When the weather turns cold, nothing hits the spot quite like a mug of cocoa, and these hot chocolate cookies capture that same cozy feeling in dessert form! They’re soft, chewy, and full of rich chocolate flavor, topped with gooey marshmallows and a drizzle of icing for that classic hot cocoa look. These easy hot chocolate cookies bake up beautifully for cookie swaps, Christmas dessert trays, or any time I need a comforting winter treat.
Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallows
These hot chocolate cookies with marshmallows came to life one snowy afternoon when I wanted that warm, nostalgic flavor of hot cocoa without needing a mug. I started by testing store-bought hot cocoa mix, but it didn’t give the deep chocolate taste I was craving. So, I combined cocoa powder and melted semisweet chocolate to recreate that real hot chocolate richness in cookie form. The result is a batch of hot chocolate marshmallow cookies that are fudgy inside, perfectly soft around the edges, and topped with a melty marshmallow and smooth chocolate icing.
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Use Quality Cocoa and Real Chocolate for Rich Flavor
For the best hot cocoa flavor, I use both unsweetened cocoa powder and real semisweet chocolate, not just one or the other. The cocoa powder adds that classic hot chocolate depth, while real melted chocolate gives these hot chocolate cookies a fudgy richness and smooth texture that cocoa alone can’t replicate. This dual-chocolate method mimics how homemade hot cocoa combines cocoa and melted chocolate for a fuller, more authentic flavor.
Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Hand Mixer
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ⅓ cup salted butter (⅔ stick)
- 1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 10 marshmallows
For the Icing
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted (⅛ stick)
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons hot water
- Rainbow sprinkles optional
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter and chocolate at 30-second intervals, stirring well until smooth. Set aside.⅓ cup salted butter, 1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.1¼ cup all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until frothy.1 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add the chocolate mixture and mix until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into balls. Place on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Flatten the balls slightly. Bake the cookies for about 10 minutes.
- While cookies are baking, cut the marshmallows in half. Once cookies are baked, place a marshmallow (cut side down) into the center of each cookie and lightly press down. Place cookies back into the oven for another 2-3 minutes.10 marshmallows
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the chocolate icing, combine all icing ingredients except for the sprinkles in a bowl and mix together with a whisk.½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons hot water
- Place the wire rack with cookies over a baking sheet. Spoon a small amount of icing onto the top of each marshmallow. Top with sprinkles.Rainbow sprinkles
Notes
- Bring the eggs to room temperature first to ensure your cookies get that chewy texture.
- Cut the butter into cubes to help it melt more evenly when mixing with the chocolate.
- If your cocoa powder is lumpy, I recommend sifting it to avoid dry pockets in the dough and icing.
- Don’t over mix the cookie dough when you add in the dry ingredients. Over mixing can cause the dough to lose air and the gluten can overdevelop.
- Chilling the cookie dough is an important step for this recipe! The dough needs to be chill and firm before baking, or else the cookies will spread in the oven and become flat.
- A 2-tablespoon cookie portion scoop works well for getting the cookies all the same size.
- Bake the cookies in a fully preheated oven so that they cook through evenly.
- The cookies should look slightly underbaked when you pull them out before adding the marshmallows; they’ll continue to bake from the residual heat.
- Let cookies cool for about 1 minute before pressing in marshmallows–this helps them stay centered instead of melting off.
- Marshmallows can caramelize or burn fast in the second bake. Watch closely and remove as soon as they puff.
- Let the cookies cool before icing them; otherwise, it will slide off.
- The icing should be thick enough to cling to the marshmallow but not so hot that it melts it.
Fun Flavor Twists
There are so many ways to modify these hot chocolate marshmallow cookies to taste like your favorite cup of hot chocolate!
- For a Mexican hot chocolate version, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the cookies, the icing, or both!
- For peppermint hot chocolate cookies, swap some or all of the vanilla extract for peppermint extract, or add chopped candy cane pieces to the cookies and/or the icing.
- For a mocha version, stir 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder into the dough along with the cocoa powder.
- For salted caramel cookies, drizzle caramel sauce over the icing and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies Step-by-Step
Melt the Chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave ⅓ cup of cubed salted butter and 1 cup of chopped semisweet chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring well until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1¼ cup of all-purpose flour, 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, I recommend sifting it first so you don’t end up with dry patches.
Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat 1 cup of granulated sugar, 2 large, room-temperature eggs, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until frothy.
Add Chocolate: Add the slightly cooled melted chocolate to the wet ingredients, and beat until smooth.
Make and Chill Cookie Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the chocolate mixture, and mix until just combined. Take care not to overmix, or your cookies will turn out hard. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. The chilling step is vital for preventing spreading!
Bake the Cookies: When almost ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the chilled dough into balls, and place them on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. I like to use a 2-tablespoon cookie portion scoop to get them all the same size. Flatten the balls slightly, and bake your hot chocolate cookies in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. The cookies should look slightly underbaked at this point.
Add Marshmallows: While the cookies are baking, cut 10 regular-sized marshmallows in half. Once baked, place a marshmallow (cut side down) into the center of each cookie and lightly press down. Place cookies back into the oven to bake for another 2-3 minutes to finish baking. Watch carefully, as the marshmallows can quickly burn. Pull them out as soon as they begin to puff. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Make the Icing: For the chocolate icing, whisk together ½ cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, and 2 tablespoons of hot water. Again, sift your cocoa powder if it is lumpy; this will help ensure the icing turns out smooth.
Ice the Cookies: Place the wire rack with the cooled cookies on it over a baking sheet (or place them back on a parchment-lined baking sheet). Spoon a small amount of chocolate icing on top of each hot chocolate marshmallow cookie, and top with rainbow sprinkles if desired.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store leftover hot chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature for an hour or two before icing and serving. You can pop them in a 350°F oven briefly (just 2-3 minutes) if you want to warm them up.
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