These Chocolate Brioche Buns are soft, fluffy enriched buns filled with creamy chocolate spread and baked until beautifully golden. Each bun hides a rich chocolate center, then gets a light dusting of powdered sugar for a simple bakery-style finish.
Soft Brioche + A Hidden Chocolate Center Is a Very Good Combination.These buns are basically built around the moment when you pull one apart and finally reach the chocolate in the middle.
The dough is soft and lightly sweet, with milk, egg, oil, and a little butter giving it a tender texture. Once it has risen, each piece gets flattened, filled with chocolate, pinched closed, and shaped into a smooth bun.
Then they get an egg-yolk wash, a trip through the oven, and just enough powdered sugar to make them look like they came home in a bakery box.
If you want another soft yeast bake, my Soft Homemade Brioche Bread is a fluffy pull-apart loaf that works beautifully for breakfast. For something spiced and fruit-filled, these Hot Cross Buns have orange zest, dried fruit, and a glossy finish.
And since we’re clearly not avoiding chocolate today, my Easy Chocolate Filled Cake is another dessert built around a chocolate center, while a warm bun with Homemade Hot Chocolate is basically peak cozy breakfast.
Ingredients
How to Make BRIOCHE WITH CHOCOLATE
- Activate the yeast. In a bowl, mix together the milk, yeast, sugar and vanilla sugar. Whisk and let stand until slightly foamy.Use warm milk, not hot milk, when activating the yeast. King Arthur recommends lukewarm liquid, about 100°F to 105°F, for yeast dough so the yeast can work properly without being damaged.
- Add egg + mix. Stir in the egg, oil and salt until a smooth mixture forms.
- Form the dough. Stir in the flour and baking powder. Mix until you get a sticky dough.
- Knead in butter. Mix in the softened butter and knead until dough looks smoother and more elastic (it will still be soft).
- First rise. Dough should be puffy and more than doubled in bulk.
- Divide. Transfer the dough out, punch down lightly and divide into sections.
- Fill + shape. Flatten each of them, place a little chocolate spread at the middle, then pinch it to close and roll into a ball shape.
- Second rise. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spaced apart, and let rise again until visibly puffy.
- Brush + bake. Brush the tops with egg yolk. Bake until deep golden brown.
- Finish. Let cool a little bit, dust with powdered sugar,
- serve warm for the most oozy chocolate center.
What Is Chocolate Brioche?
Chocolate brioche is an enriched yeast bread or bun combined with chocolate.
This version is shaped into individual buns and filled with chocolate spread rather than baking the chocolate directly throughout a loaf.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Using milk that is too hot, which can kill the yeast.
- Not kneading the dough long enough to make it soft and stretchy.
- Adding the butter too quickly before the dough has developed.
- Using too much flour, which can make the brioche dry and heavy.
- Skipping or rushing the rise time.
- Adding too much chocolate filling, which can leak out while baking.
- Slicing the brioche while it is still hot, which can make the crumb gummy.
What To Serve With Chocolate Brioche
Chocolate Brioche is delicious served with hot coffee, cold milk, hot chocolate, espresso, or a vanilla latte. It also pairs well with fresh berries, whipped cream, Nutella, butter, vanilla ice cream, or a cozy breakfast and brunch spread.
FAQs
Yes. Instant yeast is fine — just mix it with the dry ingredients and choose lukewarm milk.
Brioche dough is naturally soft. Oil your hands very slightly and continue kneading until a softer dough forms.
Yes. Cover the dough and refrigerate after the first rise, then shape and do the second rise before baking.
Do not overfill, and pinch the seam very taut. Lay so the seam is on the bottom of the tray.
Yes — slightly decrease the amount of added salt for a balanced taste.
Reheat in the oven if you can (best way) or hit it with short bursts in the microwave until warmed through.
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Chocolate Brioche Buns
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- In a bowl, mix milk, yeast, sugar, and vanilla sugar. Whisk and let sit until slightly foamy.
- Whisk in the egg, oil, and salt.
- Add flour and baking powder, then mix until a soft dough forms.
- Add butter and knead until smoother and elastic.
- Cover and let rise until puffy and expanded.
- Turn out the dough, deflate gently, and divide into equal portions.
- Flatten each portion, add chocolate spread in the center, seal tightly, and roll into a smooth ball.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let rise again until puffy.
- Brush tops with egg yolk and bake until deep golden brown.
- Cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar, and serve.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- If the dough feels sticky, oil your hands instead of adding lots of flour.
- Seal the buns well so the filling doesn’t leak during baking.
- Vanilla sugar can be replaced with 1 tsp vanilla extract (mix into the wet ingredients).
- For best texture, rewarm leftovers before serving.
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Let us know how it was!Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
