Hot Chocolate Cookies
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There’s nothing more comforting during the holiday season than a warm cup of hot chocolate, and now you can enjoy that same cozy feeling in cookie form! I’ve transformed everyone’s favorite winter drink into an incredible Christmas cookie that’s as festive as it is delicious. Imagine rich chocolatey bites, gooey marshmallows, and all the magic of the season wrapped into one sweet treat. These cookies are perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday gatherings, or just enjoying by the fire with your favorite mug of cocoa.
If you love hot chocolate on those cold winter days, these hot chocolate cookies are a must for your holiday baking list. They’re soft and chewy cookies with a brownie-like texture and rich dark chocolate flavor. And because no hot chocolate would be complete without marshmallows, these are topped with a layer of gooey marshmallow and covered in sweet chocolate icing and sprinkles.
With their pretty and festive appearance, these cookies are just made for holiday cookie exchanges and parties. They’re the perfect cookie recipe when you want a show stopping treat that will have everyone coming back for seconds. Make these cookies for all your holiday festivities, but be sure to save a few for yourself – they’ll disappear in a hurry!
Why Our Hot Chocolate Cookies Are The Best
- Chewy and Delicious – The cookie base is made from a perfected chocolate dough that bakes up soft and chewy.
- Pretty – we’ve made them pretty with a gorgeous chocolate frosting and Christmas sprinkles
- Marshmallow Center – we have the perfect amount of marshmallow that melts, but that’s a perfect gooey center.
- Easy Recipe – This hot chocolate cookie recipe doesn’t require any special tools or equipment. You can find everything you need at your regular grocery store.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Brown sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Large marshmallows
For the Icing:
- Confectioners sugar
- Melted butter (unsalted)
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Hot water
- Vanilla extract
- Any assorted sprinkles
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies
Step One: Make the Cookie Dough
- Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium sized bowl, stirring every 15 seconds. Once melted, set aside.
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), beat the eggs, vanilla, and sugar on low speed until well combined. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and blend until just combined.
- Continue to mix while gradually adding the dry ingredients. Scrape the edges of the bowl and mix again, then cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. The dough should be firm.
Step Two: Bake the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 325° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take about a tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball, flatten it out slightly and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Repeat with the rest of the dough, spacing the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 12 minutes.
- While they’re cooking, cut the marshmallows in half crosswise. When the cookies are done, place one marshmallow half in the center of each cookie – sticky side down.
- Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 2 minutes. Allow them to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Step Three: Add the Icing
- Prepare the icing by whisking all ingredients together in a medium bowl.
- Place the cookies on a wire cooling rack over a cookie sheet to catch any excess icing. Spoon a small amount of icing onto the top of each marshmallow, and use the back of the spoon to spread it out.
- After icing a few cookies, add sprinkles to the top of each cookie before the icing dries.
- Let the icing harden for about 30 minutes before serving.
Tips and Suggestions
- If you have kitchen scissors, they’re a great tool for cutting the marshmallows in half.
- You can let the dough chill in the fridge overnight. Just let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes before scooping.
- For best results, use a tablespoon-sized cookie scoop to form the dough balls. This will ensure that all your cookies are the same size, so they bake evenly.
Variations
- Change the color or type of sprinkles for different holidays and occasions.
- Sprinkle some crushed candy canes in place of the sprinkles to make peppermint hot chocolate cookies.
- You can use three mini marshmallows on each cookie instead of one large marshmallow.
How Do I Store Hot Chocolate Cookies?
Store your leftover hot chocolate cookies in an airtight container (in a single layer) at room temperature. They should keep for 2-3 days.
Can I Make These Ahead of Time?
You can! Make the dough up to 2 days ahead of time and keep it tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Once it’s chilled, you’ll need to let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before forming the dough balls.
More Hot Chocolate Recipes
- Hot Chocolate Dip
- Hot Chocolate Lush
- Crockpot Hot Chocolate
- Grinch Hot Chocolate
- Pink Hot Chocolate
- Hot Chocolate Bombs
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 25 large marshmallows
For the Icing:
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- sprinkles
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, melt the butter and chocolate stirring every 15 seconds. Once melted, set aside.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
- In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla on low speed with an electric mixer until well combined. Add the cooled chocolate and blend until just combined.1 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- While mixing, add the flour mixture slowly, a cup at a time. Scrape the edges of the bowl as you go. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. The dough should be firm.
- Preheat the oven to 325° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Grab a tablespoon-size of dough and roll into a ball, or using a cookie dough scooper, scoop a tablespoon worth. Flatten the dough ball out slightly with the bottom of a glass and place onto the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, cut the marshmallows in half crosswise. (Kitchen scissors are great for this.) Remove the cookies from the oven and place one half of the marshmallows, sticky side down, in the middle of the cookies.25 large marshmallows
- Return the cookies to the oven and bake for another 2 minutes. Remove cookies and allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.
Make the Icing
- Combine confectioners sugar, cocoa powder, butter, water, and vanilla in a medium-sized mixing bowl and combine with a whisk.2 cups confectioners sugar, 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/4 cup hot water, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Place the cooling rack with cookies on a baking sheet to catch any excess icing. Spoon a small amount of icing onto the top of each marshmallow and use the back of the spoon to spread it over the cookie. Top each cookie with sprinkles as you go – before the icing hardens.sprinkles
- Let them sit and the icing harden for around 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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They don’t make it far enough to get the icing on top of the marshmallow at my house lol
Can you freeze these? I am thinking no because the marshmallow might get weird.
yes, you can freeze them. Just place them on a single-layer in the freezer for a few hours, until they are frozen. Then you can place them in a zip-top storage bag or air tight container for several months. Let them thaw and come to room temperature.
I made these tonight with my toddler for Santa. My son LOVED them and I have a feeling Santa will be very pleased too. Delicious cookie dough 😍