I’m not really one for new year’s resolutions but I will say my 2022 goals include keeping the cookie jar full and the freezer stash even fuller. Happy to report I’m crushing it so far.
These rich and fudgy hot chocolate cookies are everything you could want in a cookie…and more! Soft in the center, chewy on the edges and filled with clouds of pillowy white marshmallow fluff.
Can you imagine a better way to spend a cold winter day than curling up on the couch with a fuzzy blanket, a cup of warm cocoa and few of these decadently delicious cookies. I’ll wait while you ponder….
These rich, chocolatey hot cocoa cookies are the best of both worlds – what better way to satisfy your cocoa and your cookie cravings all in a one bite? And don’t even get me started on the fluffy marshmallow filling. SO GOOD!
What are hot chocolate cookies?
Whoever said hot cocoa was just for drinking never tried one of these hot chocolate cookies. These decadent cookies are rich, super chocolatey and oh-so delicious! Made with Land O Lakes® Cocoa Classics® Chocolate Supreme Cocoa Mix, they taste just like your favorite cup of hot cocoa, but in cookie form! Stuffed with heaps of fluffy marshmallows, these comfy, cozy cookies are the perfect wintertime treat!
Ingredients you need
These cozy cookies are super easy to make when the craving strikes with just a handful of simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen. Here’s what you’ll need…
- Flour – Regular all-purpose flour gives these cookies a thick, chewy texture that everyone will love!
- Butter – Browning the butter and returning it to a semi-solid state before mixing the dough is the secret to these rich and delicious cookies.
- Eggs – We’re using just one large egg for this recipe. If you forget to set your egg out in advance, set it in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes.
- Land O Lakes® Cocoa Classics® Chocolate Supreme Cocoa Mix – These marshmallow stuffed cookies taste just like a mug of hot cocoa. Their cocoa is richer in chocolate flavor than regular cocoa which makes for one decadent cookie!
- Sugar – A combination of granulated and brown sugar makes these cookies perfectly sweet and chewy.
- Honey – A little bit of honey helps retain moisture, adds chewiness and keeps these cookies soft for days!
- Cocoa Powder – Use a high-quality cocoa powder for the very best flavor. And don’t forget to sift the cocoa powder.
- Mini Marshmallows – Stuff the cookies with mini marshmallows for the ultimate hot cocoa cookie treat!
How to make cookies with hot cocoa mix
These cookies are so much fun to make and they’re a real crowd pleaser. Before we get started, you’ll need a heavy bottomed pan to brown the butter and a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to make the cookie dough. Follow this step-by-step guide to make the cookies and check the recipe card below for detailed instructions.
- Step 1: Melt the butter over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan. Once melted, stir frequently as the butter begins to crackle and foam. The butter will begin to form brown bits milk solids that fall to the bottom of the pan. This takes about 5 minutes. Carefully transfer the butter to a heat-safe bowl, using a spatula to scrape off all the golden brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate the butter for about 45 minutes until almost solid. *NOTE: While the brown butter chills, place the mini marshmallows flat on a baking sheet or plate and freeze.
- Step 2: Once chilled, remove the butter from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes, no more. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, Land O Lakes® Cocoa Classics® Chocolate Supreme Cocoa Mix, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- Step 4: Add the chilled brown butter, coconut oil, granulated and brown sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Step 5: Add the egg and mix to combine well.
- Step 6: Add the honey, mixing on low speed until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Step 7: With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions. Mix until just combined being careful not to over mix the dough.
- Step 8: Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl for rolling the cookies.
- Step 9: Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop about 1 ounce of dough. Place 4-5 frozen mini marshmallows on top of the dough and use the scoop to top with another 1 ounce of dough. Roll the dough ball between the palms of your hands to make a smooth, round ball.
- Step 10: Roll the dough in the bowl of sugar, being careful to coat it on all sides. Place the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Use the palm of your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup to gently flatten the top of the dough. Do not apply too much pressure and do not flatten the cookie completely.
- Step 11: Bake for 11 to 12 minutes or until the tops of the cookies are puffed up and cracked and the marshmallows begin to peek through. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before using a spatula to carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
Tips for stuffing hot cocoa cookies
Everyone will fall fast in love with these super chocolatey cookies and they’re the perfect baking project on a chilly winter day. For perfect cookies every time, follow these easy tips.
