These Hot Chocolate Cookies pack all the warm and cozy goodness of your favorite winter drink into a soft and chewy treat! With rich chocolatey dough, gooey marshmallows, and a decadent ganache drizzle, they’re pure indulgence!
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Thanks to these hot cocoa cookies, now you can have your hot chocolate and eat it too! They taste just like the classic drink but in cookie form.
From the soft and chewy cookie base to the gooey marshmallow topping and luscious chocolate ganache drizzle, every bite is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
For more chocolate dessert recipes, check out these Mint Chocolate Brownies, these Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies, and this Easy Chocolate Bread.
Why You’ll Love This Hot Cocoa Cookies Recipe
- Easy to Make: The cookie dough is easy to whip up with simple ingredients, so you can make these cookies again and again all winter long.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: They’re great for winter bake sales, festive gatherings, holiday dessert trays, and more.
- A Fun Twist on a Classic: These cookies are like a cozy mug of hot chocolate in dessert form!
Ingredients
Here’s a look at the simple ingredients you’ll need to make these chocolate marshmallow cookies.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the cookie dough. I recommend using unsalted butter since we’re also adding salt.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Some are melted with the butter, creating a smooth base, while more are added to the dough later, giving the cookies pockets of chocolate throughout. You’ll also need some for making the ganache drizzle.
- Sugar: I used a combination of white granulated sugar and brown sugar to sweeten the cookies. Feel free to use light or dark brown sugar.
- Eggs: Act as a binder and provide additional moisture.
- Flavor Enhancers: Vanilla extract and salt both enhance the flavors in the cookie dough.
- Baking Powder: Leavening agent used to help the cookies rise while baking.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and gives the cookies their chewy texture.
- Cocoa Powder: Adds more chocolate flavor to the cookies. Be sure to use unsweetened cocoa powder, not sweetened.
- Mini Marshmallows: These are added at the end of baking so that they melt slightly, creating the perfect gooey texture.
- Heavy Cream: Helps the chocolate chips melt smoothly for the ganache drizzle.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies: Add some ground cinnamon and a bit of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the dry ingredients and swap the semi-sweet chips for dark chocolate chips with a higher percentage of cacao to enhance the flavors.
- Peppermint Flavored: Replace some of the vanilla with peppermint extract and swap half of the chocolate chips for mint chocolate chips. You could also sprinkle some crushed candy canes on top of the cookies right after drizzling on the ganache.
- S’mores Inspired: Mix some crushed graham crackers into the cookie dough and swap the semi-sweet chips for milk chocolate chips.
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies
To get started, gather your ingredients and get your stand mixer ready by securing the paddle attachment. You can also use an electric hand mixer if you don't have a stand mixer.
- Step 1: Melt butter and chocolate. Add the butter and chocolate chips to a saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring constantly.
- Step 2: Start mixing the cookie dough. On high speed, mix together the sugar, salt, flour, vanilla, and eggs until thick and creamy.
- Step 3: Finish mixing the dough. Switch the mixer to low speed and mix in the melted chocolate mixture, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.
- Step 4: Refrigerate. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge. While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350° F, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Step 5: Scoop the dough. Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each dough ball.
- Step 6: Bake and add marshmallows. Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes and then remove from the oven. Sprinkle the mini marshmallows on top of each cookie and then return the cookies to the oven for 30-45 seconds until the marshmallows melt slightly.
- Step 7: Make the ganache. Add the heavy cream to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in chocolate chips until fully melted. Allow the ganache to cool for 10 minutes.
- Step 8: Drizzle on the ganache. Drizzle the chocolate ganache on top of the cookies. Allow it to set until slightly hardened, about an hour at room temperature.
Hint: Refrigerate the cookies after drizzling on the ganache.
If you need the ganache to set faster, place the cookies in the refrigerator to speed up the process.
Expert Tips
- Chill the dough: Don’t skip this step! Refrigerating the dough ensures that the cookies don’t spread too much while baking.
- Allow the cookies to cool: Be sure to let the cookies cool completely before adding the chocolate drizzle to ensure it doesn’t melt or slide off.
- Storing: Store in a single layer (or with parchment in between layers) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months, but be sure to allow them to thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Smaller cookies: Use a smaller cookie scoop and note that they will take less time to bake, about 7-9 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
- Cookies and hot chocolate are a classic combo! Pair these cookies with a cup of your favorite hot chocolate for the ultimate indulgence.
- Serve these chocolate cookies as part of a festive dessert tray along with these M&M Cookie Bars and Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars.
- Make some for a holiday cookie exchange in addition to these Cool Whip Cookies and Chocolate Peppermint Cookies.
- Bring a batch of cookies to winter gathering with some Cranberry Bread and Pecan Pie Bars.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
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Hot Chocolate Cookies
These soft and chewy Hot Chocolate Cookies are topped with gooey marshmallows and a rich ganache drizzle. They’re perfect for any winter gathering!
Ingredients
- 10 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup butter
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a heavy-duty saucepan, melt butter and dark chocolate chips over low heat. Stir continuously until well combined. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix sugars, salt, baking powder, flour, vanilla, and eggs on high speed for 5 minutes until thick and creamy.
- With the mixer on slow speed, add melted chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, and chocolate chips.
- Preheat oven to 350°—line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cool to the touch.
- Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, place cookies on the lined cookie sheets. Space each cookie about 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies between 9-11 minutes until the edges look baked. The cookies will still look a little undercooked in the middle. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly sprinkle mini marshmallows on top of each cookie. Return the cookies to the oven for 30-45 seconds or until the marshmallow melts slightly. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache
- In a small saucepan, bring heavy whipping cream to a slight simmer. Remove the pan from the stove and whisk in semi-sweet chocolate chips. Whisk until all the chips are melted. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Drizzle the ganache over each cookie. Let each cookie set for about an hour or until the chocolate has hardened slightly (for a faster set time, put the cookies in the refrigerator). Serve and enjoy!!
Notes
- Chill the dough: Don’t skip this step! Refrigerating the dough ensures that the cookies don’t spread too much while baking.
- Allow the cookies to cool: Be sure to let the cookies cool completely before adding the chocolate drizzle to ensure it doesn’t melt or slide off.
- Storing: Store in a single layer (or with parchment in between layers) in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months, but be sure to allow them to thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Smaller cookies: Use a smaller cookie scoop and note that they will take less time to bake, about 7-9 minutes.
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 4gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 55mgSodium: 128mgPotassium: 222mgFiber: 3gSugar: 27gVitamin A: 372IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg
*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.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Ryan Allen
These cookies are the perfect holiday treat.