German Chocolate Sweet Rolls

A dark chocolate German Chocolate roll intertwined with a coconut pecan fillig sits on a white, green and yellow plate.

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German Chocolate Sweet Rolls are a riff on the beloved German Chocolate Cake. What could be better take on the cake than waves of the lucious pecan-coconut-filling rippling through the chocolate yeast dough?

Prep Time35

Rising Time2

Total Time2 35

Course: Sweet Rolls

Cuisine: American

Keyword: German Chocolate, German Chocolate Sweet Rolls, Sweet Roll Recipe

Servings: servings

Calories: 783kcal

Author: Helen S Fletcher

Equipment

6 hole Texas muffin cup

Ingredients

German Chocolate Filling

⅔ cup evaporated milk
⅔ cup granulated sugar (130 grams)
2 large egg yolks
5 tablespoons butter (75 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweetened coconut (85 grams)
¾ cup chopped pecans (85 grams)

German Chocolate Yeast Dough

2 cups bread flour (280 grams)
⅓ cup granulated sugar (65 grams)
⅓ cup cocoa (30 grams)*
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup milk
4 tablespoons butter (60 grams)
3 ounces semisweet chocolate (85 grams)
1 teaspoon instant coffee
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
* either Dutch or natural cocoa can be used

Instructions

German Chocolate Filling

Combine the milk, sugar, egg yolks and butter in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 12 minutes.
Stir in the remaining ingredients. Cool completely.
This filling can be made several days ahead. Keep it refrigerated until filling the dough.

German Chocolate Yeast Dough

Combine the milk, butter, chocolate and coffee in a small saucepan. Heat until the butter and chocolate have melted. When the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, add the yeast and vanilla. Let sit for about 5 to 10 minutes so the yeast dissolves.
In the bowl of a processor, add the bread flour, sugar, cocoa and salt. Pulse several times to mix.
Pour the cooled liquid over the ingredients in the processor and process until a soft ball forms. Process 30 seconds to knead. Place the dough in a container sprayed with baking release and place the dough in it. Cover with film.
Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk - about 1 hour. If the room is cool, Preheat the oven to 350°F for ONE MINUTE with the light on. TURN THE OVEN OFF. Place the dough in the oven to double in bulk.

Filling and Shaping

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12" x 14" rectangle.
Lightly mark three 4 ½" strips In from the 14" side.
Spread half the filling evenly over the center strip.
Bring the right third of the dough over to cover the center strip and spread the remaining filling over that strip of dough.
Bring the left third of the dough over to cover the filling. You will have a 4 ½" x 12" rectangle.
Place it on a tray and transfer to the freezer to chill. It should be firm but not hard. This will make it easier to cut and shape.
Spray a six hole Texas muffin pan well with a non-stick baking spray.
Remove the filled dough from the freezer and mark the dough every inch along the 12” side. Cut into 1” strips.
Take one strip and hold one end in each hand. Twist twice by rotating your hands in opposite directions. Place it in a muffin cup.
Twist a second strip and place it in the cup tucking the edges firmly down into the sides of the cup. This is easily done by using a metal spatula to pull the edge of the first strip in the cup in slightly and sliding the edge of the second strip behind it. Continue to fill all of the cups with 2 strips of dough each.
Let the rolls rise for about 45 minutes until they come slightly over the top of the cups. See instructions above if the room is cool.
When the rolls are almost ready, remove them from the oven if the oven proofer was used. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the filling is browned and the dough is set.
Loosen the rolls around the edges immediately but leave them in the cups. Let the rolls cool for 15 minutes and turn out onto a cooling rack.

Notes

There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above.

As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency. Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure by volume. For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest.

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While any yeast product is best the day it is made, these German Chocolate Sweet Rolls are great even three days later if wrapped individually in plastic wrap and held at room temperature. These may also be baked, wrapped individually after cooling and frozen for a month. Thaw at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F and place the rolls back in the muffin tin. Cover with foil and heat for about 15 minutes.

Although I only made the large rolls, 1 strip of twisted dough could be used in regular size muffin cups. The baking time may need to be reduced.

The chocolate and cocoa in the German Chocolate Yeast Dough can make it rise slowly. Turn your oven into a proofer if the room is cool Preheat the oven to 350°F for ONE MINUTE with the light on. TURN THE OVEN OFF. Place the dough in the oven to double in bulk.

Don't forget to remove the rolls from the oven before preheating to bake them.

I normally add the instant yeast to the liquid to get it started. I have found that in some instances that undissolved yeast is evident in the mixed dough.

Either Dutch or natural cocoa can be used in the filling.

For the easiest, fastest way to chop the nuts, see my post Chopping Nuts - An Quicker Way.

Chilling the filled dough will make it easier to cut and shape.

Both the filling and the chocolate dough can be made ahead if desired. Bring both to room temperature to roll, shape and fill.

Nutrition