Hot Chocolate Cookies - these soft and chewy cookies are perfect for the holidays! Filled with Hot Cocoa flavor, they are chocolatey on the outside and filled with gooey melted mini marshmallows on the inside. All you need to add is a glass of milk!
While cakes are my business, cookies are my love language. And these soft, gooey cookies are absolute perfection! They have all the flavor of a warm cup of hot cocoa with the texture and chewiness of a delicious cookie.
My favorite cookies include chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, oatmeal pecan cookies... and now these Hot Chocolate Cookies!
If you want to make cookies that scream Christmas or the holidays - you have to make these this holiday season!
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Why this Hot Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Recipe Works!
When I looked for a Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe, all of them had marshmallows mixed into the cookie dough or a marshmallow melted on top. I wanted to do something different so I put the marshmallow inside the cookie!!
This means you get a beautiful delicious hot cocoa-flavored cookie on the outside wrapped around a sticky, melted marshmallow on the inside. The surprise gooeyness is delightful and so fun!
How? Freezing the marshmallows before making the cookies keeps them from completely disappearing and melting into the cookies!
What do Hot Chocolate Cookies Taste Like?
These cookies have real hot cocoa mix in the dough, making them truly taste like hot chocolate. The melty marshmallow in the middle kicks them up a notch and when mixed with the chocolaty-ness, you get an out-of-this-world fudgy cookie!
Ingredients
Another reason to love these Hot Cocoa cookies is that most of the ingredients are pantry staples.
- Butter - be sure your butter is softened to room temperature. I use salted butter with great results but unsalted would work as well.
- Brown Sugar - I always use light brown sugar.
- Egg - use a large egg, again at room temperature
- Vanilla Extract - of course, I prefer my homemade vanilla extract, but any quality store-bought brand will be great as well!
- All-purpose Flour
- Hot Cocoa Mix - do NOT use sugar-free hot cocoa mix. But you can experiment with different flavors and brands.
- Cocoa Powder - for a darker cookie, use dark cocoa powder
- Instant Coffee (optional - helps intensify the chocolate flavor) - I highly recommend the instant coffee granules. It will not make your cookies taste like coffee but it will intensify the chocolate flavor. Trust me on this - add the coffee!
- Baking Soda - NOT baking powder. Even as an experienced baker, I've mixed this up in the past so make sure you're using non-expired baking soda.
- Salt
- Mini Marshmallows - freeze these before you stuff the cookies and that will prevent them from melting in the cookie and disappearing
Substitutions and Mix-ins
For the hot cocoa mix, you can substitute different varieties as long as you don't use sugar-free hot cocoa mix. Here are a few I've seen:
- Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix (most popular!)
- Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa Mix
- Mint & Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
- Candy Cane Hot Cocoa Mix
- Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
- Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
Cocoa Powder Substitutions: You can also substitute dark cocoa for the original cocoa powder if you want a darker, richer cookie with a stronger chocolate flavor.
Want to add a little more chunkiness and texture? Mix in half a cup of chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks!
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies
Now let me show you how to make this easy Hot Chocolate Cookie Recipe!
- Place the marshmallows in the freezer while you make the cookie dough.*
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- In a medium bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, hot cocoa mix, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture, and combine well.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and make a well in the center.
- Place 2-3 frozen marshmallows in the center of each cookie, and top with another tablespoon of cookie dough, pressing edges together to seal marshmallows inside as much as possible.
- Continue with the remaining dough, spacing on a parchment-lined baking sheet with about 2 inches of space between the cookie dough balls.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack or plate to cool completely.
*Freezing the marshmallows isn’t 100% necessary, but it helps keep them from melting into the cookie as they bake. Please freeze them if you can!
Video
Recipe Pro Tips
- To get the perfect-sized hot cocoa cookie, use a cookie scoop. This 2-tablespoon scoop is my favorite! It also doubles as the perfect size scoop for cupcake batter in a standard cupcake pan.
- While silicone baking mats are nice, I find that my cookies bake best when on parchment paper. You can even buy pre-cut sheets if you want.
- Freeze the mini marshmallows before putting them in the cookies. This way they will not melt as much and won't disappear into the cookie.
FAQ
No, sugar-free hot chocolate will not work in these cookies. You can use other flavors, but not a reduced calorie version.
As with almost all cookies, an ice cold glass of milk is perfect with these hot chocolate marshmallow cookies. Coffee is also great with them or you can double-up and do a mug of steaming hot cocoa!
