Hot Chocolate Cookies
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Hot chocolate cookies are truly hot chocolate in cookie form as they use hot cocoa mix with chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and mini marshmallows on top. They’re soft, chewy, and full of rich chocolate flavor.
Are you a hot chocolate fan? Personally, I don’t think there’s anything better than cozying up with a cup of homemade hot cocoa on a cool night. In the past, I’ve shared recipes for my homemade hot chocolate mix (which you can totally use in this recipe), as well as stovetop hot chocolate and red velvet hot chocolate. But today we’re focusing on eating hot chocolate, not drinking it!
This hot chocolate cookie recipe is truly like hot chocolate in cookie form. In fact, it’s even made with instant hot cocoa mix for that quintessential hot cocoa flavor. What else do you need to make a batch? Flour, cocoa powder, both white and brown sugar, both baking powder and soda, salt, salted butter, eggs, vanilla, chocolate chips, and mini marshmallows for the topping. I mean, it’s not hot chocolate without a marshmallow or two, right?
It takes just a few minutes and a little bit of mixing to make our cookie dough. We combine the dry ingredients separately, then cream together the butter and sugars. After that, we slowly add in the eggs and vanilla, the pre-mixed dry ingredients, and the chocolate chips. Place the dough on a baking sheet and then pop them in the oven for only 10 minutes. Then you add the topping and bake for 1 more minute so the marshmallow melts just a touch.
These homemade hot chocolate cookies are soft yet chewy and melt in your mouth, with a sweet and rich chocolate flavor. Basically, if you want to win over the chocolate lover in your life, you need to make a batch of hot cocoa cookies. The additional choc chips and marshmallows on top add extra taste and texture. Surely I’ve convinced you to give them a go now!
Recipe Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Light brown sugar
- Salted butter (at room temperature)
- White sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Instant hot cocoa mix
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Mini marshmallows for topping
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Electric Mixer (Splurge)
- Electric Mixer (Budget Friendly)
- Cookie Sheet
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies
Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray it with baking spray. Set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Set aside.
In the medium bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, butter, and white sugar. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add in eggs and vanilla and mix to combine.
Add in the flour mixture and instant cocoa mix and mix until just incorporated.
Fold in chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
Here’s our hot chocolate cookie dough ready to bake!
Scoop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure the cookies are spaced about 3 inches apart.
Place into the preheated oven on the center rack and bake for 10 minutes.
Once baked, remove from the oven and top with additional chocolate chips and marshmallows if desired.
Return the cookies to the oven and bake for an additional minute until slightly melted.
Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes until set.
Transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to let them cool completely.
Repeat the baking process with the remaining cookie dough.
Before long you’ll have a stack of hot cocoa cookies the kids (and adults) will be fighting over!
They go perfectly with hot cocoa 😉. Enjoy!
Storage
Cookies may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to use chopped chocolate or chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips. You can also use any flavor of chocolate: white chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or semi-sweet chocolate included.
- Silicone baking mats are a great alternative to parchment paper. Here is a link to my favorite on Amazon.
- For a slightly thicker cookie, add an additional 1⁄4 cup of flour to the recipe. The texture of the cookie will be cakier if additional flour is added.
- Do not put mini marshmallows into cookie dough, as they will melt and burn while baking. Only add them on top of the cookies once they’re baked.
- Want to make your own hot cocoa mix? Check out this recipe.
- Instead of mini marshmallows, top each cookie with one regular marshmallow instead or a large marshmallow cut in half. You can even use flavored marshmallows if that’s more your style.
- You can use your favorite hot cocoa mix, you just want to make sure it isn’t a sugar-free version, as the cookies won’t bake properly.
Recipe FAQs
What is the texture of these hot chocolate cookies?
Soft, chewy, rich, and sweet. Topped with additional chocolate chips and mini marshmallows for extra taste and texture.
Can you freeze hot chocolate cookies?
Yes, you can freeze these chocolate cookies for up to 3 months. However, I recommend freezing the raw cookie dough instead, and then you can top them with fresh marshmallows, which will taste so much better! Place the cookie dough balls in an airtight freezer-safe bag and bake them from frozen (just add an extra minute or two to the cooking time).
Do I need to chill the cookie dough?
No, there’s no need to chill the cookie dough (another reason to love this recipe).
Can I make hot cocoa cookies in advance?
Yes, your baked cookies can be made and stored at room temperature a few days ahead of time. Alternatively, you can store the unbaked cookie dough in the freezer (more on that above) or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Check out these other chocolate cookie recipes:
Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow
Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies (a.k.a Cloud Cookies)
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/8 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup salted butter at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (1 whole egg and 1 yolk)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 packet instant hot cocoa mix
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips (additional for topping if desired)
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray it with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl combine dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/8 tsp baking powder
- In the medium bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine brown sugar, butter, and white sugar. Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds to 1 minute.1/2 cup light brown sugar, 1/3 cup salted butter at room temperature, 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Add in eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. Add in the flour mixture and instant cocoa mix and mix until just incorporated. Add in chocolate chips and fold in using a rubber spatula.2 eggs (1 whole egg and 1 yolk), 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 packet instant hot cocoa mix, 2/3 cup chocolate chips (additional for topping if desired)
- Scoop 2 tbsp of cookie dough onto the baking sheet, making sure the cookies are spaced about 3 inches apart. Place into the preheated oven on the center rack and bake for 10 minutes.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and top with additional chocolate chips and marshmallows if desired. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for an additional minute until slightly melted.1/2 cup mini marshmallows for topping
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes until set. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to let them cool completely. Repeat the baking process with the remaining cookie dough.
