Alright, so remember those incredibly easy, soft, and fluffy 5 Ingredient Freezer Biscuits I made a while ago? Turns out, that biscuit dough makes a really fast and easy cinnamon bun, too. The texture is a bit different than a traditional cinnamon roll because this is not a yeast dough, but OMG, they’re just so soft and moist who even cares? Not me. They’re amazing. I wanted to do something a little different, so I also added some chocolate chips, made a chocolate glaze, and turned them into super easy Chocolate Cinnamon Buns. Yasssss.
Just like the freezer biscuits, these chocolate cinnamon buns are definitely best right out of the oven. So, if you can’t eat all 12 at once (Like, if you don’t have guests over for breakfast. That wasn’t a challenge.), you can freeze a portion of the buns just before baking. Just remember to reduce the amount of glaze you make to be appropriate for the number of buns you’re baking. ;)
#sorrynotsorry
Easy Chocolate Cinnamon Buns
Servings 12Ingredients
DOUGH
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour ($0.26)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.05)
- 1 Tbsp sugar ($0.02)
- 4 tsp baking powder ( $0.16)
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream ($3.49)
CHOCOLATE CINNAMON FILLING
- 4 Tbsp butter ($0.50)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar ($0.16)
- 1.5 Tbsp cinnamon ($0.45)
- 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips ($0.44)
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- 1.25 cups powdered sugar ($0.25)
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder ($0.04)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ($0.42)
- 2 Tbsp milk ($0.05)
Instructions
- In a large bowl stir together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder until evenly combined. Pour in the heavy whipping cream and stir until a dough forms.
- Dust a clean work surface with flour and turn the dough out onto the surface. Work the dough slightly, if needed, to make it cohesive, smooth, and evenly mixed. Avoid kneading the dough. Form the dough into a small rectangle with your hands, then use a rolling pin to flatten and enlarge the dough into a 9×16″ rectangle. Make sure the work surface is well floured as you roll to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Begin to preheat the oven to 400ºF. To make the chocolate cinnamon filling, place the butter in a bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and then heat more, in 15 second intervals, until completely melted. Stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture over the surface of the rolled dough, from edge to edge. Sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
- Roll the dough up, working from one long side to the other, so you have a 16″ long roll. Use a very sharp knife, thread, or floss to cut the roll into 12 equal sized pieces. Coat the inside of a casserole dish or pie plate with non-stick spray (or butter), then arrange the cut chocolate cinnamon buns in the dish. The pieces should be close and touching slightly, but not squeezed together.
- Bake the buns for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top (the total cooking time will depend on the dish and how many buns you’re cooking at once). Allow the buns to cool.
- While cooling, prepare the chocolate glaze. Place the powdered sugar in a bowl and add the cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and milk. Stir the ingredients until they form a thick, chocolatey glaze. Once the buns are mostly cooled, drizzle the glaze over top and enjoy.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Nutrition
So rich and tender!!
How to Make Chocolate Cinnamon Buns – Step by Step Photos
Start by combining 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp sugar, and 4 tsp baking powder in a large bowl. Stir until they are well combined.
Pour in 1 pint heavy whipping cream.
Stir the ingredients until they form a rough dough.
Liberally flour a clean work surface, turn the dough out onto the surface, and work it with your hands until it’s evenly mixed. Avoid kneading the dough, though, because this will develop the gluten and make the final product more rubbery rather than light and delicate.
Roughly shape the dough into a rectangle to make it easier to maintain a good shape as you roll with a rolling pin. Make sure your work surface is well floured to prevent the dough from sticking.
Then use your rolling pin to expand the rectangle to about 9×16″. You don’t have to be exact here, but you’ll want at least 12″ on the long side so that you can cut 12 pieces, at least one inch thick each. Begin to preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a bowl, then stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 1.5 Tbsp cinnamon. Spread the cinnamon sugar mixture over the surface of the dough, edge to edge. Sprinkle 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips over the surface.
