At The Flour Barn, we have a running joke that if something tastes good, it probably deserves to be turned into a roll. Cinnamon rolls, orange rolls, pumpkin rolls. And now we have chocolate covered strawberry sweet rolls. There’s just something about working with a soft, enriched dough in a large bowl, watching it transform, that makes baking feel both comforting and celebratory. These rolls were inspired by our classic bakery cinnamon roll recipe, but reimagined for Valentine’s Day with chocolate, strawberry, and a little extra indulgence.

Turning Everything Into a Roll at The Flour Barn

At the bakery, rolls are our comfort zone. They’re adaptable, forgiving, and perfect for seasonal flavors. Whether we’re mixing dough in a stand mixer with a dough hook or shaping rolls by hand on a floured surface, the process always feels familiar. Chocolate covered strawberry sweet rolls fit right into that rhythm—familiar dough, new flavor, same cozy result.

Making the Dough for Chocolate Covered Strawberry Sweet Rolls

The dough comes together in a mixing bowl using a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. We start on low speed so the dry ingredients incorporate gently, then gradually increase speed as the dough strengthens. Once it begins pulling cleanly from the sides of the bowl, we know it’s ready. This slow approach helps create a soft, workable dough that bakes up tender and golden brown.

After mixing, the dough is transferred to a safe bowl lightly coated with vegetable oil. We cover it with plastic wrap or a tea towel and let it rise in a warm area until doubled. Room temperature makes a big difference here—too cool and the rise slows, too warm and the dough can overproof. Patience always pays off.

Using Sourdough Brioche Instead

If sourdough is your preference, these rolls work beautifully with a sourdough brioche dough. The process is nearly identical, just stretched out over a longer fermentation. That gentle tang from sourdough balances the sweetness of the chocolate and strawberry and gives the rolls even more depth. It’s a great option if you’re planning ahead or baking over a couple of days.

Making the Chocolate Filling Smooth and Spreadable

Instead of a cinnamon-sugar filling, these rolls are filled with a rich chocolate spread made with butter, heavy cream, high quality chocolate, cocoa and powdered sugar. Mixing everything thoroughly is key.

Start by melting butter and heavy cream until hot and then combine with the chocolate. Then whisk in the cocoa and powdered sugar. We usually combine it in a medium bowl, sometimes using an electric mixer on high speed to ensure the cocoa powder breaks down into a fine powder. The goal is a smooth filling that spreads easily without tearing the dough.

Rolling, Shaping, and Placing the Rolls

Once the dough has risen, it’s turned out onto a floured surface or flat surface lined with a piece of parchment paper. Rolling evenly makes slicing easier later. After spreading the chocolate filling edge to edge, the dough is rolled tightly and sliced. We place rolls onto a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray, leaving enough space for them to expand into each other as they rise again.

Baking Until Golden Brown

As the rolls bake, they puff up and turn beautifully golden brown. The smell alone is enough to draw everyone into the kitchen. If you are using a internal thermometer, the temp should be 190. Once baked, we usually let them cool briefly on a wire rack—still warm, but not piping hot—before frosting. That timing helps the frosting melt just slightly without soaking in too fast.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting and Chocolate Finish

The icing is a classic cream cheese frosting made with powdered sugar and generous swirl of strawberry jam. Beating the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy and then adding in the powder sugar and jam. For extra indulgence, a drizzle of rich chocolate ganache made from heavy cream and semisweet chocolate chips takes these firmly into bakery territory.

Storing and Enjoying Chocolate Covered Strawberry Sweet Rolls

These rolls are best enjoyed fresh, but they hold up well stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days. They reheat gently and still feel soft and indulgent, making them perfect for Valentine’s Day morning or a weekend treat baked ahead of time.

Why Chocolate Covered Strawberry Sweet Rolls Just Work

Just like everything else at The Flour Barn, these rolls remind us why we love baking this way. With a good dough, a little creativity, and a familiar process, almost anything can become a roll—and probably should. Chocolate covered strawberry sweet rolls are cozy, nostalgic, and just special enough to feel like a celebration.

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Ingredients

Brioche Dough

4 cups Bread Flour 500 g
1 cup Milk 250 g
2 Eggs
¼ cup Sugar 50 g
1½ Tbsp Instant Yeast 15 g
1 tsp salt 6 g
1 stick salted butter 113 g Room temp. and cubed

Dark Chocolate Filling

1/2 cup butter 113 g
1/2 cup heavy cream
8 oz dark chocolate 225 g
3/4 cup powdered sugar 90 g
1/3 cup cocoa 30 g

Strawberry Cream Cheese Butter Cream

8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick salted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup Strawberry Freezer Jam

Instructions

Add all ingredients into your stand mixer.
Mix for 15- 20 min. until dough cleans the side of the bowl and appears smooth.
Transfer to a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled, should be about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix Chocolate filling together until well incorporated.
Heat the butter and the heavy cream until hot. Add in the chocolate pieces into the hot butter and cream. Stir until combine. You can pop it in the microwave if it needs to get softer.
Add in the powdered sugar and cocoa and whisk until smoothe.
Add butter and cream cheese into a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Beat for 5 minutes. Add powdered sugar and strawberry jam and beat for another 5 minutes.
Deflate your dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
Using a rolling pin roll your dough into a 10 inch by 18 inch rectangle.
Cover your dough in the chocolate filling.
Starting at the top of your dough, roll the dough toward you until you reach the other side. Once you have come to the end, seal the roll out by pinching the dough at the seam.
Cut 12 regular sized rolls at 1.5 inches or make 6 jumbo rolls.
Transfer rolls to a baking pan lined with greased parchment, evenly spacing them about 1 inch from each other in every direction.
Let rise for 30 minutes.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 186 degree F.
Remove from oven, ice with cream cheese frosting and enjoy!