Oh. My. Word, people. It's no secret that I love chocolate and espresso. Or that I love me some sweets for breakfast. That makes these Chocolate Rolls with Espresso Glaze the ultimate breakfast when you want to treat yourself!
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These Chocolate Rolls with Espresso Glaze are soft, filled with chocolate-espresso filling, and drizzled with espresso glaze. Oh, then they're sprinkled with crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans, because that is how I (sweet) roll. Sounds like heaven, right?
If you enjoy this recipe, you'll want to check out my posts for Chocolate Caramel Sweet Rolls, Coconut Mocha Pie, and my Mocha Swirl Cookies!
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Chocolate Roll Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter, melted - For moisture and richness. Make sure it's not too hot, or you'll kill your yeast! Unsalted so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Milk - For moisture and a little richness. Again, it should be just warmed and not hot. I used whole milk.
- Yeast - For leavening and flavor. More flavor develops the longer the yeast works, hence the long rest in the refrigerator!
- Flour - For structure for the rolls. I used all-purpose flour.
- Sugar - For sweetness and moisture.
- Salt - To balance and enhance the flavor of the dough.
- Baking soda - For leavening.
- Sour Cream - For moisture and richness. I used full fat sour cream. You want your sour cream to be at room temperature. If you prefer, you can substitute full-fat plain Greek yogurt.
Chocolate-Espresso Filling Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter - For moisture and to ensure a smooth, spreadable filling. Unsalted so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Brown Sugar - For sweetness, moisture, and a slight molasses flavor.
- Dark (Dutch Process) Cocoa Powder - *Not* the same as natural cocoa powder, dutch process cocoa powder is darker and smoother! I prefer the flavor and the darker color for this recipe. However, since there's no leavening involved in this part of the recipe, you can substitute with regular cocoa powder if you'd prefer.
- Espresso Powder - For flavor. I've found it difficult to find espresso powder--especially that isn't already hard as a rock--at my local grocery store. I use King Arthur Baking brand (link here), as it's very fine and made specifically for baked goods.
- Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors in the filling.
Espresso Glaze Ingredients
- Powdered Sugar - For sweetness, and to ensure a smooth, pourable consistency to the glaze. The slight amount of cornstarch in the powdered sugar also helps to stabilize it.
- Espresso Powder - For flavor.
- Milk - For moisture, so the glaze will be a pourable consistency. I used whole milk.
- Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor. If you're looking to purchase vanilla bean paste and can't find it in your local grocery store (I never can), you can find it online here. You can substitute with an equal measure of vanilla extract if you like.
I also list crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans as an optional garnish, but let's be real! If you're going to make these, then *go for it*! I’ve never had luck finding chocolate-covered espresso beans at my local grocery store. If you can't find them, either, you can get them online here.
How to Make Chocolate Rolls
For Dough:
- Melt the butter and set aside to cool.
- Warm milk slightly in the microwave (no warmer than 110 degrees). Sprinkle the yeast over top, stir slightly, and let sit for five minutes.
- Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Add the milk/yeast mixture and the sour cream to the melted butter and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir. Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until about doubled in size, about 90 minutes. Proceed to making the filling.
For Filling:
- Mix the butter and sugar until combined and fluffy. Add cocoa, espresso powder, and salt and mix to combine. Leave at room temperature until ready to use.
Roll/Fill/Slice:
- Once the dough has completed it's first rise, roll the dough into a 13"x13" square. Spread the filling over the dough.
- Roll the dough up and cut into 12 equal portions.
- Grease a 9"x13" pan or two 8" round pans. Place the rolls in the pan(s), cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight (or up to 48 hours).
Bake:
- Remove the rolls from the refrigerator and allow them to warm at room temperature while the oven preheats.
- With the pan(s) still covered in foil, bake the rolls for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 15 minutes more, or until golden.
