Chocolate Chip Cookie Stuffed Cinnamon Rolls

I absolutely love chocolate chip cookie dough, and have been discovering new ways of using it besides making plain old chocolate chip cookies.  I discovered a recipe that used it in cinnamon rolls.  I was dying to try this recipe because chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon rolls are two of my favorite foods, but I was unsure if I would like the cinnamon and chocolate combo.  I ended up liking these even more than a regular cinnamon roll!  If you are looking for a seriously kicked up version of a cinnamon roll, here it is!

Start by making your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe or you can buy some from the store.  Below is my favorite recipe.  I added the baking times in case you would like to try the cookie by itself.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 C. packed brown sugar
1/2 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. shortening
1/4 C. sugar
1 package instant vanilla pudding
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs, beaten
2 C. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine flour and baking soda in a bowl.  In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat brown sugar, butter, shortening, pudding mix, vanilla, and almond extract.  Mix until well blended.  Add eggs and mix well. Beat in the flour mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop onto cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes.

For the cinnamon roll dough, mix the whole milk, sugar, and oil in a saucepan.  Heat until it is very warm, but do not let the mixture boil.  Cool until it has reached room temperature.

Add the active dry yeast to the milk, sugar, oil mixture.  Let sit for one minute, then stir in the yeast.

Add four cups of flour, and mix until a sticky dough forms.

Cover dough with a clean dish towel, and let rise for an hour.

After the dough has risen, add a 1/2 C. of flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix well.

Flour a large workspace on the counter.  Roll out the dough with a rolling pin in a large rectangle.  Brush with melted butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.  Drop small balls of your favorite cookie dough onto the cinnamon roll dough.

Starting with the end away from you, roll the dough tightly up towards you.  Slice the rolls to about one and a half inch thickness.

Lay the rolls in the pans, and make sure not to crowd them.  Let rise for another hour. 

Bake at 400 F for 12 to 15 minutes.  Next, make the glaze.  Mix together powdered sugar, vanilla, and heavy cream.  Thin with milk to desired consistency.  Pour over warm cinnamon rolls.

Enjoy for breakfast, a snack, or dessert!

Here is the cinnamon roll and vanilla cream glaze recipe.  I ended up doubling the glaze recipe.

Cinnamon Rolls
makes 4 pans of cinnamon rolls
2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 package dry yeast (or 2 1/4 teaspoons)
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
melted butter
cinnamon
sugar

Mix the milk, sugar and oil in a large pot. Scald the mixture, then let cool for one hour. When it has cooled (but is still slightly warm), sprinkle the yeast into the milk mixture and let it sit for a minute. Add four cups of flour and mix until a dough forms, then cover and let rise for at least one hour.
After an hour, add the remaining 1/2 cup of flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and mix thoroughly. Flour your workspace and roll the dough with a rolling pin until it’s thin and somewhat rectangular, then brush with melted butter (as much as you want) and generously cover with cinnamon and sugar. Drops balls of your favorite cookie dough all over the cinnamon roll dough, then starting with the end away from you, roll the dough into a line towards you. Slice the rolls about 1 inch thick and lay in greased pans. Let the rolls rise for about one hour.
Bake at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Source: Pioneer Woman Cooks

Vanilla Cream Glaze
for one pan of cinnamon rolls
1 heaping cup of powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
Add sugar to bowl and stir in heavy cream and vanilla until mixture resembles a thick batter. Add milk one tablespoon at a time, stirring until smooth – about 3-5 full minutes. Mixture may look lumpy at first but just continue to stir and it will come together.
Pour over warm cinnamon rolls.

Source: How Sweet It Is