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A Hostess Cupcake Cookie on a white table.
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Hostess Cupcake Cookies

These will quickly become your new favorite cookies! Remember those Hostess cupcakes from years ago? Well I turned them into a cookie and they are spot on! A rich chocolate cookie is topped with a whipped marshmallow meringue frosting, a thick chocolate ganache, and the iconic white chocolate "Hostess Cupcake" loops.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 15 cookies
Calories 458kcal

Ingredients

Chocolate Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 353 grams
  • 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder 109 grams
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Marshmallow Meringue Frosting

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 large egg whites
  • 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache & Topping

  • 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chocolate chips, or finely chopped baking chocolate is fine
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate wafers or white chocolate chips (if using white chocolate chips you'll also need 1 tsp vegetable oil for melting).

Instructions

Chocolate Cookies

  • 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 eggs, light corn syrup, and vanilla and mix to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. 
  • Add the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. 
  • Portion dough into ¼ cup sized balls. Place 6 balls of dough on the prepared baking sheet. Using the palm of your hand gently press down on each ball until it creates a thick disk. Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are set and slight cracks are appearing around the edges. Do not overbake. 
  • Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Marshmallow Meringue Frosting

  • Make the marshmallow frosting: Fill a small pot with about 1-2 inches of water. Heat to a simmer. In a large mixing bowl add sugar and egg whites. Place the bowl over the simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F on an instant read thermometer and the sugar has dissolved. This will take a little bit. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the whisk attachment on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 mins. Add the marshmallow fluff and vanilla and mix on high speed until stiff peaks form (another 4-5 minutes).  Place frosting in a piping bag.

Ganache & Topping

  • Make the ganache: Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Add the heavy cream to a small pot over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil. Once boiling pour the heavy cream over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. 
  • Use a whisk and starting in the center, slowly whisk in a circle until smooth. Let the ganahce sit for a few minutes to help thicken just slightly before using on the cookies.
  • Melt the white chocolate: Melt the white chocolate wafers in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second increments until melted. If using white chocolate chips add 1 tsp of vegetable oil to the white chocolate (this will help them melt easier). Place the melted chocolate in a small Ziploc bag, and snip the corner off (not too big because we want it to be a fine tip!). 

Assembly

  • Pipe the marshmallow frosting to the top of each cookie. Add a dollop of chocolate ganache and swirl to cover some of the frosting. Pipe the signature Hostess cupcake loopy white circles across the center of each cookie with the melted white chocolate. 

Notes

Store cookies at room temperature, covered, for 3 days or in the fridge for one week. 
Use my Freezing Cookie Dough and Freezing Cookies posts for tips on storing and freezing. 

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 69g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 301mg | Potassium: 208mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 48g | Vitamin A: 477IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg