Hot Chocolate Cookies
These Hot Chocolate Cookies are made with hot cocoa mix, dutch process cocoa powder and studded with chocolate chips and mini mallow bits for the ultimate cup of hot cocoa in cookie form! These are the perfect cookies to grab when you want to enjoy a good book, a warm fire, and a cup of hot chocolate.
With this cookie recipe, you can have cookies AND the delicious flavor of hot chocolate. For more delicious chocolate based cookies with delicious mallow toppings or fillings, try my Hostess Cupcake Cookies and Crumbl Oreo Sandwich Cookies — which are both equally delicious with a cup of hot cocoa as these hot chocolate cookies are.
Why This Recipe Works
- Cookies with marshmallows and chocolate chips. These chocolate cookies are dotted with those tiny marshmallows from the hot chocolate packets. It’s the perfect hot chocolate cookies recipe.
- Double chocolate cookies. These easy hot cocoa cookies are made with hot cocoa mix and dutch process cocoa powder for the ultimate chocolate experience.
- Perfect to adapt to your favorite hot cocoa flavor. Love peppermint hot cocoa? Add some peppermint candy cane pieces. Love a salted caramel hot chocolate? Drizzle some caramel sauce on top! So many options for this hot chocolate cookie recipe!
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted Butter: I always use unsalted butter in baking so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe.
- Brown Sugar: This will provide a good balance of sweetness and texture in these delicious hot chocolate cookies.
- Light Corn Syrup: This will help keep the cookies softer longer.
- Dutch Process Cocoa Powder: This is different from the unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Hot Cocoa Mix: Use your favorite brand of real hot chocolate mix.
- Flour: Use regular all-purpose flour. Always fluff the flour before measuring it.
- Cornstarch: The cornstarch will help soften the proteins in the flour to create a chewy chocolate cookie texture.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Feel free to use your favorite chocolate chips: milk chocolate chips, semi sweet, or white chocolate chips.
- Mallow Bits: These are small freeze dried marshmallows like you would find in a package of hot chocolate mix.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Cream wet ingredients. Preheat oven to 365ºF. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Add dry ingredients. Add 1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder, 1/4 cup hot cocoa mix powder, 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour, 2 tsp cornstarch, 3/4 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix until combined.
- Stir in the marshmallow bits. Add 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips and 3/4 cup mallow bits and stir in with a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Portion into dough balls. Using a 3 tablespoon sized cookie scoop, portion the hot chocolate cookie dough into balls. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches in between each ball. Press gently down on them so the dough balls are a very thick disk (don’t press down too much).
- Bake the hot chocolate cookies. Bake for 10-11 minutes until the edges are set but the centers are soft but not shiny. Remove and let cool on the pan for 5-10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
Be sure to fluff the flour before measuring it to get the right ratios.
Be sure to cream the wet ingredients together really well, but once you add the dry ingredients, you don’t want to over mix. If you over mix at that point, the dough will become tough.
Gently press down on the dough balls until they are a thick disk, this will help the cookies bake more uniformly and have the appropriate amount of spreading. Don’t press down too much or else the cookies will over spread.
Mix things up by adding different mix-ins to create new hot chocolate flavors. You can add peppermint candy cane bits, mini caramel pieces, mint chocolate chips, etc. Or top with drizzles like salted caramel sauce or hot fudge sauce.
Serve with a nice mug of hot chocolate for dipping! These are also great cookies to include in holiday season cookie plates or holiday cookie exchanges.
Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing
Make Ahead: Prepare the dough in advance (don’t add the mini mallow bits yet) and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 48 hours before baking. Allow the dough to sit at room temperature for 15-30 minutes to soften, then add the mallow bits and stir. Then roll into dough balls and bake.
Storing: Store cooled hot chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.
Freezing: Freeze baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag, separated by parchment paper, for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Recipe FAQs
While regular marshmallows can be used, they may not retain their texture as well during baking compared to mallow bits (which are freeze dried). They might spread more and melt into the cookie, altering its texture slightly.
Dark cocoa powder can typically substitute Dutch process cocoa in terms of flavor, but it might slightly alter the overall taste and color of the cookies. Adjust the quantity to taste, as dark chocolate cocoa powder can be more intense.
You can refrigerate the portioned dough balls for about 30 minutes before placing them in the oven if you are having problems with over spreading. Also, make sure the baking sheet isn’t too warm when adding the dough, as this can cause the cookies to spread more. It’s best to use a new cookie sheet with each batch (or at least one that has cooled to room temperature).
Corn syrup helps maintain moisture and chewiness in the cookies. If you prefer to omit it, you can substitute with an equal amount of honey or maple syrup, although this might slightly alter the texture and taste.
Definitely! Add you favorite mix-ins to create different hot chocolate flavors in the cookies. Add some peppermint bits, mini caramel bits, etc.
More Chocolate Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Crumbl Cosmic Brownie Cookies
- Crumbl Chocolate Cake ft. Heath Cookies
- Crumbl Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter - softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar - packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa
- 1/4 cup hot cocoa mix - powder only
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup mallow bits - (small freeze dried marshmallows)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 365°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add the egg, light corn syrup and vanilla and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add the cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined. Then stir in the mini chocolate chips and mallow bits.
- Use a 3 T sized scoop to portion into balls. Place dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each ball. Using the palm of your hand gently press down on each ball just slightly until it creates a very thick disk. (You don’t want to press down too much otherwise the cookies will overspread). Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges are set.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
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6 Comments on “Hot Chocolate Cookies”
Show stopper cookie! These impress the masses! Easy and delicious!
Happy to hear this, Aimee! Thanks for the comment!
Can you substitute mallow bits for mini marshmallows?
yes, you can, you’ll just probably have melty pockets of marshmallows (not a bad thing!) instead since the mallow bits are smaller and freeze-dried.
I couldn’t find freeze dried marshmallows, so I stuck my mini marshmallows in the freezer. Hopefully that will work.
Caryn, I’m not sure that this will work. Freeze drying is very different from freezing. If you use regular mini marshmallows that is fine! I would just allow them to thaw in your refrigerator and then use them as they are. Mini marshmallows are larger in size and may just not hold their shape as well, which may affect the texture of your cookies, but your cookies should still be delicious. For future reference, you can find freeze dried marshmallow bits online.