The best ever Chocolate Hazelnut Rolls – soft and delicious chocolate rolls filled with creamy chocolate hazelnut spread and topped with cream cheese icing.

Christmas morning is all about opening gifts, coffee, and …. fresh out-of-the-oven chocolate hazelnut buns with cream cheese icing!

Waking up to the smell of chocolate-y sweetness is the best way to start your day. agreed? Agreed.  These chocolate hazelnut buns are so delicious,  I could barely keep myself from eating then during the shoot! They are made with an easy chocolate sweet dough and filled with chocolate hazelnut spread . Topped with a simple cream cheese frosting and chopped hazelnuts, your family will love them!

Chocolate Hazelnut Buns with Cream Cheese Icing

These chocolate hazelnut buns are the buns of your dreams – fluffy, soft, not overly sweet … AND OH THE ICING! The most simple yet most delicious thick cream cheese icing.

Here’s what you’ll need for the dough:

• eggs
• milk
• brown sugar
• cocoa powder
• flour
• yeast
• salt
• butter

The dough comes together very quickly, but needs to be prepared the night before. There is no kneading required, but you do need to give the dough a few folds while it is rising. Once the dough is prepared, it needs to hang out in the fridge overnight. The next morning, roll out the dough and give it a generous coating of creamy chocolate hazelnut spread. I like to bake these buns in a muffin tin or ramekins, but you can also bake them in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. The buns have to rise once more before heading to the oven.

Let’s Talk Cream Cheese Icing

Cream cheese icing works so well with the chocolate hazelnut spread here. It helps balance the sweetness of the chocolate , and who doesn’t love the slightly tangy flavor? My secret to the best cream cheese icing is Philadelphia Original Cream Cheese. I can always rely on this cream cheese to elevate my desserts!  Let the buns cool slightly before covering with the icing. If the buns are too hot, the icing will just melt off.

So, if I haven’t convinced you yet, I highly recommend you give these Chocolate Hazelnut Buns with Cream Cheese Frosting a try this Christmas morning! And who knows? Maybe it’ll become a new family tradition!

More Recipes You’ll Love!
Chocolate Hazelnut Cake Balls – the ultimate chocolate treat!
Chocolate Hazelnut Smoothie Bowl – tastes just like Nutella, but healthier.
Chevre Hazelnut Linzer Cookies – fool proof, buttery, and jam packed.
Bakery Style Triple Chocolate Muffins – better than the bakery’s!

If you make this recipe, take a photo and tag #bakedambrosia on Instagram and Facebook so that I can see your creations and feature them on Instagram! To stay up to date with the latest recipes, follow Baked Ambrosia on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. ♡

Best Ever Chocolate Hazelnut Buns with Cream Cheese Icing

Angelina

The best ever Chocolate Hazelnut Buns - soft and delicious chocolate rolls filled with creamy chocolate hazelnut spread and topped with cream cheese icing.

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Prep Time 12 hours hrs

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 12 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 12 buns

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 cups flour
• ▢ 2 1/4 tsp instant active yeast
• ▢ 2 tsp salt
• ▢ 1/4 cup brown sugar
• ▢ 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• ▢ 4 eggs lightly beaten
• ▢ 1 cup milk lukewarm
• ▢ 10 tbsp butter room temperature (cut into cubes)
• ▢ 1 cup chocolate hazelnut spread

Cream Cheese Icing

• ▢ 1 8- oz package cream cheese room temperature
• ▢ 2 cup confectioner's sugar
• ▢ 1/4 cup milk
• ▢ chopped hazelnuts for topping

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Instructions 

• Grease a large bowl and set aside.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix flour, yeast, salt, brown sugar, and cocoa powder on low speed to combine. Beat in eggs and milk. On low speed, add butter pieces, one at a time. Once all of the butter is added, increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 minute. Transfer dough to greased bowl. The dough will be very sticky and you might need to use a rubber spatula to transfer. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in a warm dark place to rise.
• After 30 minutes, uncover the bowl and fold the dough. To fold the dough, place your fingers under the dough and gently pull the dough up and fold it over itself. Turn the bowl and fold again. Repeat 4-6 more times, until all the dough has been folded. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rise for 30 more minutes. Repeat the folding 3 more times, every 30 minute for a total rise time of 2 hours.
• After the last fold, cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, lightly grease a 12 cup muffin pan or 12 ramekins. Alternately, you can use a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.
• Flour a large work surface and roll the dough out into a 16 x 24 inch rectangle. Spread the chocolate hazelnut spread over the dough, coating it evenly. Working from the long end, roll the dough into a log, pinching the ends so it stays together. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough into 12 equal pieces. Transfer buns into prepared pan or ramekins. If using ramekins, place them on a large baking sheet.
• Cover the buns and let rise once more, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the buns for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
• While the buns are baking, make the cream cheese icing. In a medium bowl (or bowl of stand mixer), beat all of the ingredients until fully combined.
• Allow the buns to cool for 10-15 minutes. Remove from pans, then spread icing over them. Top with chopped hazelnuts.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was and tag @bakedambrosia on Instagram

This post is sponsored by PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese.  As always, all opinions are mine.