These are the best Halloween cinnamon rolls! They're soft and fluffy black cocoa rolls, filled with a sweet and gooey black cocoa filling, frosted with black cocoa cream cheese frosting and decorated with Halloween sprinkles!
These Halloween cinnamon rolls are the perfect thing to bake for a Halloween party! Black cocoa powder gives them their spooky dark color and a decadent chocolate flavor that tastes just like an Oreo! I know these will be one of your favorite Halloween recipes!
If you're looking for other fun Halloween recipes for spooky season, try my black velvet cheesecake cookies, black velvet cupcakes, Halloween cookies, black velvet cake, sorting hat cupcakes, chocolate pumpkin cupcakes, butterbeer cupcakes, butterbeer cookies or butterbeer cake! If Halloween is your favorite holiday, then I've got you covered!
Why These are The Best Halloween Cinnamon Rolls
They're full of dark chocolate flavor. The dough is made with black cocoa powder, they're filled with a delightful brown sugar black cocoa powder filling and frosted with black cocoa cream cheese frosting. Each bite is full of delicious chocolate flavor!
They're a spooky black color! The dough, frosting and filling have black cocoa powder in them, but to make them extra dark use a few drops of black gel food coloring. Decorate with black, orange, green and purple sprinkles and candy eyeballs for extra Halloween fun! They're the perfect Halloween breakfast idea!
They are extremely soft. Seriously like little pillows of doughy, buttery, sweet chocolatey goodness.
They are really fun to make! They do take a little time, but making them is half the fun. There's something about working with yeast dough that makes making the dessert even more exciting- way better than store-bought cinnamon rolls. I love to see the dough rise, and transform into a delicious treat. It really makes you feel like you've accomplished something! These rolls are the perfect thing to bake for breakfast Halloween morning and are so much fun!
Ingredients for Adorable Halloween Cinnamon Rolls
- Active Dry Yeast- this is crucial for these rolls to rise properly, not an optional ingredient
- Whole Milk- makes these rolls extra soft and pillowy
- Flour- all purpose flour will be used to make the dough
- Black Cocoa Powder- gives the rolls their dark color and delicious chocolate flavor. I recommend this one.
- Black Gel Food Coloring- to make these extra black add a few drops of black food coloring to the dough and frosting
- Eggs- make sure they're room temperature
- Unsalted Butter- make sure it's very soft, will be used in the dough and filling
- Light Brown Sugar-used in the chocolate filling
- Granulated Sugar- used to make the dough and helps bloom the yeast
- Vanilla Extract- adds a sweet note to the rolls
- Cream Cheese- used to make the amazing icing for the rolls
- Powdered Sugar- used to make the cream cheese frosting
- Heavy Cream- used for soaking the rolls while they proof
- Halloween Sprinkles- candy eyeballs, and orange, black, green and purple sprinkles make these extra fun!
- Rolling pin
- 9x13 inch baking dish
- Unflavored dental floss for cutting the rolls
Step by Step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for complete measurements and baking time.
STEP ONE: Make your dough.
To start, bloom your yeast. Mix your active dry yeast, teaspoon of sugar, and warm milk together and let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy on top.
Next, in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mix flour, black cocoa powder, salt and sugar together. To the dry ingredients, add the whisked eggs, vanilla, and softened butter and mix. Add in the yeast and milk mixture and mix until everything is blended. At this point, add some black food coloring to the dough if you want it to be super, super black. Switch to a dough hook attachment and knead on medium speed for 7-10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball and springs back when pressed.
STEP TWO: Let it rise.
Form the dough into a ball. Place dough in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, (outside or a cold oven with the light on works well for this), for 1- 1 ½ hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
STEP THREE: Make your filling.
While the dough rises, make the filling by mixing the butter, brown sugar, black cocoa powder and salt together in a small bowl.
STEP FOUR: Roll out your dough and spread the filling.
Once the dough has had a chance to rise, remove it from bowl, punch the dough to release the air, and roll it out on a lightly floured, or lightly cocoa powdered, surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 18 x 12 inches. It should be about ¼ inch thick. Next, spoon the black cocoa-brown sugar filling over the dough and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
STEP FIVE: Roll up the dough and cut the rolls.
Roll up the dough tightly into a long roll starting from the end closest to you. Cut of a bit off the ends to make the log even. Cut 12 rolls about 1 ½ inches wide using unflavored floss or a very sharp knife.
STEP SIX: Let the rolls proof.
Place the rolls in a greased 9x13 inch casserole dish and pour room temperature heavy cream in between each roll. Cover them with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let them proof in a warm spot for about an hour, or until they have doubled in size.
STEP SEVEN: Bake the rolls and make the cream cheese icing.
Once the rolls have completed their second rise, bake them at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes. While they bake, make the cream cheese frosting by adding the softened butter to a medium bowl and mixing on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add in the cream cheese and mix until combined on medium speed. Sift the black cocoa powder and powdered sugar into the mixture a little at a time until all is combined. Mix in the milk to slightly thin the frosting. Add in black food coloring if you want the frosting to be extra black. Let the cooked cinnamon rolls cool for 5 minutes, then cover the warm rolls with the black cocoa cream cheese icing. Top with candy eyes and sprinkle a little bit of Halloween sprinkles over top. Then serve!
