Chocolate Buns
Bake a batch of these incredibly soft and fluffy chocolate buns using only a few staple ingredients. These buttery brioche buns are studded with chocolate chips making them perfect for a lunchboxes, a long brunch, or as a sweet snack.
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Chocolate Buns
Incredibly soft and fluffy chocolate buns made with buttery brioche dough and chocolate chips. They make an easy breakfast, handy lunchbox filler, or a delicious sweet snack.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk lukewarm
- 7 g instant yeast
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg whisked
- 1/3 cup butter unsalted
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the lukewarm milk and instant yeast and stir thoroughly. Set aside for the yeast to activate (bloom).7 g instant yeast, 1 cup milk
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, the whisked egg, and vanilla extract. Mix everything with a handheld electric mixer or stand mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for about 5 minutes. The dough needs to be smooth and pass the windowpane test.1/4 tsp salt, 4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 egg, 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- Cut the butter into 1-inch cubes and knead it into the dough one after another on low speed.1/3 cup butter
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and form a large ball of dough. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rest in a warm spot for 45 minutes for the first rise.
- Transfer the soft dough to a lightly floured surface, roll it out into a 9×9 inch square using a rolling pin, and add the chocolate chips evenly. Roll the dough up from one end and cut the roll into 8 evenly sized portions.1/2 cup chocolate chips
- Using your hands, roll each portion into an 8-inch log. To make the knotted buns, start by creating a U shape with the log. Twist the two top ends around each other twice. Fold the twisted top down into the hole and tuck it in. Place it on a lined baking sheet and repeat the process for the other buns.
- Cover with a tea towel and let the rolled buns rest for about 15-20 minutes for a second time for the final proof. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
- Brush the chocolate chip brioche buns with the egg wash and bake them in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until golden brown. Let them cool down a little and serve them warm!1 tbsp milk, 1 egg yolk
Video
Notes
To test if the dough has finished proofing, gently poke the dough with your finger. It should leave an indentation and slowly spring back. If the dough springs back straight away, it needs a little longer. If it doesn’t spring back, you have over-proofed it in which case you can still use the dough but the buns will be denser.
After the first rise, gently fold the chocolate chips into the dough and shape the knotted buns before the second rise.
Storage: Chocolate brioche buns are best enjoyed fresh but you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days. Reheat them slightly in the oven and add some extra butter when serving. For longer storage you can freeze the shaped dough as well as the baked buns in a freezer-proof container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 65gProtein: 9gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 69mgSodium: 157mgPotassium: 169mgFiber: 2gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 352IUVitamin C: 0.003mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 3mg
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Flour – All-purpose flour or bread flour both work for this recipe.
- Milk – Full-fat milk is best to give the buns a rich taste and a soft texture but you can use lower-fat options as well.
- Butter – Unsalted grass-fed butter creates light and fluffy buns. You can use salted butter instead, simply omit the salt in the recipe.
- Yeast – I use instant yeast but active dried yeast or fresh yeast work well too. You’d just need to activate them before using.
- Vanilla – Vanilla extract adds extra flavor to the buns. You can also use vanilla syrup, fresh beans, or vanilla essence if needed.
- Chocolate – Milk chocolate drops or mini chocolate chips both work well. You can choose dark chocolate if you like it less sweet.
Key steps: chocolate busn
- Combine dry ingredients well.
- Add the yeast and milk mixture and whisked egg. Work in the butter once a dough has formed.
- Place the enriched dough into the bowl for its first rise.
- The dough will double in size. Let it rise a bit longer if it’s a bit slow off the mark.
- Below: Using your hands, roll each portion into an 8-inch log. To make the knotted buns, start by creating a U shape with the log. Twist the two top ends around each other twice. Fold the twisted top down into the hole and tuck it in to make a knotted bun.
My top 3 chocolate bun variations
- Classic bun shape: You can easily create 8 classic brioche buns or rolls instead of knotted buns using this recipe.
- Chocolate brioche bread: Instead of shaping individual buns you can create a simple log or braided log shape and bake it in a loaf pan.
- Double chocolate buns: Add 2 tbsp of Dutch processed cocoa powder to create double chocolate buns.