- Use damp hands. The dough is a bit sticky which is easily remedied by keeping your hands slightly damp while you roll the cookie dough into balls. I find it easiest to roll all of the dough into balls first before coating them in sugar.
- Weigh the dough. For uniform cookies that bake evenly, I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh each scoop. For picture perfect cookies, measure out 1 ounce of dough, top with frozen mini marshmallows and then top with another ounce of dough. As the cookies bake, the marshmallows will melt in the cracks and crevasses and peek through the top of each cookie.
- Use frozen marshmallows. To avoid your marshmallow fluff from completely dissolving in the oven, freeze the marshmallows first. When nestled inside the cookie dough, the frozen marshmallows will melt slowly as they bake – ooey gooey goodness!
How to store cookies
These hot cocoa cookies are so good that they don’t last 5 minutes on my kitchen counter and they never, ever make it all the way to the cookie jar. If you do happen to have a few left over, store them tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
You’ll be happy to know that these cookies freeze beautifully too. Freeze the balls of dough once formed or bake them off and store the cookies tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature before serving. Keep in mind the marshmallows won’t have the same gooey texture as a freshly baked cookie, but they’ll still be delicious!
FAQ’s
Yes! I recommend slicing regular marshmallows in half before stuffing the cookies.
There’s a saying that brown butter makes everything better and these cookies are no exception. The flavor is amazing! You won’t get the same flavor or texture if you use melted or softened butter.
Absolutely! Simply swap the all-purpose flour with an equal amount of Cup-for-Cup Gluten Free Flour Mix. Make sure the flour blend you are using contains xanthan gum for best results.
I don’t recommend it. The cookies will not bake up with the same flavor or texture. You can use any flavor of hot cocoa but skip the sugar-free variety.
Those signature cracked tops create the perfect nooks to hold the melted marshmallows. If your cookies bake up without any cracks you may have added too much flour to the dough. Do not make any substitutions to the ingredients make sure you chilled the brown butter before mixing the dough.
Marshmallows and hot cocoa are a tasty combo but if you aren’t a fan of marshmallows, you can certainly skip them. Try adding a few chocolate chips to the dough or top warm from the oven cookies with a chocolate kiss for a fun Valentine’s Day treat.
These hot chocolate cookies are the perfect way to end {or start!} your day on a sweet note! Bake a batch to enjoy by the fire or bookmark this recipe for a simple and delicious addition to your annual Christmas cookie swap. Whatever you do, make these cookies. You’re going to LOVE them!
Happy baking!
This post is sponsored by Land O Lakes® Cocoa Classics® Cocoa. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make Browned Butter Blondie possible.
If you’re in the mood for chocolate, you’ll love these easy and delicious recipes:
Hot Chocolate Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 16 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These rich and fudgy hot chocolate cookies are everything you could want in a cookie. Soft in the center, chewy on the edges and filled with clouds of pillowy white marshmallow fluff. Perfect with a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter day!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup (30 g) Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 tablespoons (1 packet or 3 ounces) Land O Lakes Cocoa Classics Chocolate Supreme Cocoa Mix
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, browned but in solid form at room temperature
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, soft but not melted
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (80 g) honey
- 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling cookies
Instructions
- To brown the butter, begin by melting it in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stirring occasionally, continue to heat the butter. It will begin to crackle and foam. Continue stirring frequently for about 5 minutes until the butter begins to brown. Small bits of golden brown milk solids will form in the bottom of the pan. The butter is ready when it stops making the crackling sound and the color turns amber. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into a heat-safe bowl. Scrape the bits of brown butter from the bottom of the pan into the bowl. Refrigerate the butter until firm, about 45 minutes to an hour.
- While the butter chills, place the mini marshmallows on a baking sheet or plate and freeze.
- Once firm, remove the butter from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften just slightly. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Fill a small bowl with about 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown butter, coconut oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar together for about 2 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and mix to combine well, about 30 seconds.
- Add the honey and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients one cup at a time until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Use a medium cookie scoop to portion out 1 ounce pieces of dough. Place 4 to 5 frozen mini marshmallows on the dough. Use the scoop to portion out 1 more ounce of dough and place it on top of the marshmallows, covering them up with the extra cookie dough. Use your hands to roll the dough into a ball and then roll the ball in the bowl of granulated sugar, being careful to coat all sides of the cookie.
- Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie. Use the palm of your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup to gently flatten the top of the cookies. Do not press the dough down too far, just enough to level the top.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the center rack of the oven for 11 to 12 minutes or until there are cracks on the tops of the cookies and the melted marshmallows are peaking through. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Use a spatula to carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Cookies are best when made just after the dough is prepared.
Freeze baked cookies tightly wrapped for up to 2 months.
If using full size marshmallows, cut them in half before forming the cookie dough balls.
The LAND O LAKES brandmark is owned by Land O Lakes, Inc. and used by license.
Chocolate Cloud Cake
25 Comments
Magdalena
December 25, 2023 at 2:16 pmCan I prepare the dough in advance ??
Anonymous
December 20, 2023 at 10:59 pmCan I use salted butter? Will it have a big impact on the taste? I just have this imported butter I want to use for my Christmas baking, but I used up all of the unsalted blocks.
Heather Mubarak
December 21, 2023 at 12:40 amYes! Just be sure to omit the added salt from the recipe. Enjoy!!
Kim
December 20, 2023 at 10:29 pmFantastic cookies. We don’t like thibgs super sweet and these were just right. I didn’t use cocoa mix though . I just used 1 T more of cocoa and 2T more of sugar to replace the mix. They were the hit of the cub scouts pot luck!
Allie S
December 20, 2023 at 12:05 amAfter I make the brown butter can I let it sit in the fridge overnight then use it in the morning?
Heather Mubarak
December 21, 2023 at 12:41 amYes, you can. Still allow the butter to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before mixing the dough. Enjoy the cookies!
Kiki
December 13, 2023 at 8:51 pmFor the butter, should I be measuring out 1/2 cup before melting it? Or should be 1/2 cups worth after melting it?
Heather Mubarak
December 13, 2023 at 11:07 pm1/2 cup (113 g) before melting.
Anonymous
December 12, 2023 at 7:12 amI dont want the coconut flavor in my cookies. Can I leave it out?
Heather Mubarak
December 12, 2023 at 7:57 amYou won’t taste the coconut flavor at all once baked. If you omit it, the cookies will not have the same texture.
a.whitney
December 3, 2023 at 8:29 pmThis recipe is so good my husband accidentally swore in front of our 3 year old after taking a bite, haha!!
Robin
December 2, 2023 at 6:59 amjust wondering on the hot cocoa mix….you say 3 Tablespoons (1 packet or 3 oz). The packets are 1.25 oz each which measures out to 2 1/2 Tablespoons so, use the packet only or open another packet and add the remaining 1/2 Tablespoon? Just clarifying. thanks!
Anonymous
November 14, 2023 at 3:29 amCan you sub sugar for the honey?
Heather Mubarak
November 14, 2023 at 5:30 pmI haven’t tried the recipe with this variation – let me know how it goes!
Anonymous
November 3, 2023 at 6:53 pmCan you substitute canola oil for the coconut oil? About to make thesecfor a hot cocoa bar!
Heather Mubarak
November 3, 2023 at 7:09 pmI haven’t tried using canola oil in this recipe so I can’t say how they’ll turn out….let me know how it goes!
Anonymous
January 13, 2023 at 9:20 pmCan you use any brand of hot cocoa mix? Or does it have to be Land O Lakes?
Heather Mubarak
January 13, 2023 at 10:08 pmI love the flavor of Land O Lakes but any brand of hot cocoa will work! Enjoy the cookies!!
Anonymous
December 30, 2022 at 12:50 amSooo good!
Meaghan
December 28, 2022 at 2:52 amIs it possible to make these without coconut oil for someone with a coconut allergy?
Natalie
December 18, 2022 at 9:26 pmSo delicious! Perfect for the holidays!
Heather Mubarak
December 19, 2022 at 1:03 amI’m so thrilled that you loved them!! Happy Holidays!
Antje
December 18, 2022 at 4:11 amThese turned out perfectly. They’re not super easy to form, took some work but using wet hands and sugar helped. Would def make again, might just try one full size marshmallow.
Elise
December 1, 2022 at 8:20 pmLove this recipe! So easy and fast. I didn’t have hot cocoa mix so I used black cocoa powder and it worked perfectly. Will 100% make them again!
Suzie
February 8, 2022 at 4:50 pmWhoa, these look so decadent in the best way!! My kids will love these, thanks for the recipe.