Hot Chocolate Cookies

Share 325
Tweet
Pin 8K
Yum 7
9K Shares
Hot Chocolate Cookies are so popular in our family that I end up making dozens and dozens for family members during the holidays! They’re rich chocolate cookies with melted marshmallows stacked on top with a chocolate glaze drizzle and sprinkles to finish them off.  
Want recipes delivered right to your inbox?  Sign up here!  Sometimes I even send out free e-cookbooks too!

Well, this is an odd recipe to post on January 6th, isn’t it? Hot Chocolate Cookies with a ceramic Christmas tree in the background seems like like the wrong kind of thing to be posting at the start of a new year.

Love it? Pin it!

Well, I suppose you’re right but then again I’m going with what I want this year and less of what is expected.

Is this pushing the envelope to far? I think not. I mean it technically may be January 6th but I’ve still got my Christmas decorations up at home and well, I still like cookies so…. yeah….

You know why I don’t feel guilty about posting cookies at the beginning of January?

Well, one reason is because I’m not really eating these in January (only because I made these back in December and they’re all gone haha) but also because we’ve been working on having a better/healthier lifestyle for the past 365 days….so thinking about cookies in January isn’t so bad.

“These are the best cookies to make for Christmas presents, our entire family loves them!”

It’s not like if you eat a cookie in January that is has more calories than it did in December. People just freak out more in January.

Eat 2 cookies in December and you’re just having a bit of holiday cheer and comfort food, eat two cookies in January and you’re going to damn your life to couch potato mode.

Don’t look at me like that, you know it’s true. haha. 😉

Give it about a month and everyone will be indulging on Valentines Day and not thinking a thing about “Healthy January” haha.

See, this is why you need to just have a healthyish lifestyle…that way you don’t have to feel like a total failure if you indulge a bit. 🙂

Look at me, trying to tell you about keeping a   healthyish  lifestyle while I’m shoving cookies at you.

#SorryNotSorry

Yes, I totally just hashtagged in my blog post.

But don’t worry, I’ve got something pretty healthy to share with you a little later this week. 😉

But another little reason that I wanted to share these cookies with you is because today is my brother’s birthday!! My little brother is turning 26 today!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADAM!!!!

Ok, I know, I know, what does my brother’s birthday have to do with Hot Chocolate Cookies?

Well last year Thomas and I went to Disney World and we took my Brother and my future Sister in Law with us. I don’t know if you know this or not but when you stay at the Disney Resorts you can buy these Disney Refillable mugs and then when you’re in the food courts or lunch type restaurants at the resorts you can just fill up your mugs with drink for free. (Well it’s not free, because you had to pay for that stinkin $15 mug but you know what I mean…)

Well, my brother fell in love with the hot chocolate there and every time we turned around he was walking back to the restaurants in the resort to re-fill is mug with hot chocolate.

I found this pretty funny because Adam isn’t normally a big sweets person and he’s also one of those people that likes to hang out at the gym. haha. 😉

Random, I know, but now every time I think about anything that has to do with “Hot Chocolate” I picture Adam scurrying off at Disney to find more hot chocolate.

Ok, haha sorry, just a little family memory but I’ll like it when I look back on these posts in a few years. 😉

Also, let me say that these Hot Chocolate Cookies are slightly adapted from the  Hot Cocoa Cookies from Glorious Treats . My husband’s cousin’s wife, Crystal, made these right before Christmas and I got to try them when I went over to her house for a day of Christmas cookie making and Christmas crafts!

These Hot Chocolate Cookies were super good and I had to really work on showing some restraint around them! I got a few few tips and methods on what she did differently with these cookies and then I changed up a few measurements based on cookies that I’d made in the past.

I upped the brown sugar a bit, changed out the large marshmallows for mini ones plus I added chocolate extract instead of vanilla to the cookies and glaze.

“More brown sugar, mini marshmallows and CHOCOLATE EXTRACT!!”

Crystal had mentioned that the chocolate glaze on top was super sweet and it was. While the old me would have been all over that, the new me had to step back a bit because it was so sweet that it made my teeth hurt haha.

