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here’s something comforting about pulling a tray of soft, chocolatey rolls out of the oven — especially when they’re made without butter and completely lactose-free. These No-Butter Chocolate Rolls are one of those recipes that feel special but stay simple enough for everyday baking. The dough is gently flavored with a touch of cocoa and coffee, filled with dark chocolate, and finished with two light glazes. The result is soft, tender rolls that are not too sweet, not too rich, and so satisfying you’ll happily reach for another one.

What we love most about this recipe is how balanced it feels. There’s no heavy butter taste, just a light coconut oil richness and the deep flavor of dark chocolate. The rolls stay soft and moist without being soggy, and the sweetness is just right — enough to feel like a treat, but light enough that you can enjoy them without feeling weighed down. They’re the kind of homemade bake that makes the kitchen smell wonderful and leaves everyone at the table smiling.

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients:

3 cups bread flour
¾ cup warm milk
1 tablespoon honey
1½ teaspoons instant yeast
1 egg
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon lactose-free yogurt (or dairy-free yogurt)
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant coffee diluted in 2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stuffing Ingredients:

1 teaspoon coconut oil
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate

Bottom of the baking pan:

¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons honey (Stir well to combine)

Sugar Glaze:

¼ cup icing sugar
3 tablespoons lactose-free milk (Stir until smooth)

Chocolate Glaze:

¼ cup dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons lactose-free milk (Microwave for 30 seconds and stir until melted and smooth)

For finishing:

2 tablespoons cocoa powder (for dusting through a strainer)

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, honey, and instant yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes until slightly foamy. Add the egg, coconut oil, lactose-free yogurt, diluted coffee, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and bread flour. Mix until a soft dough forms.
Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. It will feel slightly sticky at first — sprinkle a little flour as needed until the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers and bowl anymore but still slight sticky, soft and moist. Cover it with plastic wrap and clean towel, and let it rise until doubled in size for 1-2 hour.
Once risen, grease your hands with a little oil, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll it into a rectangle. Spread 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to cover the whole surface, Then sprinkle some brown sugar, and dark chocolate evenly over the dough, divide into 6 strips and cut into equal strips. Roll each strip into a cinnamon roll shape, and seal the end of the dough.
Prepare the baking container that will fit all 6 rolls , Prepare the bottom mixture (brown sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, and honey, Mix well) and spread it in your baking pan. Arrange the rolls on top, cover, and let them rise again until puffy around 20-30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven on the bottom rack at 350°F (175°C) for about 23 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
While still warm, drizzle with the sugar glaze ( icing sugar mixed with couple tablespoons of milk) and the melted dark chocolate glaze(chocolate chips mix with couple tablespoons of milk and microwave for 30 seconds and stir until melted). Finish by dusting lightly with cocoa powder through a fine strainer.

These chocolate rolls have quickly become a favorite in our kitchen. They’re soft, chocolatey, and light enough that you can enjoy more than one without feeling heavy afterward. We hope they bring the same simple joy to your home that they bring to ours.

Simply living our beautiful lives — one recipe at a time.

Lactose-Free Chocolate (Not Cinnamon) Rolls

5 from 1 vote

There’s something comforting about pulling a tray of soft, chocolatey rolls out of the oven — especially when they’re made without butter and completely lactose-free. These No-Butter Chocolate Rolls are one of those recipes that feel special but stay simple enough for everyday baking. The dough is gently flavored with a touch of cocoa and coffee, filled with dark chocolate, and finished with two light glazes. The result is soft, tender rolls that are not too sweet, not too rich, and so satisfying you’ll happily reach for another one.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 23

Rest time for the dough 2 30

Total Time 3 13

Servings: 6 people

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 500

Ingredients Method Nutrition Video Notes

Ingredients

Ingredients
Dough Ingredients:
3 cups bread flour
¾ cup warm milk
1 tablespoon honey
1½ teaspoons instant yeast
1 egg
2 teaspoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon lactose-free yogurt or dairy-free yogurt
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant coffee diluted in 2 tablespoons hot water
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stuffing Ingredients:
1 teaspoon coconut oil
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Bottom of the baking pan:
¼ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons honey Stir well to combine
Sugar Glaze:
¼ cup icing sugar
3 tablespoons lactose-free milk Stir until smooth
Chocolate Glaze:
¼ cup dark chocolate chips
2 tablespoons lactose-free milk Microwave for 30 seconds and stir until melted and smooth
For finishing:
2 tablespoons cocoa powder for dusting through a strainer

Method

Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, honey, and instant yeast. Let it sit for 10 minutes until slightly foamy. Add the egg, coconut oil, lactose-free yogurt, diluted coffee, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and bread flour. Mix until a soft dough forms.
Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic. It will feel slightly sticky at first — sprinkle a little flour as needed until the dough doesn’t stick to your fingers and bowl anymore but still slight sticky, soft and moist. Cover it with plastic wrap and clean towel, and let it rise until doubled in size for 1-2 hour.
Once risen, grease your hands with a little oil, turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and roll it into a rectangle. Spread 1 teaspoon of coconut oil to cover the whole surface, Then sprinkle some brown sugar, and dark chocolate evenly over the dough, divide into 6 strips and cut into equal strips. Roll each strip into a cinnamon roll shape, and seal the end of the dough.
Prepare the baking container that will fit all 6 rolls , Prepare the bottom mixture (brown sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, and honey, Mix well) and spread it in your baking pan. Arrange the rolls on top, cover, and let them rise again until puffy around 20-30 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven on the bottom rack at 350°F (175°C) for about 23 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
While still warm, drizzle with the sugar glaze ( icing sugar mixed with couple tablespoons of milk) and the melted dark chocolate glaze(chocolate chips mix with couple tablespoons of milk and microwave for 30 seconds and stir until melted). Finish by dusting lightly with cocoa powder through a fine strainer.
These chocolate rolls have quickly become a favorite in our kitchen. They’re soft, chocolatey, and light enough that you can enjoy more than one without feeling heavy afterward. We hope they bring the same simple joy to your home that they bring to ours.
Simply living our beautiful lives — one recipe at a time.