berry + chocolate cinnamon rolls

You guys... Valentine's Day is tomorrow! Whaaat?! It just seems so weird to me. I did a Valentine's post a few weeks ago as part of a blogger round-up, and I haven't even thought about the holiday since. I was like, "Well, I did my post... in January... so now I guess I'm good til next year." Haha! Yeah, right. I went shopping yesterday, and stumbled upon this gorgeous red enameled cast iron skillet. I have been lusting after a cast iron pan for YEARS, and I knew this was my chance! So I brought it home, and it just wouldn't leave me alone. "You don't have to study," it said. "You should cook or bake something instead. Especially because red is perfect for Valentine's Day." So, eh, I gave in. The skillet made me do it, I swear!

I love making cinnamon rolls {in case you hadn't noticed, you can go visit my Nutella Rolls, Lemon & White Chocolate Rolls, S'Mores Rolls, Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Rolls, and my very embarrassing first post}, and I love to stuff them with anything and everything. When I think of Valentine's Day, all I can think about is chocolate-covered strawberries. But I already did that in my last Valentine's recipe! So, what's a girl to do? Well... make rolls with dark chocolate and MIXED berries. Ta-da! Totally different, right? These turned out sooo good. Like, eyes-rolling-to-the-back-of-your-head good.

I made the dough a little healthier than usual by using unsweetened almond milk and white wheat flour, and by using as little sugar as possible. But don't worry, these are still super sweet! The dough came out fluffy and delicious, and the juicy berries mixed with the dark chocolate chips made the rolls super soft and gooey. Yum! The whole thing is then topped with a strawberry cream cheese frosting {though you could go plain if you wanted, too}. I just couldn't resist a Valentine-y pink frosting! These are super easy, but be warned that they require some planning ahead! If you want them for tomorrow morning, start today! The longer you let your dough rise, the better and fluffier your rolls will be. 🙂 These will impress your sweet Valentine for sure! Can you say, romantic breakfast-in-bed? Good luck and happy baking!

{Dough recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman}
{Frosting from my Chocolate-Strawberry Cupcakes for Two}

Berry + Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

 

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Prep time

4 hours

Cook time

18 mins

Total time

4 hours 18 mins

 

Author: Valentina | The Baking Fairy

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 12

Ingredients

• for the rolls
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour {+ ½ cup, separated}
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ¼ cup white sugar + 2-3 tablespoon for filling
• ½ tablespoon instant active dry yeast {about ½ a package}
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2-3 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries, thawed
• ½ cup dark chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• for the frosting
• 2 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar {more or less, depending how stiff you want the frosting}
• 2-3 strawberries, mashed

Instructions

1. In a large nonstick pot, combine the milk, oil, and ¼ cup of sugar. Heat up to about 120F {warmer than body temperature but NOT burning hot} over medium heat, then remove from burner and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
2. Afterwards, mix in the 2 cups of flour, cover the pot with a clean tea towel, and let the dough rise for about 1 hour.
3. After the first rise, add in the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and additional flour. Knead until all the flour has been absorbed, and add more if needed. You want the dough to be soft and smooth but not too sticky! Using a sharp knife, cut an X on top of your dough {this helps it rise }, cover with a tea towel again, and let rise for an additional 3+ hours. You can let it rise overnight at this point, or you can also wait until the next step!
4. After the second rise, lightly flour a clean surface, and dump the dough on top. Knead it for 2-3 minutes, adding more flour as needed. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with, so add flour if it's too sticky!
5. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rough rectangle, making sure you don't roll it out too thin. Spread the melted butter all over the dough surface, then sprinkle the additional 2-3 tablespoon of sugar and cinnamon on top. Sprinkle the thawed berries on the dough {make sure to NOT add any of the berry juice!} along with the chocolate chips.
6. Starting on the long side closest to you, roll up the dough, being careful that no toppings fall out of the sides.
7. Using a large, smooth knife, cut 1½-2 inch slices of dough, and place them in a greased 9x13 pan {or you can use a cast iron skillet plus another small pan}. Make sure to leave some space between the rolls to allow them to rise more!
8. At this point, you can cover the pans with plastic wrap and either let them rise for 30 minutes in a warm place, or place them in the refrigerator overnight.
9. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375F. Bake the rolls 15-18 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and no longer doughy.
10. While the rolls bake, prepare the frosting. In a small bowl, using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter.
11. Wash your strawberries, remove the green tops and stems, and crush them over the bowl using your hands. Beat the mixture with the mixer for another minute or so to ensure the strawberries are mashed.
12. Add in the powdered sugar a ½ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached {you might not use all the sugar listed}.
13. When the rolls are cooked through, remove from the oven and immediately spread the frosting on top. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!

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