If you check out recipes using hot chocolate mix, there are cookies with regular marshmallows, marshmallow creme, mini marshmallows, and mallow bits. For THIS recipe, use frozen mini marshmallows.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are so perfect as Christmas cookies, for a cookie exchange, or for an office party or classroom party! Place a few in a cute container and they'd also make great holiday gifts from your kitchen.
Here are some other terrific ideas for food gifts for Christmas:
- Peppermint Dipped Marshmallows for Hot Cocoa {Great Gift Idea!}
- How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract with Free Printable Labels
- We Whisk You a Merry Christmas (Free Gift Tags)
- Pralines & Cream Fudge Recipe {Perfect for Gift-Giving!}
Storage Instructions
Store any cooled, leftover Hot Chocolate Cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Since the marshmallows are all on the inside, you can safely stack them.
I don't recommend freezing the cookies, but you can make the dough ahead of time and freeze it for up to 2 months. When you're ready to bake the cookies and stuff them with marshmallows, let it thaw to room temperature before scooping and forming the cookie dough balls.
- Allow cookies to cool completely and then any leftovers can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep them in a single layer or they’ll stick to one another.
- To make the dough ahead of time: You could also make the dough and keep it tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and then bake. (If chilling for more than 3 hours, set it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before forming the cookie balls.) You could also freeze the dough for up to 2 months.
Tools/Equipment Needed
- Mixing Bowls
- Cookie Scoop
- Hand Mixer
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Cookie Sheet
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PrintRecipe
Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies 1x
Description
Hot Chocolate Cookies - these soft and chewy cookies are perfect for the holidays! Filled with Hot Cocoa flavor, they are chocolatey on the outside and filled with gooey melted mini marshmallows on the inside. All you need to add is a glass of milk!
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- ⅓ cup hot cocoa mix
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee (optional - helps intensify the chocolate flavor)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup mini marshmallows*
Instructions
- Place the mini marshmallows in the freezer.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Cream together the softened butter and brown sugar until light and smooth.
- Beat in egg and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, hot cocoa mix, cocoa powder, instant coffee, baking soda and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and combine well.
- Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball and make a well in the center.
- Place 2-3 mini marshmallows in well, and top with another tablespoon of cookie dough, pressing edges together to seal marshmallows inside as much as possible.
- Continue with the remaining dough, spacing on a parchment-lined baking sheet with about 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, and allow to cool on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack or plate to cool completely.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*Freezing the marshmallows isn’t 100% necessary, but it helps keep them from melting into the cookie as they bake.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ashley
Ohmygosh - these are amazing! I can't wait to make them for Christmas!
Deb
We made these last night and LOVED THEM!!! It will be my go-to recipe now and it's so easy!!!
Katie
I love the gooey, melty marshmallows when these are warm out of the oven!
Melissa
Hi, what hot cocoa mix brand do you recommend for us to use? And is the butter salted or unsalted?
Susan
You can use whatever kind of hot cocoa mix you like, just as long as it's not the sugar free version, those don't work in the recipe. I used Swiss Miss and salted butter when I made them.
Chris David
Really nice recipe. Thanks for sharing. Also see https://www.beckandbulow.com
Lindsey
EVERYTHING about these is delicious!!!
Cathy Kennedy
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I'm anxious to try it!
Rose Atwater
I hope you love it as much as we do!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
These make me long for a cold winter night. Thanks for sharing at the What's for dinner party. Hope your week was amazing.
Rose Atwater
Ooh yes! I cannot wait for cooler weather and making these warm cookies again!
Julie
Well I'll be trying these asap! Mini marshmallows are going on my shopping list now!
Linda
i might sound stupid but what is cocoa mix is it the same as cocoa powder or do you make cocoa up with milk or water just asking so i dont make a complete mess of it
Susan
Hot cocoa mix (or hot chocolate mix) is a drink mix. A popular brand in the US is Swiss Miss. This recipe is calling for both the drink mix and cocoa powder.
Emily
these are delicious but mine keep spreading way to much any tips?
Drie
So easy and DELICIOUS
I used exactly 3 tables spoons total for each cookie and honestly, they were hugemungeous lol would make smaller cookies next time for sure, I only got 8 big cookies out of the recipe , tasted so good though, I’m not complaining about the servings lol
Mary Slanker
Thank you for sharing the amazing recipe. I would love to try this recipe.
Kaylie
These came out flat and the marshmallows are just melted craters even after freezing. I followed the recipe exactly and was very disappointed.