Treat yourself with these yummy hot chocolate cookies! Soft and chewy chocolate cookies are made with cocoa powder, topped with a marshmallow, and drizzled with chocolate icing for one delicious bite.
What’s in this Hot Chocolate Cookie Recipe?
Just like your favorite cup of hot cocoa, these cookies are richly chocolatey, with gooey marshmallow for the perfect finish!
- Unsalted Butter: Adds fat, moisture, and flavor to the cookies and the icing.
- Semisweet Chocolate: Melts down to add rich chocolatey flavor to the cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cookies structure.
- Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder enhances the chocolatey flavor of these cookies and forms the base of the chocolate icing.
- Baking Powder: Gives the cookies lift.
- Salt: Enhances the chocolatey flavor.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cookies, while powdered sugar sweetens the icing without making it gritty.
- Eggs: Give the cookies structure.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds rich vanilla flavor, just like a cup of cocoa.
- Marshmallows: Melt on top to make these cookies feel like a cup of cocoa.
- Hot Water: Thins the icing.
- Sprinkles: Add a decorative touch!
Pro Tip: While you can use any kind of unsweetened cocoa powder, I prefer Dutch-processed here for its rich flavor.
Variations on a Hot Chocolate Cookie
There are so many ways to modify these cocoa cookies to taste like your favorite cup of hot chocolate! For Mexican hot chocolate cookies, 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.
While you can use any unsweetened cocoa powder you prefer, I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder here because there isn’t any baking soda to neutralize the acidity of natural cocoa powder.
These hot chocolate cookies are pretty delicious as they are, and the cookies themselves are so delicious that I would definitely not deviate from the recipe. You can, however, mix up the toppings. If it’s too much chocolate for you, you can use plain icing or try a different flavor, like raspberry or mint. You can also use white chocolate and color it to suit any occasion.
Once you have iced the cookies, let them set, and then transfer them to an airtight container with the layers separated by parchment paper. They will keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the refrigerator for up to 5.
How to Store and Reheat Hot Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Store leftover hot chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy at room temperature or briefly warmed in the microwave or oven.
How to Freeze Easy Hot Chocolate Cookies
Hot cocoa cookies freeze beautifully! If you are planning to freeze from the start, don’t ice them yet. However, the marshmallows will actually keep their texture quite nicely after thawing!
Once they have fully cooled, place them on a baking sheet to freeze (about 30 minutes to 1 hour). Then transfer them to a resealable, freezer-safe bag. They will keep well for 3 months.
Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature for an hour or two before icing and serving. You can pop them in the oven briefly if you want to warm them up.
What to Serve with Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallows
These hot cocoa cookies would be perfect with a warm mug of hot cocoa made with homemade hot chocolate mix or some Mexican hot chocolate. Skip the marshmallows and try sandwiching two cookies together with some marshmallow fluff instead! They’d also be yummy with some vanilla or mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter 75 grams (⅔ stick)
- 1 cup chopped semisweet chocolate 170 grams
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour 150 grams
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder 16 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 10 marshmallows
For the Icing
- ½ cup powdered sugar 57 grams
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 14 grams, melted
- 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder 3 grams
- 2 tablespoons hot water 28 grams
- Rainbow sprinkles
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter and chocolate at 30-second intervals, stirring well until smooth. Set aside.⅓ cup unsalted 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, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 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
- 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.
- Bake the cookies in a fully preheated oven so that they cook through evenly.
- Let the cookies cool before icing them; otherwise, it will slide off.
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