Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

Is there anything better than warm cinnamon rolls?  Clearly I don't think so.  I have professed my love many times. Here. Here. and Here. But these Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls...THESE HOT CHOCOLATE CINNAMON ROLLS.  Are the best, ever.  The combination might sound strange with the cinnamon and the chocolate, but believe me, they are delicious!  They are fluffy, gooey, chocolate filled, marshmallow frosting drizzled rolls of heaven.  I'm telling you, these could quite possibly be one of the best things I have made to date!  

Enough of this chatting, let's get to baking! 

Start by adding yeast, I only use Platinum yeast, it's the best, they don't pay me to say that either, it's just the truth!

Sugar

and warm water. Set aside to bloom

Then take some instant chocolate pudding...yep I said it

And pour it into the bowl of your stand mixer

Along with the amount of milk it says on the package.  Mine said 2 cups of cold milk.  Whisk together.

Add in melted butter

Eggs

And salt.  Whisk again.

Then pour in the yeast mixture.  See that foamy goodness?  That's why I only use Platinum!

Add the flour and knead for 5 minutes.  Add additional flour, if needed.  It shouldn't be sticky but you don't want to add too much flour.  It results in a tough dough.  You don't want that!

Take the dough out an place in a  greased bowl.  Cover with a dish towel and put in a warm place.

Then you can get to work on the filling mixture.  It starts with brown sugar

And cinnamon..that I didn't take a picture of adding.  Whoops.

Once the dough has doubled in size, plop it out on a heavily--HEAVILY floured surface.

Roll out the silky, smooth dough into a large rectangle.

Smear with room temperature butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture

Break out these lovey bits.

And sprinkle those on as well.  I also sprinkled on mini chocolate chips and apparently forgot to take a picture of that too! Sorry!

Roll up the dough as tightly as possible.

Slice and place into a greased 9x13 pan.  This recipe made 2 9x13 pans of large rolls.

Set it aside to rise.  Look at these risen rolls! Pop them in the oven to bake.

While the rolls bake, get to work on the icing. Start with room temperature butter

Add in a jar of marshmallow cream

And give it a stir to combine

Pour in a little milk to thin and a pinch of salt

And you are good to go

Remove the rolls from the oven when the middles spring back when you gently press down, then you know they are done all he way!

Immediately pour the icing all over the rolls

Since I wanted to see the chocolate rolls through the icing, I did a drizzle, you don't need a ton of the icing. 

Look at how pretty these are!

Seriously, you guys.

These are heavenly.  I could eat a whole pan! I almost did. I wish I was joking.

Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls 

INGREDIENTS:

Rolls:
½ cup warm water
2 tablespoons active dry yeast (I prefer Redstar Platinum Yeast) 
2 tablespoons sugar
3 ½ ounce package instant dark chocolate pudding + Milk needed to prepare the pudding 
½ cup butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
6+ cups flour

Filling:
1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup Mallo Bits
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips 

Frosting:
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 8 oz tub Marshmallow Creme 
1.5 tablespoons milk 
Pinch of salt 

DIRECTIONS:
In a small bowl combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside to bloom.

 In the bowl of a stand mixer, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add butter, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour; knead until smooth and combined.  Do not overflour the dough! It should be very soft but not sticky. 

Place in a greased bowl. Cover with a dish towel and let rise until doubled. 

Once doubled, roll out on floured board to 34 X 21 inches in size (Mine was about 30x16 and it was just fine). Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. 

In bowl, mix  brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the top of the butter. Sprinkle the Mallo Bits and mini chocolate chips as well. Roll up as tightly as you can. 

With knife put a notch every 1 1/2 inches. Cut with thread or serrated knife. Place in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Cover and let rise until double again. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Remove when you gently press down in the center of the roll, it bounces back. 

While the rolls are baking, combine the butter, Marshmallow Creme, milk and salt in a small bowl. 

Frost warm rolls with marshmallow frosting.  It makes for a pretty presentation if you do more of a drizzle rather than a complete frosting. 

 Makes about 12 very large rolls.  It would make more but I don't like to use the ends of the rolls as they are typically not very uniform in shape.  

Enjoy!  

Recipe adapted from: Vanilla Pudding Cinnamon Rolls found here