Indulge in this rich chocolate holiday cookie! Hot chocolate cookies have melty marshmallow combined with rich chocolate for a delicious gooey dessert.
Created by combining hot cocoa mix, chocolate chips and marshmallows these easy to make cookies should be on everyone’s holiday baking list. The hot cocoa mix gives the cookies an intense chocolate flavor, much more than if they were made with cocoa powder.
I love these hot cocoa cookies because they make me feel like I’m sitting by the fire as it’s snowing outside! There is just something about the flavor of hot cocoa that reminds me of being a kid, when wintery snow was exciting and Christmas was magical.
So make a big steaming mug of hot cocoa and whip up a quick batch of these soft and chewy chocolate cookies to go with it!
Marshmallow for Hot Cocoa Cookies
These cookies are made with the same kind of dehydrated marshmallow bits that are used in hot chocolate. The most common brand of these is from Kraft, and is called Marshmallow Bits.
Last holiday season these became difficult to find because of the incredible popularity of hot cocoa bombs. As of now, October 2021, there are plenty of these tiny marshmallows available online.
So get some now and don’t wait until right before Christmas! You can check your local grocery store or shop online. Buy a container and then you can make these cookies, homemade hot chocolate mix and a bunch of hot cocoa bombs too!
Need a hot chocolate bomb recipe? Check out my Grinch bombs here!
Other Key Ingredients
Hot chocolate mix – You can use any type of mix except a sugar free mix. Homemade mix is great, or use store bought mix. If you are using pre-made hot chocolate packets then you will need four packets for the recipe.
Butter – It is easier to make cookie with room temperature butter, so get the butter out of the refrigerator an hour or so before making the cookies.
Brown sugar – There is no white sugar in this recipe, because it is already in the drink mix. The brown sugar helps make the cookies chewy and delicious.
Chocolate chips – Any kind works fine in the recipe. I use either semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips. But you can experiment with other varieties.
The remaining ingredients are basic baking staples, flour, baking powder, salt, egg and vanilla extract.
Find More Christmas Recipes!
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies
1.Prep
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. Mix
In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and hot cocoa mix. Stir it all together.
In a separate bowl use a mixer to combine the butter and brown sugar until they are yellow and fluffy. Then add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
Add the dry ingredients a little bit at a time to the wet ingredients, mixing after each addition. Keep adding them until they are completely mixed in.
Stir the mallow bits and chocolate chips into the cookie dough. Just stir them in by hand until they are scattered throughout the batter.
3. Bake
Use a cookie scoop to make dough balls of about a tablespoon each. Put the cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet.
The marshmallows will melt into the cookie some as they bake. If you want to have more visible marshmallows in the final cookie then set some additional ones aside to add on top after they bake.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, until they are golden brown on the bottom and look cooked.
Then, if desired, add 3-4 mini marshmallow on top of each cookies. The residual heat will melt the marshmallows into the tops of the cookies, but still leave them recognizable.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then remove them and set them on wire racks to finish cooling.
How to Serve
These cookies have chewy edges with a soft and tender inside. Serve these chewy chocolate cookies with a steaming mug of hot cocoa of course!
If you want to give a homemade gift for the holidays some hot chocolate cookies packaged with some hot cocoa bombs would be a fantastic gift for any chocolate lover on your list!
Find More Christmas Cookie Recipes!
How to Store
These hot cocoa cookies keep well at room temperature in an airtight container for 5 days. You can also freeze them in freezer containers. They will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.
Variations
- Use other types of chips in the recipe. Some tasty suggestions are white chocolate chips, peppermint chips or big dark chocolate chunks.
- Use a flavored hot cocoa mix. You can buy all sorts of flavors, from caramel to raspberry. Just don’t try to make the cookies with a sugar free mix, because the results will be disappointing.
Want more Christmas Cookie Ideas? Try Andes Mint Cookies, Jam Pinwheel Cookies, Church Window Cookies, Speculoos, or Ricotta Cookies. Or check out all my favorite Christmas Cookies!
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup hot chocolate mix four 1 ounce cocoa mix packs
- 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips milk or semi-sweet
- 1/2 cup dehydrated mini marshmallows *see note
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone mat to prevent cookies from sticking.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and hot cocoa mix. Set aside for a few minutes.1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup hot chocolate mix
- In a large bowl, use a mixer to cream butter and brown sugar together until well combined and fluffy.1/2 cup 1 stick butter, softened to room temperature, 1/2 cup brown sugar
- Add egg and vanilla extract to the mixing bowl and beat until well combined.1 egg, 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Gradually add dry mixture and beat until well mixed. Add it a little at a time, beating after each addition.
- Stir in chocolate chips and mallow bits by hand.1/2 cup chocolate chips
- Scoop the dough out using a cookie scoop or a spoon and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Make a cookie ball that has about 1 tablespoon of dough.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the cookies are nicely browned on the bottom and look cooked in the middle.
- Optional – The marshmallows will kind of dissolve as they cook. If you like you can add 3-4 more mini marshmallows on top of the cookies when they are done baking. These will melt into the cookies some, but will make the cookies look more marshmallowy.1/2 cup dehydrated mini marshmallows *see note
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then remove them to wire racks.
Notes
Dehydrated mini marshmallows
- Dehydrated mini marshmallows are the kind used in hot cocoa packets. Jet Puff Marshmallow Bits are the most common brand. In a grocery store they are shelved by the hot cocoa, but you might need to order them online because of the popularity of using them to make hot cocoa bombs.
Storing
- These cookies will keep for 5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze them, where they will keep for about 2 months.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
Amazingly tasty!
YES! The marshmallows in these cookies are amazing!
Yummm and double Yummmm!!! Love your cookie recipe!
Can you use regular mini marshmallows or do they have to be dehydrated?