chocolate peanut butter sweet rolls

Step 1

In a large nonstick pot, combine the milk, oil, and ¼ cup of sugar. Heat up to about 120F {warmer than body temperature but NOT burning hot} over medium heat, then remove from burner and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the yeast to activate.

Step 2

Afterwards, mix in the 1 3/4 cups of flour and 1/4 cup of cocoa, cover the pot with a clean tea towel, and let the dough rise for about 1 hour.

Step 3

After the first rise, add in the salt, baking powder, baking soda, and additional flour. Knead until all the flour has been absorbed, and add more if needed. You want the dough to be soft and smooth but not too sticky! Using a sharp knife, cut an X on top of your dough {this helps it rise }, cover with a tea towel again, and let rise for an additional 6+ hours. The cocoa does make the dough a little slow to rise, so let it rise overnight if you can!

Step 4

After the second rise, lightly flour a clean surface, and dump the dough on top. Knead it for 2-3 minutes, adding more flour as needed. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with, so add flour if it's too sticky!

Step 5

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into a rough rectangle, making sure you don't roll it out too thin. Spread the peanut butter all over the surface (I find that microwaving it for a few seconds before trying to spread it makes it a little easier), then sprinkle on the sugar and chocolate chips

Step 6

Starting on the long side closest to you, roll up the dough, being careful that no filling falls out of the sides.

Step 7

Using a large, smooth knife, cut 1½-2 inch slices of dough, and place them in a greased 9x13 pan. Make sure to leave some space between the rolls to allow them to rise more!

Step 8

At this point, you can cover the pans with plastic wrap and either let them rise for 1 hr in a warm place, or place them in the refrigerator overnight {if you hadn't already let them rise overnight once}.

Step 9

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375F. Bake the rolls 15-18 minutes, until the tops appear dry and no longer doughy.

Step 10

While the rolls cook, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese, peanut butter, and butter with a hand mixer until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, and beat until creamy and fluffy.

Step 11

Let rolls cool, then spread with frosting. Sprinkle with the pieces of peanut butter cups. Enjoy!