I made the recipe for the glaze and while I wanted to add less sugar I couldn’t get it to thicken up nicely without it. So I made the glaze and then we just didn’t pour quite as much onto each Hot Chocolate Cookie. I tried to get just enough on there to mainly cover the marshmallows.

So there you have it, Hot Chocolate Cookies at the beginning of January. You’re welcome. 😉

Also don’t forget the Christmas Sprinkles to make these extra festive!

**You don’t have to use THESE brands but there are a few that I love**

Hot Chocolate Cookies

 

Hot Chocolate Cookies

Created by on December 15, 2016

Hot Chocolate Cookies. Seriously! This might be my new favorite cookie! I just can't get enough of them!

  • Yield: 45 cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1/2 cup butter, unsalted (1 stick)
  • 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons chocolate extract (or vanilla if you can't find chocolate)
  • 135 mini marshmallows
  • Sprinkles

For the glaze:

  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup hot water
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon chocolate extract (or vanilla if you can't find chocolate)

Instructions

For the cookies:

  • In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and then whisk in the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Whisk together until the butter and semi-sweet chocolate chips melt into a smooth chocolate sauce.
  • Set aside and let cool.
  • In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar, eggs and extract together. Mix until well combined.
  • Once the chocolate and butter mixture is cooled mix it into the sugar, eggs and extract.
  • Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture.
  • Mix until everything is combined. Cover in plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Remove dough from the fridge after one hour and preheat oven to 325F.
  • Grease 3 cookie sheets (or use the same one over and over). - Line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up -
  • Spoon out about a tablespoon of chilled dough and roll it into a ball. Lay it onto a prepared baking sheet.
  • Place about 12-15 cookies onto each baking sheet. Press each cookie down a little bit.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven. Top each cookie with three mini marshmallows. Place back into the oven for 2 - 3 minutes.
  • Remove cookies from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Repeat until all cookies are done.
  • Let cookies cool and make the chocolate glaze.

For the glaze:

  • In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, cocoa powder, hot water and chocolate extract (or vanilla extract).
  • Slowly whisk in the powdered sugar until everything is combined.
  • Lay a piece of parchment paper under the cooling rack that is holding the cooled cookies. (This will make for easy clean up!)
  • Drizzle each cookie with the chocolate glaze, covering the marshmallows. While the chocolate glaze is wet, sprinkle each cookie with the sprinkles.
  • Let Cookies and Chocolate glaze set for about 30 minute before serving.
  • Keep cookies in an air tight container.
Source: Slightly adapted from Hot Cocoa Cookies from Glorious Treats

 

More Christmas Cookies

Pecan Pie Cookie Cups

Peanut Butter Cookies

 

Love it? Pin it!

Share 325
Tweet
Pin 8K
Yum 7
9K Shares

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. It’s Christmas until January 6, so you’re good! I keep my decorations up until the 15th or so. The lights are so pretty!

    Reply

  4. These cookies are so much fun! My kids would love these! And we still use those Disney mugs all the time 🙂

    Reply

  6. Angie, these cookies couldn’t look any more scrumptious. Besides, it’s winter, hot chocolate is appropriate, and you have license to do what you want this year and less of what is expected. Brava!

    Reply

  8. You go girl!!! Who cares what anybody expects – you just do what feels right to you!! Besides, our Christmas deco is going to stay up for at least another week; I’ve been desperately trying to hold on to some cheeriness so this recipe couldn’t come at a better time! These cookies look terrific, I wish I could have a handful of these for dessert tonight!

    Reply

  10. my Christmas decoratioons are still up so I don’t mind 😉 esp because they look sooo chocolatey and delish and perfect for this gross cold weather! 😛

    Reply

  12. Oh my! I just made these for an early Christmas party this week and they are my new favorite cookie. A little crunch on the outside and chewy inside, they taste just like a mug of hot chocolate. Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I must have made mine much smaller than yours ( I used my small cookie scoop) because I got 75 cookies, Bonus!

