Cookies and Hot Chocolate are the ultimate combo for Fall, Winter, and Christmas. Why not have the best of both in Just ONE?! I’m talking about Hot Chocolate Cookies. If you’ve never made or tasted them before, what are you even doing? I’m going to show you, step-by-step, how you can make a cookie taste like a mug of hot chocolate, without spending a fortune or a fortnight in the kitchen.
I’ve made chocolate themed holiday cookies before, I’ve made marshmallow cookies too. But trust me on this, nothing even comes close to this hot cocoa cookie recipe. It has a soft gooey marshmallow on top, melted chocolate in the centre, and a fudgy cookie that has perfectly crisp edges. The rich and deep chocolate flavour for Dutch-processed cocoa powder is far superior than the regular.
Though making the perfect Hot chocolate cookies is no rocket science, you still need to be careful about the measurements and the temperatures. As long as you follow my guide, you will end up with cookies that are too delicious to be true. I’ve also added a few tips at the end of this hot chocolate cookie recipe, follow them to avoid mistakes that beginners usually make.
If you’re planning to make these chocolate marshmallow cookies around Christmas, don’t forget to pair them with other Christmas treats like Chocolate Reindeer Cookies, Strawberry Santas, Nutella Thumbprint Cookies, Strawberry Jam Thumbprint Cookies, and Christmas Cake Pops.
Jump to:
- WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
- Ingredients and Subtitutions
- Instructions - How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Variations FOR HOT COCOA COOKIES RECIPE
- Equipment
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS
- Storing Hot Chocolate Cookies
- TOP TIPS FOR THE BEST HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Hot Chocolate Cookies (Gooey Marshmallow Cookies)
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THESE HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Deep Chocolate Flavor – The secret to rich and luxurious chocolate cookies is the Dutch-process cocoa powder. It adds a deep chocolatey flavor as compared to natural cocoa powder. The chocolate drizzle on top of the cookies makes them even more decadent and delicious.
Melt-in-your-mouth Texture – The soft gooey marshmallow and the soft cookie centre melts right in your mouth.
Tastes Like a Cup of Hot Chocolate – There’s no other way to describe these hot cocoa cookies because that’s literally what they taste like. They’re soft, fudgy, and chocolatey, topped with a soft gooey marshmallow, I’d say a little too decadent for a holiday cookie! When everything melts in your mouth, you forget you’re eating a cookie. You’re left with a strong hot chocolate aftertaste that reminds you of cozy childhood evenings!
Easy and Quick – Cookies don’t take much time to prep and bake. This one only has one extra step that you can complete in 2-3 minutes. So this recipe is not time taking or difficult. You can easily squeeze it into your packed Christmas treats menu.
Ingredients and Subtitutions
- All-Purpose Flour – One cup of all-purpose flour. Make sure to measure the flour properly for a good texture.
- Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder – I use dutch-process cocoa powder because it has a richer flavour and darker colour. It’s not acidic like the natural cocoa powder so it doesn’t react with baking soda.
- Baking Soda – Baking soda helps the cookies spread. Don’t add too much or your cookies will melt in the oven.
- Salt – Salt enhances the flavors and brings out the sweetness. Use fine salt or substitute with sea salt or kosher salt.
- Butter – Use softened, unsalted butter. You can substitute with dairy-free butter or cooking oil as well.
- Light Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar keeps cookies moist and adds a subtle caramel or butterscotch flavor. You can use jaggery, maple syrup, or honey as substitutes.
- Granulated Sugar – It makes the cookie edges crispy and surface shiny. Coconut sugar can be used as a substitute.
- Egg – The egg is the binding agent. It acts as glue in the cookies and holds everything together.
- Vanilla Extract – You can use vanilla bean paste if you want a stronger vanilla flavor. Substitute with almond extract if you want a nuttier flavor.
- Marshmallows – These will be used for decorating the cookies. Except mini marshmallows anything works here.
- Chocolate Chips – You need to melt the chocolate chips, top of the cookies. I have used semi-sweet chocolate but either dark chocolate or milk chocolate works too.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions - How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Beat unsalted butter, softened with light brown sugar, packed granulated sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Beat in 1 large egg, room temperature and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined.
Add to the wet mixture and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into balls, gently flatten.
Bake for 10 minutes until the edges are just set.
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and keep it ready.
Add a tablespoon of melted chocolate on top and spread over the cookies
Quickly press one marshmallow half, cut side down, onto the center of each cookie.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 2 minutes, just until the marshmallows are puffed and slightly melted. For a more toasted, golden finish, you can switch the oven to broil for 1–2 minutes, watching very closely so the marshmallows don’t burn. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them, as they will be very soft while still hot.
Hint: Watch the marshmallows closely under the broiler—they can go from perfectly toasted to burnt very quickly.
Variations FOR HOT COCOA COOKIES RECIPE
- Centre Filled Hot Chocolate Cookies: If you want to be a little dramatic, just hide the marshmallow in the center of the dough ball. Top the baked cookies with a generous drizzle of melted chocolate chips. Alternatively, you can add a chunk of chocolate in the centre and put the marshmallow on top. Kids will definitely like a little cookie surprise!
- Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate Cookies: Scoop out peanut butter in small quantities and chill or freeze. Roll it into the ball and then bake and decorate the cookies. There you go! Hot chocolate and peanut butter is one cookie!
- Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies: Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper to the dry ingredients and whisk until well combined. Follow the rest of the steps as given above.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop
- Baking sheets
- Wire cooling rack
- Small spoon or spatula for adding marshmallows/chocolate
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Hot Beverages: Serve these Hot Chocolate Cookies with Salted Caramel Latte, Vanilla Bean Latte, or a cup of spiced hot chocolate if you like. These cookies can never taste bad with anything!
With Other Christmas Treats: You can serve these hot chocolate marshmallow cookies with other treats on your Christmas spread. Pair them with Chocolate Reindeer Cookies, refreshing Strawberry Santas, easy Christmas Cake Pops, Christmas Crunch, or Gingerbread cookies.
Holiday Platter: Hot chocolate cookies can be served anytime of the year. They’re a delicious addition to any holiday platter. You serve them on Christmas platters, Thanksgiving platters, Halloween parties, or even on a dessert platter for the weekend with friends. Serve with other holiday cookies like Puff Pastry Hearts, Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Nutella Puff Pastry Twists, Biscoff Truffles, or Fudgy Nutella Brownies.
Cookie Board: Serve with other cookies on a cookie board alongside Chocolate Reindeer Cookies, Funfetti Cookies, Blackberry Oatmeal Cookies, and Oatmeal Butterscotch Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Storing Hot Chocolate Cookies
Room Temperature: You can store hot chocolate marshmallow cookies in a big batch and store them in an air tight jar for 2-3 days.
Refrigerator: Line the leftover cookies in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to a week. Avoid stacking.
Freezer: You can freeze hot cocoa cookies in a freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
Reheating: Thaw the frozen cookies in the fridge for 5 to 6 hours. Pop them in a preheated oven for 3-5 minutes or until thoroughly warm.
TOP TIPS FOR THE BEST HOT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours for fudgy and chewy cookies.
- Don’t add more flour than stated in the recipe. The dough will be sticky but resist the temptation to add more flour.
- Let the cookies cool down on the baking sheet for 5 minutes or they will fall apart.
- Gently press the marshmallow with the back of a spoon while it’s melted to flatten it a bit.
- You can make the dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for 5 days.
- You can freeze the dough for 3 months. Shape the balls and individually freeze them and then put them in a freezer bag.
FAQ
It's best to use unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder for this recipe. Hot chocolate mix usually contains sugar and other ingredients, so substituting it directly can change the cookies' sweetness and texture.
Chilling the dough for 30 minutes helps firm up the butter, making the dough easier to shape and helping the cookies hold their shape in the oven. Don't skip this step if your dough feels very soft or sticky.
Add the marshmallow halves after the cookies have baked for the initial 10 minutes, when their edges are set but the centers are still slightly soft. Return the cookies to the oven for about 2 minutes so the marshmallows puff and soften. This two-stage baking method helps keep the marshmallows on top instead of letting them disappear into the dough.
For a lightly toasted finish, you can briefly broil the marshmallow-topped cookies after baking. Watch them continuously because marshmallows can go from golden to burnt very quickly. If you prefer soft, white marshmallows, skip the broiling step.
Butter that's too soft, insufficient chilling, or too much flour-measuring variation can affect cookie spread. Chill the dough for the full 30 minutes, measure the flour carefully, and arrange the dough balls on a cool baking sheet with enough space between them.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this hot chocolate cookies recipe:
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Hot Chocolate Cookies (Gooey Marshmallow Cookies)
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing Bowls
- Baking Sheet
- Cooling rack
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cups unsweetened Dutch processed cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoons fine salt
- 6 large marshmallows cut in half crosswise
- ⅓ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat ½ cup softened unsalted butter, ½ cup packed light brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add 1 large room-temperature egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, then beat until smooth and combined.
- Add the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed just until a soft chocolate cookie dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
- Chill the cookie dough: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Chilling helps these hot chocolate cookies stay thick, soft, and fudgy instead of spreading too much in the oven.
- Shape the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into balls, and arrange them about 3 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball to about ½-inch thick.
- Bake and add the chocolate: Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are just set while the centers remain soft. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spoon about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate over each cookie. Gently spread the chocolate, then press one marshmallow half, cut-side down, into the center.
- Finish baking: Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 2 minutes, until the marshmallows are puffed and slightly melted. For toasted marshmallow tops, broil for 1–2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. The cookies will be very soft when hot but will firm up as they cool while staying soft and chewy in the center
Notes
- Chill the dough: Refrigerating for at least 30 minutes helps prevent spreading and keeps the cookies thick and fudgy.
- Measure flour carefully: Spoon and level the flour to avoid dry, dense cookies.
- Don’t overmix: Mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated so the cookies stay soft and tender.
- Use room-temperature ingredients: Softened butter and a room-temperature egg mix more evenly into the dough.
- Watch the bake time: The centers should still look slightly soft when the cookies come out; they’ll continue setting as they cool.
- Add marshmallows near the end: This keeps them gooey without completely melting into the cookies.
- Broil carefully: If you want toasted marshmallows, broil for just 1–2 minutes and watch constantly.
- Cool before moving: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes because they’re very soft when hot.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
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