Roll the dough up, from one long side to the other, so you have a 16″ long roll.
Cut the roll into 12 equal-sized pieces. I found the easiest way to do this is to slide a piece of thread or floss under the roll, then cross the thread over top and pull until it cuts straight through the roll. You want the pieces to be at least one-inch wide.
Coat the inside of a casserole dish or pie plate with non-stick spray or butter. Place the buns in the dish so that they are close, but not squished together. They will need a little room to expand.
Bake the Chocolate Cinnamon Buns for 20-25 minutes, or until they’re golden brown on top. The total cooking time will depend on the dish that you use and whether or not you bake all 12 at once (remember, you can freeze some of them prior to baking). Let the buns cool.
While the buns are cooling, stir together 1.25 cups powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and 2 Tbsp milk until a thick chocolatey glaze forms.
Once the buns are at least partially cooled, drizzle the glaze over top. If you glaze them when they are hot, the glaze will melt and slide right off, so make sure they are at least partially cooled.
I may have created a chocolate cinnamon bun monster. 😜
I’ve made these twice now and do we rave about them. Husband said it was the best cinnamon roll he’d ever eaten and I had not shown him the recipe! So fluffy!
This look delicious! But… I can’t stand cinnamon. Do you think I could just leave it out and make chocolate rolls? Thanks.
Yep, that shouldn’t be a problem. :)
Made these in a matter of minutes…..DELISH……..
Hi Beth.
Thanks for the Post
I want to eat your CHOCOLATE CINNAMON BUNS.
I likes your recipe.
waiting to read your next Post.
Best of luck.
;-)
dear Beth
A pint, how many grams is?
I cant convert it to grams.:(
A pint is approx 500 ml.
It depends on the density of the ingredient, which is why I can’t easily supply metric conversions for my recipes. :(
You’re excellent. Your recipes is unique.
Thank you dear Beth :)
I use your recipes in my website. I translate your recipes to Farsi.
Thank you! I’m so glad they’re useful even in other parts of the world! :D
:))
its very useful my dear
Thank you
Do you think you could assemble the rolls the night before and bake in the morning? Thinking of Xmas bfreakfast.
I’ve actually never tried to refrigerate biscuit dough overnight, so I’m not sure how it will hold up.
Mouth watering as usual!
Pretty good in a non-traditional sense. You can definitely tell this dough is more a biscuit dough. I needed to add an extra tbsp of milk for the glaze to pour. They’re quick and delicious, perfect for a lazy Sunday.
Oh my goooooooooosssshhhhh! Get these in my mouth- can’t wait to try these!
It’s only because my fridge is so empty yesterday (down to condiments, half slab of bacon, some cheese, milk, carrots and celery) that I noticed a pint of whipping cream set to expire next week… I must have bought it a long time ago and forgot! So when I looked at this recipe at 6am this morning I knew despite the bareness of my kitchen I could at least whip these up in time for at least one my kids to enjoy before school. The result: I think a better description would be “cinnamon chocolate bun shaped biscuit scones”. The quantity of baking powder and cream really comes through and invalidates any substantial resemblance to a roll. It’s not even the texture as much as the flavor… I love rolls, biscuits and scones all the same so it is fine with me, but my son kept saying there is a “weird flavor” in his portion and I’m pretty sure he’s referring to the baking powder. Honestly, I think it makes the perfect scone/biscuit combo… light, airy, a bit crumbly… and sweet! Which leads me to one other point: Beth, I’m surprised you could handle the sweetness! I used semi sweet chocolate chips but otherwise stuck to the portion and it was SO SWEET. I think maybe the filling would have been enough for me… I’m not sure I’ll make this again, but I’m glad I gave it a try!
Yummm! This looks delish!
Yummy!!!!
I have gestational diabetes right now but sent my sister a message telling her that once I go into labor, she’s gonna need to start making these so that she can bring them to the hospital the next morning. Cause seriously. These look like the most delicious thing I have ever seen.