These chocolate pecan cinnamon rolls are soft and gooey with a buttery and spiced chocolate filling, chopped pecans, and lots of melty cream cheese frosting on them
Dissolve yeast in warm milk with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Let stand for 10 minutes until the mixture is foamy.
In a stand mixer (see notes for doing this without a stand mixer), using either the paddle attachment or dough hook. Mix in the yeast mixture with the remaining sugar. Then add in the eggs, butter, salt, and vanilla.
Add in flour and knead into a large ball. The dough will be very soft and sticky, just keep scraping down the sides, and knead for a few minutes. Keep kneading until the dough is smooth and pliable. This usually takes 10 minutes in the stand mixer.
Place dough ball in a large greased bowl. Cover bowl in plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1- 1 ½ hours until dough has doubled in size.
Filling & Assembly:
While dough is rising, mix together all filling ingredients, except the pecans and chocolate, until smooth.
When dough is done rising tip dough on to an oiled surface. Oil up your rolling pin and roll out your dough into a rectangle that is 15 inches long and 10 inches wide.
Spread your filling evenly across the dough and then sprinkle the pecans and chopped chocolate on top. Starting on the long side of your rectangle, tightly roll your dough into a long tube.
Slice into 12 even rolls. Place slices into a greased 9x13 inch pan and let rise again for 45 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. After the second rise has finished place pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Frosting:
While cinnamon rolls are baking make your frosting. Cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add in your vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar, cream together until smooth.
I like to let my cinnamon rolls to cool for a few minutes, and then frost them while they’re still a little warm so that the frosting melts into all the little crevices. Then, eat and enjoy!