I make these rocky road cookies anytime I crave a dessert that’s just a little more fun than a standard chocolate cookie. These cookies are chewy, chocolatey, and full of surprises in every bite: crunchy walnuts, melty chocolate chips, and gooey marshmallows. Inspired by the rocky road fudge I grew up loving, these cookies pack that same mix of textures into a handheld treat that’s easy enough for any night of the week!
Chocolate Walnut Cookies with Marshmallows
I’ve been obsessed with my chocolate marshmallow cookies for a long time now, and these rocky road cookies feel like a new version with added crunch! I load up these chocolate walnut cookies with marshmallows and semisweet chocolate chips for a surprise in every bite. And by slightly underbaking them, I achieve soft, chewy middles with a fudgy texture that can’t be beat!
I love how versatile these rocky road chocolate chip cookies are. You can swap in pecans or almonds, use dark chocolate chunks for a richer bite, or even toast the nuts first for extra depth of flavor. No matter how I customize them, these cookies are always a hit!
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How to Stop Marshmallows from Melting Out
One of the biggest challenges I ran into with these rocky road chocolate cookies was getting the marshmallows to stay gooey inside the cookie instead of melting out into a sticky puddle. What works for me is tucking the marshmallows deep into the dough. After forming the cookies, I grab a bit of extra cookie dough and use it to cover any exposed marshmallows. This way, they stay soft and gooey after the cookies cool.
Rocky Road Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer
- Baking Sheet
- 1-Tablespoon Cookie Portion Scoop (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter room temperature (1 stick)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract optional
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder *
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips **
- ½ cup chopped walnuts ***
- ½ cup mini marshmallows ****
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.½ cup salted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ⅓ cup brown sugar
- Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until well combined.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda.1 cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, and mini marshmallows.½ cup semisweet chocolate chips, ½ cup chopped walnuts, ½ cup mini marshmallows
- Wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use the spoon-and-level method to measure both the flour and the cocoa powder so that your cookies don’t turn out dry and dense.
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough; otherwise, the cookies will turn out tough.
- For extra depth, toast the nuts at 350°F for 5-7 minutes before folding them into the dough.
- Gently fold in the mix-ins using a rubber spatula to avoid breaking them up or overmixing the dough.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough, or your cookies will spread and turn out thin.
- To prevent the marshmallows from spilling out, make sure they’re fully covered with cookie dough before baking.
- Take care not to overbake the cookies. The edges should be set, but the centers will still be soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a cooling rack. This gives the centers time to set so the cookies won’t fall apart.
How to Make Rocky Road Cookies Step-by-Step
Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a mixing bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, cream together ½ cup of room-temperature salted butter, ½ cup of granulated sugar, and ⅓ cup of brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Using room-temperature butter allows for better aeration, leading to more tender cookies. Bring the butter to room temperature by placing it on the counter for 30-60 minutes before beginning the recipe. I recommend doing the same with the egg so it’s ready for the next step.
Add the Egg and Vanilla: Beat in 1 large, room-temperature egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until well combined. Bringing the egg to room temperature helps it combine more easily with the butter and sugars.
Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, and ½ teaspoon of baking soda. It’s important to spoon and level the flour and cocoa powder so that your cookies don’t turn out dense and dry. If your cocoa powder is particularly lumpy, you may want to sift it first to prevent dry clumps.
Combine and Chill the Dough: Next, add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this could make the cookies tough rather than tender. Gently fold in ½ cup of semisweet chocolate chips, ½ cup of chopped walnuts, and ½ cup of mini marshmallows. I like to use a rubber spatula for this so that I don’t break up the mix-ins or overmix the dough. Ten wrap the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Don’t skip chilling the dough, or your cookies will spread in the oven and turn out thin.
Portion the Cookies: When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop rounded tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. I like to use a cookie portion scoop to ensure all my cookies are the same size, but a regular tablespoon will also work here. If you don’t want the marshmallows to leak out of the cookies, I recommend covering any exposed marshmallows with some cookie dough to keep them in.
Bake and Cool the Cookies: Bake your rocky road cookies in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
How to Store and Freeze
Store leftover rocky road cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them for longer storage by wrapping them tightly in plastic wrap and placing them in a freezer-safe container or bag. They freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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