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These Italian chocolate roll cookies are a family-style treat made with a cream cheese and butter dough rolled around a rich chocolate filling. The dough is soft and tender while the center is filled with melted chocolate chips, walnuts, condensed milk and a hint of cinnamon. Baked until golden and sliced into rounds, these cookies are equal parts rustic and irresistible. They make an excellent addition to holiday trays or whenever you want a homemade indulgence.
Italian chocolate roll cookies combine tender cream cheese dough with a rich chocolate walnut filling. They’re baked golden, sliced and perfect for sharing.
Love festive baking? Also try Italian fig cookies, jam kolachy cookies, canestrelli cookies, and cinnamon lattice cookies.
Why You’ll Love It
Rich chocolate filling: The gooey chocolate center is luscious and flavorful.
Tender dough: Cream cheese and butter create a soft, flaky texture.
Customizable: Swap fillings to make it your own.
Great presentation: Sliced rolls look impressive on any tray, so add this recipe to your Christmas baking list this year!
Chocolate Roll Cookie Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Cream cheese: Adds richness and tenderness to the dough.
Butter: Provides flavor and flakiness.
All purpose flour: Gives the dough structure and balance.
Chocolate chips: Melt into the creamy filling for indulgence.
Sweetened condensed milk: Sweetens and thickens the filling.
Walnuts: Add crunch and nutty flavor.
Vanilla extract: Brings warm depth to the filling.
Cinnamon: Adds gentle spice and warmth.
How to Make Chocolate Roll Cookies
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Make dough: Knead cream cheese, butter and flour until smooth, then chill overnight.
Prepare filling: Melt chocolate with condensed milk, walnuts, vanilla and cinnamon.
Roll dough: Divide, roll out on sugared surface and spread filling in the center.
Shape: Roll into logs, seal edges and place seam side down.
Bake: Cook until golden, cool slightly and slice into cookies.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend in place of all purpose flour.
Nuts: Swap walnuts for pecans, almonds or leave them out.
Chocolate: Dark or semi-sweet chips can replace milk chocolate.
Flavor twist: Add orange zest to the filling for a citrus note.
Serving Suggestions
With a drink: Enjoy a latte breve, bulletproof coffee or cinnamon dolce latte with your cookies.
With other sweet treats: A trio of treats is always a welcome sight! Maybe whip up these Santa cupcakes and some lemon shortbread cookies too.
How to Store Italian Chocolate Roll Cookies
Store: Keep the cookies in an airtight container and eat within 4 or 5 days.
Freeze: Wrap unbaked dough logs in plastic and freeze for up to 1 month. You can also keep baked cookies frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Let frozen logs thaw in the refrigerator before baking or let cookies thaw before serving.
Reheat: Warm baked cookies briefly in the oven if desired.
Top Tips
Chill overnight: The dough is easier to work with once firm.
Seal edges well: Prevents the filling from leaking out while baking.
Cool before slicing: Ensures neat cookie shapes.
Use powdered sugar surface: Prevents sticking and adds light sweetness.
Chocolate Roll Cookies FAQs
Chilling helps the dough firm up for rolling, so it’s recommended.
Yes, divide dough into more portions and roll smaller logs for mini cookies.
Italian Chocolate Roll Cookies Recipe
Italian Chocolate Roll Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 8 Ounces cream cheese
- 1 Cup butter
- 3 Cups all purpose flour
For the Filling
- 12 Ounces milk chocolate chips
- 14 Ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 1 Cup walnuts, chopped
- ¼ Teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ Teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare the Dough
- Add the dough ingredients into the bowl of a mixer. Knead together until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, place on plastic wrap and then refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare baking sheets and set aside.
- Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Sprinkle powdered sugar out on a flat surface. Roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thick rectangle or some people prefer a circle.
Prepare the Filling
- Place the filling ingredients into a saucepan and cook on low heat until chocolate is melted.
Assemble the Cookie Log
- Spread the chocolate filling down the center of each rectangle/circle. Fold to the center and roll up, or roll inwards from one of the longer sides.
- Press to seal all edges. Turn log over so the seam sides are down.
- Put each log on the prepared baking sheet using two spatulas.
Bake the Cookies
- Bake for between 20 minutes and 40 minutes. If you like a softer, doughy cookie, bake on the lower time range (this is what I prefer) but if you want a crispier, flaky cookie bake longer.
- Cool the cookie log for 30 minutes, transfer to a cutting board and then slice into cookies. The number of cookies you end up with varies depending how thick you cut them.
Notes
Seal edges well: Prevents the filling from leaking out while baking.
Cool before slicing: Ensures neat cookie shapes.
Use powdered sugar surface: Prevents sticking and adds light sweetness.
Nutrition
Italian chocolate roll cookies are the perfect marriage of tender pastry and rich filling. The cream cheese dough bakes up soft and flaky, wrapping around a chocolate and walnut center that’s gooey and satisfying. Cinnamon and vanilla add depth to the Christmas cookies, making each slice special. These Italian nut roll cookies look elegant but are approachable to make, and versatile enough for holidays, gatherings or when you want something homemade and indulgent.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
They turned out so beautiful and delicious. Perfect for holiday baking!
How do you roll up the dough. Do you roll it from the long side right at the end or do you fold the dough to the midde and then roll? There is no picture on how you did it.
Thank you
Hi Dorothy, you could do it either way or even roll it out square or into a circle – it would just change the shape/size of the cookies. I folded mine in half and then rolled it across from one of the longer sides.
Thank you. I am trying these tomorrow.
Do you have to let the melted chocolate and nuts cool before putting on the dough?
Can’t wait to try these. Look yummy!!
No, you can add the chocolate nut mixture straight from the pan while still warm (and it’s easier to spread that way too!)
Thank you. Another question. Do the cream cheese and butter have to be room temperature?
They’re easier to mix if they are.
I have a tree but allergy. Can theses Italian Roll cookies be made omitting the walnuts?
Yes, you can omit them with success.
Will other nuts work just as well do you think – say almonds or pecans?
I don’t see why not. Just chop them finely!
Simple and delicious! There were no leftovers at all.
Love the sophisticated look and excellent flavor. My new favorite!
Delicious & very easy to make!❤️
Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Does anyone know if these freeze well?
Yes, they can be frozen.
can I skip the part where you refrigerate the dough overnite?
You could likely get away with refrigerating for 2-3 hours only in a pinch.
Very rich and delicious
Made for Christmas, they were a big hit! I could hardly believe I made them, reminded me of my great grandmothers homemade chocolate rolls:)
Hi there! I tried these for the first time today, was excited to find the recipe as I had originally tried then whilst living in Alabama 🙂 I wondered if could give me some tips.. see the chocolate (milk chips) was too runny even after cooling and the dough was effected because of it esp in the center. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
hi, I am not sure. Did you use the sweetened condensed milk, too? I have never had that happen.
First time checking. Good narratives. Well done for the hard work. Fan of chocolates
I’ve never tried these but I will be! Looks so yummy!
These are perfect for the holiday season! Looks so yummy!
Those are pretty Christmas cookies and they look delicious!
Could you make these without nuts?
Yes! Skip the nuts if you like
Oh my, these couldn’t be more perfect! I love chocolate and cookies!