For Glaze:
- Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spoon, drizzle, or pour the glaze over the baked rolls. Sprinkle with crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! The filled/cut (unbaked) rolls can sit in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, so you can make them ahead and bake them when you need them. Once the rolls are baked and cooled, you can freeze them (wrapped well and unglazed). They'll stay good for several months in the freezer if wrapped well, then you just thaw and glaze them. Once baked and glazed, they'll keep on your counter (covered) for 2-3 days (if they last that long)!
Instant espresso is not as fine as espresso powder, so you can't just make a direct substitution in the filling. If you want to go this route, try to grind the instant espresso as finely as you can so that it's well distributed throughout the filling. For the glaze, dissolve the instant espresso in the milk and then mix everything together as directed. You may need to warm the milk to get the instant espresso to dissolve. Disclaimer: I've never actually done this, but it seems like it will work!
Er...no. Not officially. The overnight rest in the refrigerator will give you the best flavor from the yeast. If you're in a hurry, you can skip this step, you just won't have the most flavorful rolls possible.
What a happy, happy morning it is when you have a lovely, freshly-baked Chocolate Rolls with Espresso Glaze to welcome you to the day! <3
Other Posts You May Like
Sweet roll base recipe adapted from Bravetart's Cinnamon Rolls (link here).
Chocolate Rolls with Espresso Glaze
Ingredients
Sweet Roll Dough:
Chocolate-Espresso Filling:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick)
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup dutch process (dark) cocoa powder (see note)
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder (see note)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Espresso Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder (see note)
- 1½ tablespoon milk (I used whole)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoon chocolate-covered espresso beans, crushed (optional)
Instructions
For Dough:
- In a medium heatproof bowl, melt the butter in the microwave. Set the butter aside, allowing it to cool to just above body temperature.
- In a heatproof bowl or liquid measuring cup, warm milk slightly in the microwave to just above body temperature (too hot and you'll kill your yeast). Sprinkle the yeast over top, stir slightly, and let set for five minutes.
- While the yeast blooms, combine the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda) in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the milk/yeast mixture and the sour cream (or greek yogurt) to the melted butter. Whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir. Mixture will appear shaggy and dry. With the dough hook, knead the dough thoroughly until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
- Cover the bowl and allow the dough to rise until about doubled in size, about 90 minutes. Proceed to making the filling.
For Filling:
- In a medium bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Mix until combined and fluffy. Add cocoa (sifted, if necessary; see note), espresso powder (see note), and salt, and mix to combine. Leave at room temperature until ready to use.
Roll/Fill/Slice:
- Once the dough has completed it's first rise, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a 13"x13" square. Spread the filling over the dough.
- Roll the dough up and position seam-down on the counter. Using a thin serrated knife (some use dental floss), cut the dough into 12 equal portions.
- Grease a 9"x13" pan or two 8" round pans. Place the rolls in the pan(s), cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight (or up to 48 hours).
Bake:
- Remove the sweet rolls from the refrigerator and allow them to warm at room temperature while the oven preheats. Preheat oven to 350° F.
- With the pan(s) still covered in foil, bake the rolls for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 15 minutes more, or until golden.
For Glaze:
- Combine all glaze ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Mixture should be smooth and pourable.
- Spoon, drizzle, or pour the glaze over the sweet rolls. Sprinkle with crushed chocolate-covered espresso beans, if desired.Enjoy!
JoanieM87
Good gracious these are amazing!
Amee
Haha my sentiments exactly, Joanie! Thanks so much for your review!
Monika
Is instant coffee a good substitute for the espresso powder?
Thank you.
Amee
Hi Monika! The instant coffee is not as fine as espresso powder, so you may want to grind it as finely as you can so that it's well distributed throughout the filling. Maybe just press it in a bowl with the back of a spoon to break it up. For the glaze, dissolve the instant coffee in the milk and then mix everything together as directed. You may need to warm the milk to get the instant coffee to dissolve. I've never actually done this, but it seems like it will work!