FAQs
Why didn't my dough rise? Check that your yeast is not expired. Secondly, perhaps the dough just needed more time. Some times it can take up to 1 ½ hours for the dough to proof all the way to "doubled in size".
Can the dough be prepared the day before? Yes. To prepare ahead of time follow recipe up until you are about to proof the buns for the second time. Cover the prepared rolls and place in the fridge. The next morning when ready to bake, take the buns out of the fridge, pour room temperature cream in between them and allow them to proof somewhere warm until they've doubled in size. Keep in mind it will take longer than an hour because the dough is cold and has to come all the way to room temperature and then proof. Once they've doubled in size, bake according to the recipe.
How do I store the rolls? Keep left over cinnamon rolls in an airtight container for up to three days, but I have a feeling they'll be gone before that!
Pro Tips
Lightly grease plastic wrap for covering the dough while it proofs. This will help it not to stick to the rolls.
Use unflavored dental floss to cut the dough into rolls. This is a great way to get really pretty, clean cuts that a knife really can't give you.
Let your dough proof outside if it's warm enough, or in a cold oven with the light on.
If you make this spooky treat for this Halloween season, please leave a star rating! Tag me on social media, Instagram @inbloombakery_ or TikTok @inbloombakery so I can see! Follow me on Pinterest for other dessert ideas!
Other Sweet Treats to Try Next Time
The Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
📖 Recipe
Halloween Cinnamon Rolls
Ingredients
For the Black Cocoa Dough
- 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110 degrees
- 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar (to bloom the yeast)
- 4 ½ cups (562 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup (60 g) black cocoa powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened
- black gel food coloring, optional
For the Black Cocoa Filling
- ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened
- 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 6 tablespoon (30 g) black cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (for pouring in between the rolls)
For the Black Cocoa Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 tablespoon (84 g) unsalted butter, very softened
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- ½ cup (40 g) black cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon (30 ml) milk
- black gel food coloring, optional
- candy eyeballs and Halloween sprinkles, optional
Instructions
For the Black Cocoa Dough
- To start, bloom your yeast. Mix your active dry yeast, sugar, and warm milk together. Let it sit for 10 minutes until foamy on top.1 ¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110 degrees, 2 ¼ teaspoon active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon granulated white sugar (to bloom the yeast)
- Next, in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, mix flour, black cocoa powder, salt and sugar together.4 ½ cups (562 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, ¾ cup (60 g) black cocoa powder, 1 ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon (25 g) granulated white sugar
- To the dry ingredients add the whisked eggs, vanilla, and softened butter and mix.2 eggs, whisked, 1 tablespoon vanilla, ½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened
- Add in the yeast and milk mixture and mix until everything is blended. At this point, add in some black food coloring if you want the dough to be super black! Switch to a dough hook attachment and knead on medium speed for 7-10 minutes until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball and springs back when pressed.black gel food coloring, optional
- Form the dough into a ball. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and place in a warm place to rise, (outside or a cold oven with the light on works well for this), for 1- 1 ½ hours, or until the dough doubles in size.
For the Black Cocoa Filling
- While the dough rises, make the filling by mixing the butter, brown sugar, black cocoa powder and salt together in a small bowl.½ cup (112 g) unsalted butter, very softened, 1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar, packed, 6 tablespoon (30 g) black cocoa powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
Assembling and Baking the Black Velvet Rolls
- Grease a 9x13 inch casserole dish and set aside.
- Once the dough has had a chance to rise, remove it from the bowl, punch the dough to release the air, and roll it out on a lightly floured, or cocoa powdered, surface. Roll the dough into about an 18 x 12 inch rectangle. It should be about ¼ inch thick.
- Next, spoon the prepared filling over the dough and spread it evenly with an offset spatula.
- Roll up the dough tightly into a long log shape starting from the end closest to you. Cut of a bit off the ends to make the log even. Cut 12 rolls about 1 ½ inches wide using unflavored floss or a very sharp knife.
- Place the rolls in the prepared casserole dish and pour room temperature heavy cream in between each roll. Cover them with plastic wrap and let them proof in a warm spot for about an hour, or until they have doubled in size.¼ cup (60 ml) heavy cream (for pouring in between the rolls)
- Preheat the oven to 350°F about 15 minutes before the rolls are done proofing.
- Once the rolls have proofed, bake for 20-25 minutes.
For the Black Cocoa Cream Cheese Frosting
- While they bake, make the cream cheese frosting by adding the softened butter to a medium bowl and mixing it on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy.6 tablespoon (84 g) unsalted butter, very softened
- Add in the cream cheese and mix until combined on medium speed.6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- Sift the black cocoa powder and powdered sugar into the mixture a little at a time and mix on low speed until all is combined.1 ½ cups (195 g) powdered sugar, ½ cup (40 g) black cocoa powder
- Mix in the milk on low speed to slightly thin the frosting. Add in black food coloring if you want the frosting to be extra black.2 tablespoon (30 ml) milk, black gel food coloring, optional
- Let the rolls cool for 5 minutes, then cover the warm rolls with the black cocoa cream cheese icing. Top with candy eyes and Halloween sprinkles. Then serve!candy eyeballs and Halloween sprinkles, optional
These were turned out great! Very decadent and rich. I didn’t use black food coloring, but they were still very black!