Are you ready for chocolate, marshmallows, and a rich chocolate ganache all in one delicious cookie? Then join the party with these amazing Hostess Cupcake Cookies. With this easy recipe, you can have chocolatey cookies that taste just like the iconic Hostess treat!
Hostess Cupcakes are an iconic chocolate snack cake that has been around since 1919. Created by the Hostess brand (originally called The Continental Baking Company), these chocolate cupcakes feature a chocolate cake topped with marshmallow frosting and sometimes chocolate ganache icing. They are one of the most popular desserts in American culture and have been around for over 100 years!
While you can pick up a box of cupcakes at any grocery store, we love making them in cookie form! These chocolate and marshmallow cookies are chocolatey and sweet, with a wonderful marshmallow frosting and rich chocolate ganache that takes them to the next level.
Enjoy them for a special treat, a chocolatey snack, or a fun dessert activity to make with your family. Let's get started!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- You get the full chocolatey, marshmallowy experience of a Hostess Cupcake in an easy-to-eat cookie form!
- The chocolate cookie base is rich and chewy, while the marshmallow frosting is sweet and fluffy.
- The chocolate ganache adds an extra layer of flavor with its perfect blend of chocolatey and creamy.
- You get the full chocolatey, marshmallowy experience of a Hostess Cupcake in an easy-to-eat cookie form!
Ingredients You'll Need
- All Purpose Flour - Gives the cookies structure while allowing all of the ingredients to mix together into the brownie batter.
- Cocoa Powder - Adds a rich chocolate taste along with a brown chocolate color.
- Butter - Makes up the oil base of the cookies providing moisture and a buttery flavor.
- Vanilla Extract - Enhances the overall chocolate flavor of the cookies.
- Granulated Sugar - Used to sweeten the chocolate cookie base.
- Egg - Binds all of the ingredients together and helps give structure and rise to the cookies.
- Baking Soda - Helps the cookies rise slightly while baking.
- White Chocolate Wafers - Melted down and added on top of the cookies to create the classic white chocolate swirl.
Marshmallow Cream
- Granulated Sugar - Sweetens up the marshmallow cream.
- Egg Whites - Helps thicken the cream adding structure.
- Vanilla Extract - Enhances the flavor of the marshmallows.
- Marshmallow Fluff - Adds a creamy marshmallow flavor that adds to the hostess cupcake flavor.
Ganache
- Heavy Cream - Helps the chocolate form a smooth and creamy texture.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips - Adds rich chocolate flavor and texture.
How To Make Hostess Cupcake Cookies
Prepare for baking: Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix wet ingredients: Add the butter to a microwave-safe bowl and melt. Pour into the bowl of a stand mixer and add the sugar. Mix until combined, then add the eggs, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
Add the dry ingredients: To the wet mixture, add the baking soda and cocoa powder. Mix on low until fully combined. Then, slowly add the flour and mix until no dry streaks remain.
Scoop and bake: Use a two-inch cookie scoop to remove the dough and place cookies on the prepared baking sheet leaving three inches in between each cookie. Bake in batches one sheet at a time for 8-11 minutes.
Add a divet: Once the cookies are baked, remove them from the oven and make a small well in the center using a spoon. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes before letting them cool completely on a baking rack.
Marshmallow Cream
Stiffen the egg whites: Add the egg whites and sugar to a saucepan. Whisk them while under medium heat until the mixture reaches 160°F. Pour into a mixing bowl, then whisk on high speed until stiff peaks form.
Assemble the cream: To the sugar and egg white mixture, add in the marshmallow fluff and mix again on high until stiff peaks form once again. This should take about 4-5 minutes.
Add to the cookies: Add the marshmallow cream to a piping bag with a medium-sized round tip. Starting in the center of the cookie, where there is an indent, swirl the cream out from the center to the edge. Set the cookies aside.
Frost and swirl: Once you've added the marshmallow cream and topped with ganache, let the cookies set. Melt the white chocolate wafers in the microwave. Add the melted chocolate to a piping bag with a small round tip, then swirl on top of the cookies like in the pattern of hostess cupcakes. Let harden, then enjoy!
