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Gooey Brownie Cinnamon Rolls With Chocolate Ganache

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Brownie Cinnamon Rolls are perfect for those of you who like chocolate everything! They're made with my favorite pillowy soft cinnamon roll dough with an optional hint of espresso and filled with an easy, one-bowl fudgy brownie batter instead of cinnamon sugar. Shaped into perfect swirls with my cut-and-roll technique, they're finished with a silky chocolate ganache. They are deeply indulgent but not too sweet, unbelievably tender and just melt in your mouth. It's like the gooey middle of a cinnamon roll and the center of fudgy brownie in one!

A pan of brownie cinnamon rolls, some topped with glossy chocolate glaze and others plain, rests on a light-colored surface.

3 components of these rolls

As the name suggests, there are 3 components in these rolls:

  1. Soft enriched dough. This is the same dough I use in my classic cinnamon rolls, and its texture is out of this world - so soft you won't believe it. It's made with all purpose flour and can be kneaded by hand without a mixer (although a mixer will make life easier!). If you want to knead by hand, I have detailed tips in my cinnamon roll recipe
  2. Brownie batter. Swirled inside the dough is my super easy, one-bowl, no mixer fudgy brownie batter made with dark chocolate and cocoa powder. It takes no more than 5 minutes to make!
  3. Chocolate ganache: The baked rolls are covered with a shiny chocolate ganache to give them the perfect finish and flavor. But you're welcome to skip this, or replace it with cream cheese icing or even an espresso icing like the one I use in these chocolate espresso rolls
A chocolate-swirl cinnamon roll topped with melted chocolate sits on a white scalloped plate. A gold fork with chocolate smudges rests beside the pastry.

Achieving the perfect swirl

Shaping these rolls is a little more tricky than regular cinnamon rolls with a cinnamon sugar filling. Brownie batter is temperature sensitive, there's a lot of it, and it can start oozing out during shaping. Here are my tips to help shape these brownie rolls perfectly without making a mess:

  1. Make the brownie batter right before shaping. This means you prepare it when the dough is done with its first rise, so by the time you roll out the dough, the batter is still a spreadable consistency. If you make it ahead of time and let it sit, it will become thicker and more challenging to spread
  2. Wait 10 minutes before shaping. After you spread the brownie batter, wait for at least 10 minutes or until it is thicker (it starts to "set" as the chocolate and butter cool down). This will allow you to roll the dough without the batter spreading or oozing out
  3. Use my tested cut-and-swirl technique. Instead of rolling up the dough into a log and then cutting it into individual cinnamon rolls, I recommend first cutting it into strips, and rolling each strip individually. This gives you more control and is less messy!

Step by step photos

Let's quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize this recipe!

A glass bowl contains flour, a pat of butter, and other dry baking ingredients, viewed from above on a wooden surface.
For the dough, add all ingredients to the bowl of your stand mixer.
A ball of dough rests in a clear glass bowl on a dark wooden surface, ready to rise.
Knead with the dough hook attachment (or by hand) until the dough is smooth, soft and stretchy.
A glass bowl filled with risen dough sits on a wooden surface, showing a smooth, slightly domed top, ready for the next step in baking.
Cover and let it rise until it at least doubles in size.
A glass bowl filled with melted chocolate and butter being mixed with a whisk, placed on a wooden surface.
When the dough has risen, make the brownie batter. Melt the butter and chocolate in the microwave.
A glass bowl with melted chocolate, two eggs, and sugar, being mixed with a metal whisk on a wooden surface.
Add the eggs and sugar directly to the same bowl.
A glass bowl filled with melted chocolate brownie mixture and a whisk resting inside, placed on a wooden surface.
Whisk for 30 seconds.
A glass bowl filled with chocolate mixture and cocoa powder being whisked, sitting on a wooden surface.
Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt
A glass bowl filled with brownie batter sits on a wooden surface, with a metal whisk partially submerged in the mixture.
Gently fold until just combined.
A rectangular sheet of smooth, tan dough laid out on a speckled countertop, ready to be used for baking or cooking.
Roll the dough into a 12"x20" rectangle.
A rectangular pastry covered in a thick, glossy layer of brownie batter, with visible vertical knife marks dividing it into narrow strips. The pastry sits on a light-colored surface.
Spread the brownie batter on top and wait 10 minutes for it to firm up. Then cut the dough into 12 long strips with a pizza cutter
A baking tray with twelve unbaked chocolate swirl rolls arranged in three rows, sitting on a light-colored countertop.
Carefully roll each strip into a tight roll, and place the rolls in a 9x13" pan
A baking tray filled with twelve unbaked chocolate brownie swirl rolls arranged in neat rows, showing a clear spiral pattern of chocolate filling in golden dough. Rolls look puffy
Let the rolls rise for another 30 minutes or until they're puffy. Pour heavy cream on top and bake

Top the rolls with ganache and enjoy while they're still warm.

A single brownie cinnamon roll topped with glossy chocolate glaze sits on a white, scalloped-edge plate on a light-colored surface.

