If a swedish cinnamon roll and a chocolate babka got together and had a baby, it would be these amazing Strawberry Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls. Making cinnamon rolls from scratch is easy, very satisfying and will fill your home with the most amazing aroma.

You could try making them giant like this giant chocolate scroll too.

6 cinnamon rolls with pink icing on a wire rack with a tea towel underneath. Icing being piped onto one

The soft and fluffy bread dough bakes up golden and crisp on the outside and filled with a spread made from butter, brown sugar and cocoa, plus real chocolate the sticky filling is rich and totally delicious.

Each roll is topped with a delightful dollop of real strawberry icing that you could easily swap for chocolate ganache to make it super decadent.

I wish I had more time for bread making but bread like this one, I make often. If you have a stand mixer with a dough hook, it’s even easier. There is something so satisfying about making bread from scratch. It feels like I’m getting back to my roots even though we don’t have a single bread baker in our family. It’s like it’s just in us, as humans, to knead together a few simple store cupboard ingredients and then bake it into some golden, crusty loaf of bread.

And, of course, everything is better with chocolate.

3 chocolate filled cinnamon rolls lined up on a wire rack with a tea towel underneath

 

Make ahead cinnamon rolls

These cinnamon rolls can be made the night before and simply baked the next day making it a simple breakfast or brunch. There are just a few simple steps

  1. Make and knead the bread dough and set aside to rise
  2. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle and scatter your filling ingredients all over.
  3. Cut the dough into 10 even slices and roll them up
  4. Place them on baking trays lined with baking paper.
  5. Let them sit for a further 30 minutes then either bake straight away or cover in plastic wrap and sit them in the fridge overnight, ready to bake fresh in the morning.

Easy Strawberry Icing

This easy strawberry icing takes literally two ingredients – icing (powdered) sugar and real strawberries. Just puree 3/4 cup of chopped strawberries and mix the strained puree into the sugar – that’s it!

How to store cinnamon rolls

These chocolate cinnamon rolls, like all bread, are best fresh, so I suggest baking them on the day you want to eat them but you can store them for a couple of days. Make sure they are kept in an airtight container in a cool place for 2-3 days (no need to refrigerate).

You can zap them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, icing and all,  to give them a slight lift if they get a little stale. I love them like this, cut in half and smeared with a little butter.

These cinnamon rolls can also be frozen. Make sure they are individually wrapped in plastic wrap and then placed in an airtight container.

6 cinnamon rolls with pink icing on a wire rack with a tea towel underneath. Chocolate pieces scattered around.

Quick tips

  • I purposely sit my rolls apart on the baking trays so they bake up into perfect round spirals – I just love the shape!
  • But you can absolutely sit them right up next to each other in a 9×13 baking tray for a traditional tray of cinnamon rolls.

Every now and then I love a sweet breakfast treat like this. Other favourites include my Pistachio Chocolate Chip Muffins, Easy Choc Chip Peanut Butter Muffins or everyone’s favourite Easy Fluffy Pancakes.

A chocolate cinnamon roll with pink icing on a white plate, with a bite taken out

Strawberry Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls and a nice cup of coffee first thing in the morning anyone? I know I’m in.

More sweet breakfast recipes

6 cinnamon rolls with pink icing on a wire rack with a tea towel underneath. Chocolate pieces scattered around.
5 from 3 ratings
These Chocolate Strawberry Cinnamon Rolls are a classic cinnamon rolls recipe with a strawberry and chocolate twist. Filled with real chocolate and topped with a 2 ingredient strawberry icing, these are the perfect sweet breakfast treat.

Ingredients

FOR THE CINNAMON ROLLS

  • 1 cup warm milk
  • cup white granulated sugar
  • 57 g butter, melted (¼ cup)
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast (notes, 1 sachet / 7g)
  • 455 g plain (all purp) flour (3 ½ cups / 1lb)
  • ½ teaspoon salt

FOR THE FILLING

  • 115 g unsalted butter, softened (½ cup / 1 stick)
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa (notes)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • ¼ cup roughly chopped chocolate
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tablespooon water

FOR THE STRAWBERRY ICING

  • ¾ cup chopped strawberries
  • 2 ½ cups icing (powdered) sugar (notes)

For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided

Instructions
 

FOR THE CINNAMON ROLLS

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the warm milk, sugar, melted butter, egg and the yeast. Let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • Add the flour and salt and mix with the dough hook on low-medium (no higher than the second setting) for 6-8 minutes until the dough looks smooth and elastic.
  • Brush a clean bowl with a little oil then place the dough into it. flip it over so that has a coating of oil all over. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a large rectangle, about 5-6mm thick.
  • Preheat the oven to 200C / 375F / 180C fan forced and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

FOR THE FILLING

  • Beat together the butter, brown sugar cocoa and cinnamon until you have a smooth paste.
  • Spread the chocolate paste over the rolled out dough, then scatter over the chocolate pieces.
  • Cut the dough into 10 even strips, roughly 1 ½ inches wide. Roll each strip up and press the ends in a little so they stick.
  • Place the rolls onto the baking trays, sitting them at least 2 inches apart. Let them rest and rise a little again for another 15 minutes.
  • Beat together the egg yolk and water then brush all over the exposed dough of the rolls.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, then let them cool before icing.

FOR THE STRAWBERRY ICING

  • Puree the strawberries in a blender, then push them through a strainer to remove seeds and any larger pieces of pulp.
  • Mix the puree with the icing sugar until you have a smooth icing, then pipe or spoon a dollop on top of each of the cooled buns.

Notes

Equipment used: stand mixer with dough hook, baking trays
  1. I use a standard Australian 20ml tablespoon (equal to 4 teaspoons worldwide)
  2. All ovens vary – always test for doneness 3-5 minutes before the recipe suggests
  3. For best results, you should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar. Kitchen scales are relatively cheap but if you can’t weigh the ingredients, use the spoon and level method (don’t scoop).
  4. Yeast: You can use instant or active dry yeast. If you use rapid rise, your dough may double in size quicker.
  5. Chocolate: You can use any chocolate you like. I use dark chocolate (50% cocoa).
  6. You can make the dough without a stand mixer, just make sure to knead until it is smooth and elastic - about 10-12 minutes.
  7. The icing should be of a consistency where it is thick enough to sit on top of the buns and not run down. Add more icing sugar to thicken it or a little water to loosen it.
  8. If you want to make these all chocolate you could top them with a chocolate ganache instead of strawberry icing.
  9. If you want traditional shaped cinnamon rolls, cut them into 12 instead and sit them side by side in a 9x13 inch baking tin.
  10. Cinnamon rolls are best eaten the day they are made but will keep in an airtight container 2-3 days. They can be warmed for 10-15 seconds in the microwave (even iced) to soften them if a little stale.
  11. The recipe can be made ahead up to step 9. Cover the trays and keep in the fridge overnight.
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Have you tried this recipe?Don't forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.