Chocolate Rolo Cookies
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Fudgy chocolate rolo cookies- a chocolate cookie with a Rolo hidden inside and then topped with a sprinkle of sea salt!
These chocolate rolo cookies might be hands down my favorite dessert that I’ve made so far. Just look at ’em. But you know, try not to drool all over your screen.
For these Rolo cookies, it starts with an easy chocolate based cookie dough. Then gets stuffed with a caramel Rolo candy. And topped with sprinkle of sea salt. When these come out of the oven, the cookies have this molten caramel center that is just hard to resist.
Sweet. Salty. What’s not to love? Now if you are enjoying these a couple days later, I love popping them in the microwave so they get all ooey, gooey again.
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Ingredients Needed
- Flour – I use just all-purpose flour. Be sure to spoon the flour into your cup and level it off so you don’t end up with too much.
- Cocoa powder – You want to use unsweetened cocoa powder. Dutch process is less acidic but won’t react the same with the baking soda.
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Butter – I always recommend using unsalted butter so you can control the amount of salt, but if you only have salted butter then reduce or omit the salt.
- Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Egg – Make sure your egg is at room temperature. I place mine in a bowl of water for 10 minutes before using them.
- Vanilla
- Rolo candies – Each cookie will get one Rolo candy placed in the center. Make sure to cover up the candy fully with the chocolate cookie dough.
- Sea Salt – I just like to sprinkle a little of this on top of the cookies after they are done baking
How To Make These Chocolate Rolo Cookies
Make Your Dough
Then combine your dry ingredients – flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt. Simply whisk to combine.
In your stand mixer, start by creaming together the butter and sugar together on medium high speed, until light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
Heather’s Baking Tip
Soften your butter quickly with one of these 3 ways. Properly softened butter will ensure you incorporate enough air during the creaming process.
Once the sugar and butter have been properly creamed and its light and fluffy add in your room temperature egg. It’s important for the egg to be room temperature so that a proper emulsion is created between the liquids and fat. Room temperature eggs will also be more evenly dispersed and help trap air.
Then stir in your vanilla extract. And then your dry ingredients. Be sure to not overmix.
Then stir in your dry ingredients. You want to make sure to not overmix at this point otherwise you will end up with tough chewy cookies.
Heather’s Baking Tip
Leave a streak of flour not mixed in. This way you know you have not overmixed.
Then using a cookie scoop, scoop your cookies. I used a 1-inch cookie scoop.
And place a Rolo candy in the center. …
Then take the remaining dough and top the cookie with more dough. Make sure the candy is surrounded by dough so it does not leak out during the baking.
Roll the each cooking into a ball to ensure the Rolo is completely covered.
After this, chill the cookies for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight) will ensure they don’t spread too much in the oven. When you are ready to bake them, be sure to pre-heat your oven, get your cookie sheets ready with either parchment paper or silicone baking mats, and you’re good to go!
This chocolate rolo cookie recipe bake for 10-12 minutes. Tops. You don’t want to over-bake them. When they are done, be sure to take them out, use a cookie spatula to immediately (and carefully) transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
At this point, sprinkle with a little sea salt. You want to use a large kosher sea salt, or even better yet- fleur de sel. The fanciest of the sea salts.
Heather’s Baking Tip
- Quality Ingredients Count: This cookie dough uses cocoa powder to achieve its chocolate-ness. Seriously, cocoa powder rules. And GOOD cocoa powder is where it’s at. Please don’t buy generic. There is definitely a difference in quality between a store brand and a quality name brand cocoa. Hershey’s is a great place to start. I prefer Ghirardelli. And if I’m feeling luxurious then I would say then I splurge on either Valhrona cocoa powder with its beautiful rich red tones or Scharffen Berger out of California. Both far superior to any store brand.
- Do Not Over Mix: It’s important to not overmix the dough. I like to finish mixing by hand. And leave a few streaks of flour in the dough, to ensure I haven’t overmixed it. Don’t worry the flour will be baked right in.
