01 -
Mix up the light brown sugar, cocoa powder, and cinnamon in a bowl. Leave it sitting nearby until you need it.
02 -
Toss the flour, sifted cocoa powder, yeast, instant espresso, and salt all together in your mixing bowl. Give it a fast stir.
03 -
Grab a bowl that can go in the microwave. Pour in the milk, sugar, and butter. Heat for about a minute or a bit more until it’s warm—not hot! Stir until the sugar dissolves and butter’s all melted.
04 -
As you mix, slowly pour your warm milk blend into the dry stuff, using a dough hook if you’ve got one. Keep going until things look shaggy and come together.
05 -
Crack in the egg and mix on low to pull it in. Turn up the mixer for a few minutes and let it knead until you’ve got a smooth-ish ball.
06 -
If the dough sticks to the bowl, toss in another spoonful of flour at a time. Mix until the sides are clean and the dough just tacky, not sticky.
07 -
Lay some plastic over the bowl. Leave the dough alone on the counter for 15 minutes so it can relax.
08 -
Put down lots of flour, stretch out the dough into a rectangle, about 12 by 18 inches and half a centimeter thick. Smear soft butter all over, but skip a strip along the edge.
09 -
Cover the buttered dough with your chocolate mix. Give it a little pat, then roll it tight, starting on the long buttery side, toward that bare strip.
10 -
Use a sharp knife or some plain dental floss to cut the log into nine pieces. Put them in a greased square baking pan.
11 -
Crank the oven up to 200°F. Shield your pan with foil, stick it in the warm oven that’s then turned off, and let the rolls fluff up for half an hour.
12 -
Take the pan and foil out, heat the oven to 350°F, and once it’s ready, bake for 26 to 32 minutes. They should be perfectly baked yet soft.
13 -
Pop butter, chocolate chips, and milk in a microwaveable bowl. Heat for a minute or until it’s all smooth when you stir.
14 -
Pour in the powdered sugar and vanilla. Whisk or stir it up until it’s shiny and smooth.
15 -
Give your rolls 5 to 10 minutes to cool down a bit. Drizzle on that chocolate glaze and dig in while they’re still warm.