Hot Chocolate Cookies are for the chocolate lovers. A double dose of chocolate with gooey marshmallow that just melts in your mouth. Enjoy these cookies warm, fresh out of the oven, or after they’ve cooled.
What’s better than cuddling up with a warm mug of hot chocolate during the cold months? Cuddling up with Hot Chocolate Cookies. Or both, if you really need a chocolate overload!
If you’re looking for a new Christmas cookie or just a new chocolate craving, this recipe is it! The kids love them just as much as the adults!
Looking for other cookie recipes? Try these:
What are Hot Chocolate Cookies?
Hot Chocolate Cookies are a chocolate based cookie with chocolate chips and marshmallow fluff mixed in. More marshmallow fluff is added on top of the cookie before it bakes for some extra gooey-ness! These cookies are soft and very chocolately.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Butter – I use unsalted butter so I’m able to control the salt level myself
- Brown Sugar – Brown sugar helps keep these hot chocolate cookies soft and chewy
- Granulated Sugar – To sweeten the cookies
- Cocoa Powder – I use Dutch processed cocoa powder
- Espresso Powder – This brings out the chocolate flavor, if you can’t find it you can omit it
- Eggs – For the moisture in the cookies
- Vanilla Extract – To help build flavor
- Chocolate Chips – I prefer semi-sweet here but use whatever you like
- Baking Soda – To help give the hot chocolate cookies a little rise
- Kosher Salt – Sweets are always better with a little salt
- All Purpose Flour – The structure of the cookies
- Marshmallow Fluff – Store bought or homemade
- Candy Cane (optional) – Crush the candy canes then sprinkle them on to the baked cookies if you like
- Flaky Sea Salt (optional) – A little extra salt on top of something sweet is always delicious
Equipment you’ll need
- Stand or Electric Hand Mixer – You can mix the Hot Chocolate Cookies either in a stand mixer or in a bowl with an electric mixer
- Rubber Spatula – Use a rubber spatula to fold in the chocolate chips and the marshmallow
- Whisk – Whisk together the dry ingredients then add them to the wet ingredients
- Baking Sheets – You’ll need baking sheets to bake the cookies on. I like to use larger sheet pans like these half sheet trays
- Oven – The Hot Chocolate Cookies need to be baked!
Tips for the best Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Chill the cookie dough before baking. Don’t skip this step. The cookies will spread then be a flat mess if you don’t chill the dough
- If you don’t have/can’t find espresso powder then just omit it. While it does boost the chocolate flavor, it is not necessary
- Let the Hot Chocolate Cookies cool most of the way on the cookie sheets before transferring them to a cooling rack or plate. They are soft cookies and will fall apart easily when warm
- Save some pre-scooped cookies in the freezer for later! One of my favorite things to do after chilling the dough is to freeze it. That way you can bake them later when you’re craving just 1 or a couple cookies
- Scoop the cookies then chill the dough, not vise versa. It’s easier on you and the cookie scoop
- As always, don’t over mix the Hot Chocolate Cookie dough after adding the dry ingredients
- If you forget to pull your eggs out of the fridge to come to room temp, there’s a trick you can use! Fill a bowl with warm water, place your eggs in it and let them sit for 5-8 minutes
How to make Hot Chocolate Cookies
Cream the butter and both sugars together for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a bowl with an electric hand mixer.
Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl down and mixing just until combined after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix just until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, espresso powder, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mix to the wet mix then mix on low just until combined.
Fold in the chocolate chips then fold in half the marshmallow fluff so it’s still very streaky. Scoop the Hot Chocolate Cookies into 2oz balls, place them on a sheet tray then into the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 72 hours. Overnight is best if you have time but not absolutely necessary.
When you’re ready to bake the Hot Chocolate Cookies then preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cookies at least 2 inches apart then bake for 8-10 minutes.
Please check them after 8 minutes, all ovens are different and 8 does it for me. Pull them out of the oven then let the Hot Chocolate Cookies rest on the pan for 1-2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. Sprinkle with crushed candy cane or flaky sea salt if desired. Enjoy!
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If you’re looking for other cookie recipes, check out my Soft Molasses Cookies, Soft Gingerbread Cookies and Brown Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- oven
- stand mixer or electric hand mixer
- Cookie Scoop
- baking sheets
- whisk
- rubber spatula
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp espresso powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temp
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs room temp
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
Mix Ins
- 12 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup marshmallow fluff divided
Toppings (optional)
- 3 candy canes crushed
- ¼ tsp flaky sea salt
Instructions
Mixing the Dry Ingedients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients and set aside
Mixing the Wet Ingredients
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix together the butter and both sugars on medium speed for 4 minutes until light and fluffy
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl between each addition
- Mix in the vanilla
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low just until incorporated. A couple streaks of flour left is ok, do not overmix
Adding the Mix Ins
- Fold in the chocolate chips
- Fold in ½ cup of the marshmallow. Do just a few folds, you want the marshmallow to be very streaky through the dough
Preparing and Baking the Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Scoop the cookie dough into 2oz balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet
- Top each dough ball with a small amount of the marshmallow fluff from the remaining ½ cup
- Chill the dough for at least 1 hour or up to 72 hours. If chilling the dough for more than a couple hours, loosely cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap after the first couple hours
- When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Set the cookies on the tray at least 3 inches apart
- Bake the Hot Chocolate Cookies for 8-10 minutes. Check them after 8, all ovens are a little different but mine are done at 8 minutes
- After letting the cooking cool for 1-2 minutes on the sheet tray, transfer them to a cooling rack
- Sprinkle the cookies with crushed candy cane, flaky sea salt or both if desired
- Enjoy!
Do you have your recipes with grams (weights)
I hate using measuring cups. Slows me down and is less accurate.
Hi Vicky! I do not currently have this recipe in weight measurements. I only occasionally have recipes with weight measurements, sorry about that!
These were so good! Even got the work crew requesting I make them again already. Can’t wait to make them again and again!
Love to hear it! Thank you!