramelized edges. Baking at 350°F gives the centers time to cook through and stay gooey while the tops just barely turn golden—your cue that they’re done without drying out.

Finally, the double chocolate situation isn’t just about indulgence, it’s about balance. You have cocoa in the dough, plus chocolate chips in the filling, so you get layers of chocolate flavor instead of a single flat note. The cinnamon cuts through the richness and adds warmth, which keeps the sweetness from feeling heavy—especially helpful if you’re serving these after brunch or alongside something like a classic vanilla sheet cake. And because the dough is forgiving and the rise time is straightforward, you don’t need professional bakery equipment or skills to pull off impressively plush, chocolatey rolls right in your home oven.

Step-by-Step Method for Soft, Bakery-Style Rolls

Start by waking up your yeast: stir it into the warm milk (it should feel like a cozy bath, not a hot tub) and let it sit until it turns foamy on top, about 5–10 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt so there are no streaks of cocoa. Pour in the melted butter and the frothy yeast mixture, then stir until a shaggy dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, or use a stand mixer with a dough hook for about 6 minutes, until the dough is smooth, soft, and just slightly tacky. Tuck it into a greased bowl, cover, and let it rise in a warm spot until doubled; if your kitchen is chilly, you can set the bowl in a turned-off oven with the light on.

Once the dough for your Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls has puffed up, punch it down gently to release the air, then roll it out into a large rectangle, about ¼ inch thick. Brush the surface with melted butter all the way to the edges so nothing stays dry. Sprinkle an even layer of cinnamon sugar and then scatter the chocolate chips over the top, making sure every bite will get some filling. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough into a tight log, pulling gently as you roll for a snug spiral. Use a sharp knife or unflavored floss to slice the log into 12 thick rolls and nestle them into a greased baking dish with a little space between each one. Let them rise again for 20–30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350°F; they should look pillowy and almost touching. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the tops look set and the centers register about 190°F on an instant-read thermometer, then cool just slightly before covering them in your favorite silky chocolate glaze.

Make-Ahead and Storage Notes

One of the reasons I love these Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls is how beautifully they fit into real life—you absolutely don’t have to wake up at dawn to enjoy a warm pan. For overnight rolls, assemble them completely: roll, slice, and arrange in your greased baking dish, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill up to 16 hours. In the morning, pull them out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 45–60 minutes, until puffy, before baking as directed. You can also make the dough a day ahead, let it rise once, then gently deflate, cover the bowl, and refrigerate; the next day, roll it out cold, fill, slice, and give it time for a second rise before baking. If you’re already thinking about the rest of your dessert table, these pair beautifully with something simple and contrasting, like a bright lemon loaf or an old-fashioned vanilla cake.

Once baked, your Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls will stay soft and delicious for about 2–3 days at room temperature if you store them correctly. Let them cool completely, then cover the pan tightly with foil or transfer the rolls to an airtight container; I like to press a piece of parchment or wax paper gently over the top to help lock in moisture. Because they’re richer and chocolate-based, they tend to dry out a little faster than traditional cinnamon rolls, so don’t leave them uncovered on the counter. For longer storage, freeze baked rolls (whole pan or individually wrapped) for up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge, then warm in a 300°F oven for 10–15 minutes, loosely covered, until soft and gooey again. If you add a chocolate glaze, you can still freeze them; just expect the glaze to soften slightly as they thaw, which honestly just makes them even more indulgent.

Variations and How to Serve It

These Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls are already on the indulgent side, but you can absolutely play with them. For a mocha twist, swap 2–3 tablespoons of the milk in the dough for strong brewed coffee, then add a pinch of espresso powder to the filling. Love texture? Stir in chopped toasted hazelnuts or pecans with the chocolate chips before rolling. If you prefer things a little less sweet, reduce the chocolate chips by half and add a swipe of softened cream cheese on the dough before the cinnamon sugar. You can also go full bakery-style by finishing the warm rolls with a classic vanilla cream cheese drizzle instead of chocolate glaze for a beautiful flavor contrast.

When it comes to serving these Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls, timing and temperature matter. For brunch, serve them warm on a platter, loosely covered with a clean kitchen towel so they stay soft, then glaze right before they hit the table for that glossy bakery look. For a dessert moment, reheat individual rolls for 10–15 seconds in the microwave and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. If you’re planning ahead, bake them slightly under (by 3–4 minutes), cool, then reheat in a 300°F oven until just warmed through so they taste freshly baked. Leftovers make an amazing “second-day treat” sliced in half, toasted lightly, and served with fresh berries or a small spoon of jam to balance all that chocolatey richness.

Serving of Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Conclusion

I hope you’re already picturing that first warm, messy bite—soft chocolate dough, melted chips, and a swirl of cinnamon all in one forkful. There’s something quietly magical about taking a simple pan of swirled dough and watching it rise into soft, pillowy spirals of chocolate and spice. These Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls aren’t just dessert; they’re a little moment of celebration you can bake any day of the week.

I love how recipes like this tend to gather people without much effort. Kids wander into the kitchen to “check” on the rolls. Partners suddenly appear when they smell them baking. Friends stay a little longer at the table for one more bite. That’s the beauty of baking: you’re not only making food, you’re creating memories that stick around long after the last crumb disappears.

So go ahead, preheat that oven, dust the counter with flour, and give this recipe a try. And when you do, I hope your kitchen feels just a bit cozier and your day a little sweeter.

Instructions Process of Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Recipe

Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Soft, gooey oven-baked double chocolate cinnamon rolls with rich cocoa dough, cinnamon sugar, and melty chocolate chips.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 rolls

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

  

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar divided
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1 cup whole milk warm
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and divided
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, combine the warm milk and active dry yeast, stir, and let sit for 5–10 minutes until foamy.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, cocoa powder, and salt until evenly combined.
• Add 1/4 cup of the melted butter and the yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
• Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, soft, and slightly tacky, or knead with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 6 minutes.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn to coat, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar with the ground cinnamon to make cinnamon sugar.
• Punch down the risen dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.
• Brush the surface of the dough with the remaining 1/4 cup melted butter, spreading it all the way to the edges.
• Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the buttered dough, then scatter the chocolate chips evenly over the top.
• Starting from one long edge, roll the dough into a tight log, pinching the seam to seal.
• Using a sharp knife or unflavored dental floss, slice the log into 12 equal rolls.
• Arrange the rolls cut-side up in a greased 9x13-inch baking dish, leaving a little space between each roll.
• Cover the dish and let the rolls rise in a warm place for 20–30 minutes, until puffy and nearly touching.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Bake the rolls for 25–30 minutes, until the tops are set and the centers are cooked through.
• Let the rolls cool slightly in the pan before serving warm.

Notes

- Make the dough, fill, slice, and arrange in the baking dish, then cover and refrigerate up to 16 hours; bring to room temperature and let puff before baking.
- Check doneness by gently touching the center of a roll; it should feel set and spring back lightly, not doughy.

Keyword chocolate breakfast rolls, chocolate cinnamon rolls, Double Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls, oven baked cinnamon rolls, Vegetarian