Hot Cocoa Cookies are reminiscent of a cup of hot cocoa loaded with mini marshmallows. One batch makes four dozen, so they’re great for cookie swaps and care packages!
If you love hot cocoa as much as I do (and that’s a lot!) then you will LOVE these cookies. They are chocolatey with a slightly chewy bite, and have just the right amount of tiny marshmallows to make them adorably tasty.
This dough is thick! It’s studded with chocolate chunks and tiny dehydrated cereal marshmallowsthroughout. The marshmallows in the dough disappear during baking and contribute to the chewy texture of the cookie.
I couldn’t do without my cookie scoop! It makes quick work of portioning the cookie dough and, trust me, that’s what you want when you’re baking four (or more!) dozen cookies.
Mid-bake, the cookies are topped with more mini mallows and more chocolate chunks. This makes them look pretty, and I love how the marshmallows lightly toast in the oven.
Cookies and milk for Santa!
You can usually find the tiny dehydrated cereal marshmallows at the grocery store in the baking aisle next to the regular marshmallows (labeled “Marshmallow Bits”). Or you can order them online if you can’t find them locally.
Hot Cocoa Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups 390 grams all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup 38 grams cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 sticks 226 grams butter, softened
- 1 cup 200 grams granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup 120 grams brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups 9 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chunks, divided
- 2 cups 106 grams mini marshmallow bits, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven 350°F. Line two or more baking sheets with parchment; set aside.
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, cream butter until light and fluffy, then add sugars and mix until well combined on low speed. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until just combined. Slowly add flour mixture, and stir until blended, stopping to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are well-incorporated. The finished dough will be very thick. Fold in 1 cup of the chocolate chunks and 1 cup of the mini marshmallow bits.
- Scoop dough with a tablespoon and roll into walnut sized balls, or scoop out with a small cookie scoop, and place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake for 5 minutes, then remove from oven and lightly mash down the top of each cookie with a teaspoon. Sprinkle about a teaspoon of mini marshmallows onto each cookie, and add one or two chocolate chunks to the tops of the cookies. Return to the oven and bake 5-6 more minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet at least 10 minutes, then place on wire racks to cool completely.
They look heavenly! I've never heard or seen marshmallow bits in this part of the world! (Sri Lanka!!)
Hi! These look delicious! Can you tell me which cocoa powder you used? Are you using hot chocolate packets or a certain type of cocoa powder from the baking aisle? Thank you!
Hi Karen! Unsweet cocoa powder from the baking aisle. I noticed a lot of recipes for hot cocoa cookies have packets of instant hot cocoa in them, but when we tested them they just weren't as good as using regular baking cocoa – which is what I use to make homemade hot cocoa on the stove top anyway.
Hi Heather! Thank you so much for getting back to me! I've made the recipe off the marshmallow bits container before but yours sounds (and looks!) extra delicious! Great to know about the unsweetened cocoa – looking forward to trying this recipe soon 🙂 Is there a recipe for your stove top hot cocoa on your blog?
Okay I made these and they were a hit, but I made a couple of changes. I created mashed the raw dough down and out the marshmallows and chocolate on then, rather interrupting the baking. Also, Just before putting them in the oven I out a little sea salt on top. I used genies cocoa powder. I think the cocoa can make a big difference. This is the one time i don’t like Ghiradelli.
These were very easy to make and they look fancy and decorated without much effort. The texture is chewy and they really do taste like hot cocoa in cookie form!
These cookies are delish and oh so easy to make. I also made a gluten free version using cup4cup with the same measurements. That version was also awesome!!! Definitely a winner!!