Hot Cocoa Cookies are a must for our yearly Christmas cookie tray and always a favorite. Melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cookies topped with melted marshmallow and chocolate – just like a hot cup of cocoa!
Why You’ll Love Hot Chocolate Cookies
Just about everyone loves hot cocoa and when you turn into a delicious dessert, people love it! The gooey marshmallow top is so yummy and the added sprinkles make them perfect for the Holidays.
- Irresistible Flavor: Hot cocoa cookies offer a rich, chocolaty taste that’s universally loved.
- Easy to Make: Simple recipe means effortless baking – perfect for beginners and busy schedules.
- Versatile: Great for parties, gifts, or a comforting treat on a chilly day.
- Kid-Friendly: Children adore the familiar hot chocolate taste, making these cookies a hit with little ones.
- Brownie Texture: Soft, chewy, and gooey, these cookies provide a satisfying with every bite.
- Customizable: Add more marshmallows, chocolate chips, or nuts for your own unique twist on this classic treat.
- Holiday Favorite: Perfect for festive occasions, they bring a touch of warmth to any holiday gathering.
Ingredients Need
Just a handful of staple ingredients to make the cookies and icing. You need large marshmallows and then Christmas sprinkles are optional (get the full amounts in the recipe box below).
- Brownie Cookies: This is a simple cookies recipe using unsalted butter, semi-sweet chocolate, all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and marshmallows.
- Chocolate icing: This chocolate frosting recipe takes the cookies over the top using powdered sugar, unsalted butter, cocoa powder, hot water, vanilla, and Christmas sprinkles.
How To Make Hot Cocoa Cookies
You start with making the fudgy cookies, then top with marshmallow, chocolate and sprinkles!
- Mix the Cookie Dough: Starting with a double broiler, melt the butter and chocolate. Set it aside. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Using a stand mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add the cooled chocolate. Slowly beat in the flour mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
- Bake the Cookies: Using a cookie scoop, scoop some batter and roll it into a ball. Place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. While the cookies bake, cut the marshmallows in half. Once done, place half a marshmallow into the center of the cookies and press down. Bake for 2-3 more minutes. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
- Make the Icing: Mix all of the icing ingredients together in a bowl. If it is too thick, add some hot water to thin it out.
- Decorate the cookies: Spoon icing over a few cookies. Add the sprinkles. Spoon icing over a few more cookies and add sprinkles. Do the cookies in batches so that the frosting doesn’t dry before the sprinkles are added.
- Once all the cookies have icing and sprinkles ENJOY your Hot Cocoa Cookies!
Storing Hot Chocolate Cookies
Store your hot chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain their freshness. For longer shelf life, you can freeze them in a freezer-safe container or a resealable plastic bag. Be sure to place parchment paper between the layers of cookies to prevent them from sticking together. When ready to enjoy, thaw frozen cookies at room temperature or warm them briefly in the oven for a freshly baked taste.
Tips and Variations
Texture – To keep the cookies soft and chewy, avoid overbaking. Take them out of the oven when the edges are set but the centers are still slightly soft. They will continue to firm up as they cool on the baking sheet. Also, storing them in an airtight container helps maintain their chewy texture.
Variation – Make the cookies and then add chocolate buttercream frosting on top. Then add chocolate ganache, marshmallows, a mini Hershey chocolate bar and Holiday sprinkles.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Easy Rudolph Brownie Cookies
- Christmas Oatmeal Cookies
- Hot Cocoa Cookie Cups
- Peppermint Melt-aways
- Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
- Christmas Kitchen Sink Cookies
Hot Cocoa Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 large marshmallows cut in half
Chocolate Icing
- 2 cup powdered sugar
- 4 Tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup half and half
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- In a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate, stirring frequently. Once melted, set aside to cool.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
- In a standing mixer, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla on low speed until combined. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until combined.
- Gradually add in the flour ingredients and mix until combined.
- Scoop the dough (will be brownie like texture) into a bowl and cover with foil and place into the fridge for 4 hours.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop, add some batter into your hands and roll into a ball.
- Place cookies about 2 inches apart and bake the cookies for about 9-10 minutes.
- While cookies are baking, cut the marshmallows in half.
- Once cookies are baked, place a marshmallow into the center of the cookies and lightly press down. Place cookies back into the oven for another 2-3 minutes.
- Place a wire rack over another cookie sheet. Once cookies are done baking let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack while you make the icing.
Make the Icing
- Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix until combined. If the icing is still to thick, add about 3 Tablespoons of hot water to it to thin it out.
- Using a spoon, spoon some icing onto the marshmallow on the cookie.
- Repeat step number 3 onto a few more cookies.
Decorate
- Sprinkle a little bit of sprinkles onto the cookies.
- Repeat the last two steps onto the remaining cookies. Remember to only put icing onto a few cookies at a time because the icing will dry fast.
- Once all the cookies have icing and sprinkles ENJOY!
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104 comments on “Hot Cocoa Cookies”
I make these every year they’re terrific. I need to make make mine gluten-free and everybody loves them.
Thanks Russ!