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S'mores cinnamon roll topped with toasted meringue on a white plate with a bite taken out
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S'mores Cinnamon Rolls

These S'mores Cinnamon Rolls are soft, fluffy tangzhong brioche rolls filled with a fudgy chocolate graham filling, baked over a graham cracker base for a toasted s'mores-style bottom, then topped with billowy toasted Swiss meringue. Perfect for summer baking and campfire-inspired desserts.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Rest time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 55 minutes
Course: Dessert
Servings: 12 rolls

Ingredients

Tangzhong

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup whole milk

Brioche Dough

  • 3/4 cup whole milk warmed to 100°F to 110°F
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted or very soft
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup bread flour
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter softened (added after kneading)

Chocolate Graham Filling

Graham Cracker Base

  • 6 graham cracker sheets halved into squares (one per roll)

Toasted Swiss Meringue

To Finish

  • 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs for sprinkling
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the Tangzhong

  • In a small saucepan, whisk together the flour and milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened into a paste that leaves visible lines when stirred, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.
    2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole milk

Make the Dough

  • In a small bowl, whisk the warm milk and sugar until dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let sit 5 minutes, until foamy.
    3/4 cup whole milk, 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the cooled tangzhong, yeast mixture, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, and both flours. Mix on low speed until a soft dough forms.
    1/4 cup unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup bread flour
  • Knead on medium speed for 5 to 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Gradually add the softened butter one tablespoon at a time until fully incorporated. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
    5 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Transfer to a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours, until doubled.
  • For easier shaping, refrigerate the dough for 2 to 8 hours or overnight after the first rise.

Make the Filling

  • In a bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt until smooth and spreadable. If it stiffens up too much to spread, loosen it with a teaspoon or two of milk.
    1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa powder , 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Pinch of salt

Shape the Rolls

  • Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment. Set aside.
  • Roll the chilled dough into a 16x12-inch rectangle. Spread the chocolate filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the far long edge. Sprinkle evenly with the chocolate chips and graham cracker crumbs.
    3/4 cup milk chocolate chips , 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • Cut into 12 strips and roll each strip individually into a spiral.
  • Place a graham cracker square on the parchment for each roll, then set a roll on top of each square, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
    6 graham cracker sheets
  • Cover loosely and let rise for 50 to 70 minutes, until puffy. (To bake the next day, refrigerate the shaped rolls overnight and bake straight from the fridge, adding a couple of minutes to the bake time.)

Bake

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Bake for 22 to 26 minutes, until set. The cocoa makes these bake darker, so go by a set, springy feel rather than color. Let cool for about 10 minutes. You want them warm, not piping hot, before the meringue goes on.

Make the Swiss Meringue

  • Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water, with the bowl not touching the water. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F and the sugar fully dissolves, with no grit when you rub a bit between your fingers.
    5 large egg whites, 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, Pinch of salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Transfer the bowl to the mixer and whip on high speed to stiff, glossy peaks. Add the vanilla at the end and whip just to combine.

Finish

  • Pipe or dollop the meringue onto the cooled rolls. Toast with a kitchen torch, or place briefly under the broiler, watching closely. Sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs to serve.
    2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs

Notes

Swiss meringue is cooked, so it resists the watery weeping you get from raw meringue and holds up much better in the fridge. It is still happiest within a day or two. Store loosely tented, never sealed airtight, so trapped condensation does not turn the surface tacky.
Toast the meringue lightly and evenly. Scorching it actually makes it weep faster.
A graham cracker square under each roll gives you a toasted s'mores-style base that softens as the rolls bake, without any bare graham scorching in the gaps.
Chilling the dough after the first rise makes shaping much easier, and the shaped rolls can be refrigerated overnight and baked straight from the fridge.
These are best served warm for the gooiest s'mores texture.
Optional: tuck a couple of mini marshmallows under the meringue on each roll for a melty pocket when you torch.