Zoha's tips to perfect these rolls

  1. Weigh out the ingredients with a scale instead of using measuring cups. It's common to stuff too much flour into a measuring cup, which will make the rolls dry. If you must use a measuring cup, fluff up the flour and transfer it into the cup one spoon at a time, and don't pack it tightly
  2. Don't make the milk too hot! If it goes over 110F, you risk killing the yeast right at the beginning
  3. Let the dough rise properly. Make sure the dough has proofed properly before shaping, and again after shaping before baking. Under-risen dough will result in dense or tough cinnamon rolls
  4. Be wary of room temperature. If it is colder, the dough will need longer to rise. A warm 75-80F temperature is ideal
  5. Don't over-bake. A light golden color on the rolls is what you need, and the rolls should spring back when gently poked. Over-baking can cause them to dry out
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A chocolate-swirl cinnamon roll topped with melted chocolate sits on a white scalloped plate. A gold fork with chocolate smudges rests beside the pastry.

Gooey Brownie Cinnamon Rolls Recipe (Chocolate Ganache Topping)

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  • Author: Zoha Malik
  • Total Time: 3 hours (includes rest time)
  • Yield: 12 rolls
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Description

Gooey, melt-in-the-mouth brownie cinnamon rolls made with a pillowy soft dough, fudgy brownie batter filling, and chocolate ganache on top

Ingredients

Dough:

  • 1 ⅓ cup whole milk (320g)
  • 4 teaspoons instant yeast
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 5 cups all purpose flour (650g)  
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
  • Optional: 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

Brownie filling:

  • 4 oz high quality dark chocolate, between 55-65% cocoa (113g), chopped - I use Callebaut*
  • 10 tbsp unsalted butter (140g)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ⅓ cup all purpose flour (45g)
  • ⅓ cup cocoa powder (35g) - it is best to use dutch processed
  • ¾ tsp salt

Assembly:

  • ½ cup heavy cream (120g), room temperature

Ganache:

  • 80g semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I like to use a mixture of milk and dark)
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream (80g)

Instructions

Dough:

  1. Microwave milk for 20-30 seconds until it is warm to touch (~100-110F). Add it to the bowl of your stand mixer along with the yeast and whisk. If adding the espresso powder, mix it into the milk at this step
  2. Add the rest of the dough ingredients. Knead using the dough hook attachment on medium high speed for 7-10 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth, pulls away from the edges of the bowl, and is stretchy enough to pass the window-pane test (you should be able to stretch a small piece of dough between your fingers until it's thin enough to let light pass through without ripping). You can also knead this dough by hand - it will take ~15 minutes and will go from very sticky to not sticky with time
  3. Transfer the dough to a clean bowl sprayed with oil, cover with cling wrap and rest in a warm place (75-80F) for 60-90 minutes, or until the dough has at least doubled in size and springs back partly when gently poked with a finger

Brownie batter:

  1. When the dough has risen, make the quick brownie batter. Add the chocolate and butter to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until a smooth melted mixture forms
  2. Add the sugar and eggs to the same bowl, and whisk for 30 seconds
  3. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold until the dry ingredients are just combined

Assembly:

  1. When the brownie batter is made, start assembly. Line a 9x13" baking pan with parchment paper
  2. Punch down the dough and transfer it to a clean surface dusted lightly with flour. Using your hands and a rolling pin, roll it into a 12x20" rectangle as neatly and evenly as possible. The dough will be really soft so won't need much pressure
  3. The brownie batter should still be a spreadable consistency. Use a spatula to spread the brownie batter evenly across the rectangle. If the brownie batter already feels thick / firm, you can proceed to the next step. Otherwise, wait for 10 minutes or until the batter cools down enough that it is semi-set and thicker  
  4. With the 12" side towards you, divide the dough into 12 strips (each strip will be 1" wide and 20" long). This is easiest done if you use a long acrylic ruler and a pizza cutter
  5. Roll each strip tightly into a brownie cinnamon roll, and carefully transfer to the baking pan. You will arrange the rolls in a 4x3 formation
  6. Once all rolls are shaped, let them rest in a warm spot for another ~30-45 minutes until they look puffed up, and spring back partly when gently poked
  7. In the last 20 minutes of the second rise, preheat your oven to 350F (conventional / no fan)
  8. Right before putting the rolls in the oven, pour the ½ cup heavy cream over them carefully, dividing evenly between each roll. The cream will get soaked up as the rolls bake
  9. Transfer to the oven and bake for 22-24 minutes until the rolls develop a light golden color and feel firm to touch. If in doubt, I think it's better to slightly underbake for a gooey texture, vs over-baking and having dry rolls
  10. Remove from oven and let the rolls rest for 10 minutes

Ganache:

  1. Add the chocolate and cream to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until a smooth ganache forms. Let it rest for 10 minutes
  2. Spread the ganache on top of the warm rolls - you can add as much as you like
  3. Serve and enjoy

Video tutorial:

Notes

  • Make ahead and storage: Although these rolls are best eaten fresh, you can make them ahead of time, and keep them covered at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave for ~30 seconds before serving so they're warm and soft.
  • Overnight rise:  If you want to split the work between 2 days, you can do the first rise in the fridge overnight. Then shape the rolls the next day, and give the rolls their second rise at room temperature for about 1 hour before baking (longer because the dough will be cold to start with)
  • Scaling down the recipe: If you want to make a small batch of these brownie cinnamon rolls, you can divide all quantities by 2 and make 6 rolls in an eighth sheet pan (~10"x7")
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Rest Time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

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