Ganache Topping
Heat the cream: Add the heavy cream to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it up until it just starts to boil.
Melt the chocolate: Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 3-4 minutes to let the chocolate melt. Stir until smooth.
Frost the cookies: Add the ganache to a piping bag with a smaller round tip, then pipe on top of the marshmallow cream. Let the chocolate layer set completely before adding the white chocolate swirl.
Recipe Tips
- When mixing the cookie dough, be careful not to overmix to ensure the cookies don't get tough while baking.
- Use a cookie scoop to get uniform-sized cookies when baking.
- Use a candy thermometer to make sure the egg whites are at the correct temperature before adding them to the marshmallow cream.
- Let the cookies cool completely before adding any frosting to ensure it does not slide off.
- Don't let the ganache cool completely before piping it onto the cookies, or else it will not spread properly.
- Let the chocolate set completely before adding the white chocolate swirl to ensure that it doesn't melt away with the chocolate layer.
Variations
- Add chocolate sprinkles to the top of the chocolate ganache for a festive look.
- Add a teaspoon of peppermint extract to the marshmallow cream for a chocolate-peppermint flavor.
- Make these cookies gluten free by using a gluten free flour blend that is a 1:1 ratio with regular all purpose flour. You'll also want to make sure the rest of your ingredients are free of gluten.
- Instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips, you can use dark chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips for a different flavor and sweetness profile.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Once cooled and set, these cupcake cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: You can freeze unbaked cookie dough balls by placing them on a baking sheet and freezing them until solid, then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. When ready to bake, let the dough sit out until softened before baking as directed. Baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
FAQ
Hostess cupcake filling is made from chocolate, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, water, and soybean oil.
Absolutely! You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips, depending on your preference.
More Cookie Recipes
- Birthday Cake Cookies with Cake Mix
- Crumbl New York Cheesecake Cookies
- Old-Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Raspberry Lemonade Cookies
- Carrot Cake Mix Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Easy Brownie Cookies
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Hostess Cupcake Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder
- ¾ cup butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 egg
- 1⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
Marshmallow Cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup marshmallow fluff
Ganache
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
White Chocolate Swirl
- ½ cup white chocolate wafers
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Melt butter in the microwave until mostly melted. Then stir the butter until it is completely melted. Pout the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Add the suger to the mixing bowl with the butter and mix well. Next, add the eggs and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
- Next, add the baking soda and the cocoa powder. Mix on low until the cocoa powder is well incorporated.
- While the mixer is on, slowly add in the flour. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, place the cookies on the baking sheets leaving 3 inches between each cookie. Rotating the cookie sheet bake one at a time for 8-11 mins.
- Remove the cookies from the oven. Using a tablespoon, gently push in the center of each cookie, leaving a little indent. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5-7 minutes before removing them and placing them on a baking sheet. Cool completely.
Marshmallow Cream
- Using a small saucepan, add sugar and egg whites. Continuously whisk together on medium heat until the mixture reaches 160°F. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and whisk on high speed until peaks form. About 4-5 minutes.
- Next, add the vanilla and the marshmallow fluff. Mix again on high speed until peaks form, about 4-5 mins.
- Add the marshmallow to the cookie base using a pastry bag with a medium size round tip. Starting in the center of the cookie, swirl the marshmallow cream out to the edge of the cookie. Set the cookies aside.
Ganache Topping
- In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the cream until boiling.
- Pour the cream over the chocolate chips. Let sit for a couple of minutes.
- Stir the cream and the chips together until smooth.
- Using the same technique as the marshmallow cream, and using a smaller round tip, add the chocolate to the top of the marshmallow cream. Let the chocolate set completely.
White Chocolate Swirl
- Place the white chocolate wafers into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the wafers in 15-second intervals stirring in between until the wafers are smooth.
- Using a piping bag and a small round tip, carefully pipe the chocolate loops on top of each cookie. Let the chocolate set.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
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