- Scoop Evenly. For these you want to use a cookie scoop to make even sized scoops of cookie dough. This ensures that all your cookies will cook evenly. Nothing worse than having some cookies be giant undercooked blobs and others small burnt hockey pucks. #theworst
- Microwave before eating. Unless eating them warm from the oven, microwave them for 10-20 seconds to warm up the caramel center.
Recipe FAQ’s
If you find the dough is sticking to your hands when you roll them together, then just simply spray your hands with cooking spray before rolling the dough. Or try refrigerating the dough for 15 minutes then proceeding.
These cookies will store at room temperature just fine for 2-3 days. Just keep well covered.
You can freeze baked or unbaked. To freeze unbaked, place on a cookie sheet and freeze solid. Then transfer to a sealable plastic bag. When ready to bake, there is no need to thaw. Just bake for a few minutes longer. If you freeze baked cookies, then make sure to allow to cool completely before freezing. I just let mine cool and place in a sealable plastic bag. When ready to eat, I let mine thaw at room temperature (this happens quickly) and give it a quick 10 second zap in the microwave to make the center molten again.
These rolo cookies use unsweetened natural cocoa powder. You cannot substitute dutch processed cocoa powder because of their difference in acidity levels. For a complete nerdy baking 101 post you can read here the difference between natural and dutch processed cocoa powder.
This could for a few reasons- most likely your butter was too warm, or you over-creamed the butter and sugar. Try chilling your next batch of cookie dough before baking which will reduce how much the cookies spread. Here are 10 reasons why your cookies are flat, and how to fix them.
So if you need a chocolate fix, a cookie for a friend who has a bad day, love the whole salty sweet thing, have a BBQ to go and need a dessert to bring- or seriously just NEED. A. COOKIE. NOW. Then these chocolate rolo cookies should be the next ones you make.
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Chocolate Rolo Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (135 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (92 g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons (98 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 Rolo Candies
- Sea Salt for sprinkling on after baking
Instructions
- Prep cookie sheet. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non stick silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Set Aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. In bowl of your stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugars on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down bowl as needed.
- Add egg and vanilla. Add the egg and beat to incorporate, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla until combined.
- Add dry ingredients. Gradually add the dry ingredients beating just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Scoop and chill Using a 1-inch cookie scoop, scoop a ball of dough, and place on the cookie sheet. Flatten slightly and place a Rolo candy in the middle. Place more dough on top. Roll the cookie into a nice round shape making sure none of the candy is showing. Continue with the remaining dough. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, up to to 24 hours.
- Bake the cookies. When ready to bake, position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set and middles are puffy but set. Remove cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completly. Top with a sprinkle of sea salt before serving.
Notes
- Storage: These cookies will store at room temperature just fine for 2-3 days. Just keep well covered.
- Freezing: You can freeze baked or unbaked. To freeze unbaked, place on a cookie sheet and freeze solid. Then transfer to a sealable plastic bag. When ready to bake, there is no need to thaw. Just bake for a few minutes longer. If you freeze baked cookies, then make sure to allow to cool completely before freezing. I just let mine cool and place in a sealable plastic bag. When ready to eat, I let mine thaw at room temperature (this happens quickly) and give it a quick 10 second zap in the microwave to make the center molten again.
- Cocoa powder: These rolo cookies use unsweetened natural cocoa powder. You cannot substitute dutch processed cocoa powder because of their difference in acidity levels. For a complete nerdy baking 101 post you can read here the difference between natural and dutch processed cocoa powder.
- Dough sticking to your hands: If you find the dough is sticking to your hands when you roll them together, then just simply spray your hands with cooking spray before rolling the dough. Or try refrigerating the dough for 15 minutes then proceeding.
- Do Not Over Mix: It’s important to not overmix the dough. I like to finish mixing by hand. And leave a few streaks of flour in the dough, to ensure I haven’t overmixed it. Don’t worry the flour will be baked right in.
- Scoop Evenly. For these you want to use a cookie scoop to make even sized scoops of cookie dough. This ensures that all your cookies will cook evenly. Nothing worse than having some cookies be giant undercooked blobs and others small burnt hockey pucks. #theworst
- Microwave before eating. Unless eating them warm from the oven, microwave them for 10-20 seconds to warm up the caramel center.
I love Rolos and these cookies were so good and easy to make I will be making them again.
so happy to hear you loved them Sean 🙂
I like chocolate, I like Rolo’s, and I like cookies! Perfect combination for me!
Oh then you will love these for sure Nicole!
These are so fun! I haven’t Rolos in ages but what a great way to use them!!
Honestly Kathryn I hadn’t either..until I made these and I remember just how much I loved them!!
These cookies look wonderful. Actually you had me at fudgy 🙂 I’m such a fan of cookies and these beauties are next to try. Love the crinkle tops and rolo filling. Yum!
Wow! I think I might buy rolos specifically for these cookies. Love sea salt on my cookies too! Adds a nice sweet and salty kick 🙂
Me too Kathleen! The little bit of sea salt gives them a nice balance!
Look at that oozy goodness! Caramel and sea salt make an incredible combo. These cookies are amazing!
Thanks Loreto! 🙂
I looooove a good fudgy cookie and I want to try these…like right now! I love that caramel oozing from the center. Looks like the perfect cookie recipe!
Thank you Kelly! Let me know how you like them 🙂
We adored these rolo cookies!! A cookie wrapped around a rolo candy was a big hit at my house. Your step by step photos made this so easy my kids could have done this alone. Thanks for a great cookie recipe!
Aw that’s so great to hear Debbie!! And I love that your kids were able to make these with the photos 🙂
It’s been forever since I’ve had a Rolo candy but I love them! These cookies look like an awesome way to satisfy a sweet tooth, which I now have after seeing this recipe!
Sorry not sorry Jenni 🙂
Now that’s what I call a cookie! Looks like a great recipe and I love that ooey-gooey caramel! Can’t wait to cook up a batch!
Aw thanks Carrie! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Our boys made these AGAIN last night and I have to say, I think they were better the second time around, or maybe they just keep getting more and more yummy! Thanks again for such a fun and delicious cookie recipe!
Aw that’s awesome to hear Dan!! So glad you and your family enjoyed them. 🙂
Ahhhhh is this for real?! What an insanely delicious looking cookie, an absolute MUST TRY for sure. I bet my girls will have a blast putting them together with me!
Thanks Aleta! And yes it’s for real 😉
Oh my god I start my diet and I come across this! NOT FAIR!
Ooh my apologies Meghan :)…you could always make the dough and freeze them for later and then bake one at a time. I suppose eating cookies on a treadmill would defeat the point! 😉
Oh my gosh, these sounds absolutely delicious! I’m definitely going to have to try and make these soon. Such a treat!
Molly | Hey There Sunshine
Oh Molly these cookies..swoon. I tell you. Swoon 🙂 Thanks!
Love that oozy goodness inside!
Oh yes the oozy goodness inside is beyond words!
this is just too sinful…what a fab idea!
Sinful. Oh yes you have described them well 🙂
OMG! These look delicious. I just caught myself inhaling deeply trying to smell them!
Thanks Amanda! Yes I’m waiting for Apple to invent scratch and sniff Iphones! 😉
These are so over the top delicious sounding! And beautiful photos 🙂
Thank you Michelle!! 🙂 been working hard on improving my photos in the last year or so, so the words mean a lot!
Those look dangerously delicious, I love rolos but can’t remember the last time I even had one! That needs to change!
Thank you :)..honestly before these cookies it had been a long time since a Rolo for me too. After making these, I realized all Rolos should be put inside a cookie before enjoying!
Another delicious cookie recipe! I love this idea. Thanks.
Thanks!! These might be one of my favorites that I have made so far..you got to love that sweet and salty thing 😉