Hot Cocoa Cookies

These easy hot cocoa cookies are perfect for neighbor gifts, or for a holiday cookie exchange. With real hot chocolate mix and tiny marshmallows, they are just like a mug of hot chocolate, but in cookie form!

On a cold winter day, try dipping these delicious cookies in a cup of hot cocoa. It’s an extra chocolatey treat that is oh-so comforting!

Even better, dip them while you are curled up in a blanket in front of the fireplace or watching your favorite show. Doesn’t that sound like heaven?

I first discovered this hot chocolate cookie recipe at Love From the Oven a few years ago. After making them the first time, I thought they were great, but that they needed a punch of chocolate flavor. (What can I say, I love chocolaty cookies!)

So I replaced some of the flour with cocoa powder, and used mini chocolate chips so that every bite would be filled with melted chocolate.

After a few other tweaks, I knew that I had come up with the perfect cookies for the holiday season! They might just become your favorite cookies all year long. 🙂

HOW TO MAKE HOT COCOA COOKIES

1. PREP – Let your butter soften to room temperature.
2. WET INGREDIENTS – Beat butter and sugars in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. DRY INGREDIENTS – Add the dry hot cocoa mix, flour, unsweetened cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir until barely combined. Add the chocolate chips and marshmallow bits.
4. CHILL – Cover or wrap the dough with plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°.
5. FORM – Use a cookie scoop to portion dough into tablespoons. Roll into balls and place on pans that have been lined with silicone liners, or sprayed with cooking spray. You want them to be about 2 inches apart so they have room to spread.
6. BAKE – Bake for 9-11 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cookies are just set in the middle.
7. DECORATE – Quickly press a few dried marshmallows and milk chocolate chips onto the tops of each hot cookie.
8. COOL – After cookies have cooled on the pan for 4-5 minutes, transfer them to a wire rack.

STORING COOKIES

Leftover cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

You can also freeze the baked cookies or the cookie dough balls. I like to flash freeze them on a cookie sheet, then transfer them to heavy duty ziplock bags.

Frozen cookies and frozen dough will last for 4-5 months.

You can heat the frozen cookies in the microwave, but it’s best to let the cookie dough thaw at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

PRO TIPS

• Do not use sugar-free hot cocoa mix for these cookies! It will completely throw off the texture and flavor.
• If you can’t find the mallow bits or other dehydrated marshmallows at your local grocery store, you can buy them online at Walmart, Target, or Amazon.
• You may need to adjust the chill time depending on how soft your butter is. You don’t want your dough too sticky, it just needs to chill until you can roll it.

HOT COCOA COOKIE VARIATIONS:

• If you are completely opposed to using the dried marshmallow bits, you can try to use mini marshmallows. Freeze them first. They do tend to melt all over the place and stick to the pan. Definitely use parchment or a silicone liner!
• I like to use semi sweet chocolate chips on top of the cookies, but you can use milk chocolate chips or even dark chocolate. And if you prefer, you can also use white chocolate chips.

MORE OF MY BEST COOKIE RECIPES:

• Browned Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Old Fashioned Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
• Biscoff Cookie Recipe
• Lemon Cookies with Frosting
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies
• Chewy Chocolate Cookies
• Almond Sugar Cookies
• Chocolate Rolo Cookies

I hope you will give these delicious hot cocoa cookies a try. Your family and friends will thank you! And of course, if you do try them, don’t forget to come back and leave a comment or review.