Chocolate Chip Cookie Cinnamon Rolls

If you love cozy, freshly baked treats, you know it’s cinnamon roll season! I love warm cinnamon rolls, but anyone who knows me knows I am totally obsessed with chocolate chip cookies. In fact, chocolate chip cookies are the one dessert I consider my worst enemy: if I make a batch, I will easily eat three or four a day until they are completely gone (forget healthy eating!).

Since it’s the season, I decided it was the perfect time to fuse two of my absolute favorite desserts together. The dough is super easy to make and stuffed with a simple chocolate chip cookie dough, extra mini chocolate chips, and cinnamon. To top it all off, we finish them with a rich cream cheese frosting because can you even call them cinnamon rolls without it?

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Ingredients to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Cinnamon Rolls from scratch

For the dough, you will need:

• Flour: I use all-purpose flour because it keeps the dough soft and easy to roll out. Cake flour is too soft and can tear easily.
• Active Dry Yeast: This helps the rolls rise and get nice and fluffy. I use active dry yeast because I can just throw it in with everything else without extra steps.
• Warm Milk: Warm milk makes the dough super soft. I don’t use a thermometer; I just microwave cold milk for 30 to 45 seconds and call it a day!
• Egg: One large egg adds richness to the dough. Room temperature mixes in best, but cold works fine too if you are in a rush.
• Butter: Butter gives the rolls a rich flavor that oil just can’t match. I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt myself.
• Sugar: Just a little bit feeds the yeast so it can rise, and it gives the dough a touch of sweetness.
• Salt: Salt brings out all the flavors and keeps the dough from rising too fast or getting bland.

For the chocolate chip filling, you will need basic chocolate chip cookie ingredients: Butter, brown sugar, white sugar, an egg, vanilla extract, flour, baking powder, and mini chocolate chips! The cream cheese frosting is also super easy, made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk (milk is optional, depends on which texture you want).

[Measurements are posted in the recipe card below the instructions.]

1. Add all the dough ingredients to your stand mixer, except for the butter. Mix everything on low speed until it all comes together and you don’t see any dry flour left. The dough should feel firm and not sticky at all. If it looks a bit too dry and isn’t mixing well, just add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until it holds together.

Add the soft room temperature butter directly into the bowl. Turn your mixer up to medium speed and let it work for a few minutes. You want to keep mixing until the dough turns smooth and stops sticking to the sides of the bowl.

2. Cover the dough and let it rise for 2 hours (I found that 2 hours is way better than 1 hour for this dough).

3. While the dough rests, make your cookie filling. Put all the filling ingredients into a bowl and mix them together with a spatula until smooth and combined.

Once the dough is ready, dust your counter with flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface and roll it into a rectangle without kneading it. Aim for a shape around 26 cm x 43 cm (about 10 x 17 inches).

Add the filling on top.

4. Spread the filling evenly, sprinkle the cinnamon powder, and add as many chocolate chips as you want.

Cut the dough into 6 even strips (or whatever size you want the rolls to be; but, if you do make them bigger or smaller, make sure you adapt the baking time).

5. Roll each strip up into a roll. Place them into your baking dish, cover with a clean towel, and let them rest for 30 minutes.

6. Bake at 180°C (356°F), in a preheated oven, for 20 to 25 minutes on the middle rack. I use the top and bottom heating elements with the fan on.

While they bake, make the cream cheese icing by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing them with a spatula or spoon. If you prefer the frosting thicker, don’t add the milk; also make sure you buy cream cheese sticks if you want (I can only buy the soft cream cheese where I am but I do prefer the frosting soft so that works for me).

7. Take the rolls out when they are golden brown and baked through. Spread the cream cheese frosting all over the top while they are still warm, and finish with crushed chocolate chip cookies and more chocolate chips!