    Reply

    • Hi Jennifer!

      I’ve never frozen them but I would think it would be fine. I will ask around and see if anyone that has made them as frozen them (they don’t normally last here long enough to freeze hahaha)

      Reply

    • Hey Kathleen,

      Without being there with you I can’t pinpoint the exact reason they’re doing this but if it were me, I would increase the chill time for the dough and lower my oven temperature just a bit. Also make sure that you’re not putting them on a hot baking sheet

      Reply

  15. Does the glaze harden? I’m thinking of adding these to our annual cookie-baking marathon next weekend, but they’ll need to be stacked for delivering to people and I’m trying to avoid a goopy mess. Thoughts?

    Reply

    • Hey Kassie,

      The glaze kind of hardens but not like hard sugar cookie icing. It isn’t like syrup though. It kind of dries instead of hardens. They can totally be stacked after they’ve cooled. 🙂

      Reply

  18. Hello! The recipe for this isn’t coming out on my phone right. It’s only showing half (vertically) of the recipe so I cant read each step completely. Any chance you could email it to me before Saturday? Thank you! Would love to make these!

    Reply

    • yikes! sorry about the recipe being cut off! I fixed it! For some reason when my blog was redesigned this year it started cutting the mobile version of the recipe off if the phone wasn’t flipped on it’s side. But it should be fixed now. <3 I will also e-mail you a copy to have!

      Reply

    • Hey Becky!

      I just kind of lay them on top and maybe press down a little. I don’t really push them down. I just want them to kind of sit on top and melt a little bit when they go back into the oven.

      Reply

  21. Hi! im currently making these cookies right now and was wondering how long I’m supposed to wait for the melted chocolate to cool. Its been like 30 mins, does it need to be completely cooled before mixing it into the brown sugar, eggs, and vanila mixture? Thanks in advance!

    Reply

    • Just coolish, you don’t want it to be super hot. I just normally wait until I can touch it with my finger without burning myself. 30 minutes should be plenty of time. If you need me in the future for a time sensitive question please reach out to me on social media! I’ll see that while I’m out and about 🙂

      Reply

  22. I really can’t tell you what I love most about this post. (Arguably) Christmas cookies after Christmas? The mouthwatering taste of hot chocolate transformed into incredibly looking cookies? Or, the fact that you made these for your brother’s birthday (lucky fella!). I won’t even try to narrow it down to just one of these reasons, let’s just say for now that I am in love with these gorgeous cookies!!!

    Reply

  24. Hi I’m making these now and I just pulled them out after putting the marshmallows on. The marshmallows are all puffy. Is that normal. Will they go down as they cool?

    Reply

  25. Hi Angie!

    I made these cookies over the holidays and they were a favourite amongst my family and friends.? I made a Soft Frosting Ganache instead of the frosting since you mentioned it was very sweet. If you’re interested, the ratio I used was 1:2, one part chocolate to two parts whipping cream.

    Reply

  27. About how long will these cookies keep? If I want to bake ahead. Also, could they be frozen, and then thawed and glazed? Thanks and Merry Christmas!!

    Reply

    • Hey Carmen,

      I don’t know if I could freeze these because of the Marshmallows. I think defrosted marshmallows would be kind of blah, plus the way they’re made they’re really soft in the middles and I don’t know if that would be the same once frozen and thawed. Once they’re made though, you can keep them an air tight container for about a week. Merry Christmas!

      Reply

  28. I’m currently making these.. I just put them in the fridge to chill.. they kind of reminded me of brownie batter… I feel like this is wrong.

    Reply

  29. A new favorite !! I made 3 batches last Christmas ! They are permanent addition to my Christmas cookie list . I am starting my 2017 Christmas Cookie baking tomorrow . Hot chocoate cookie are at the top ofmy list !
    Thank you and Merry Christmas !
    Carol

    Reply

    • I have this problem too. I normally just work through it and then wash my hands after rolling about 12 or so but if it’s sticking too much I would run your hands under ice cold water after rolling about 5 or so.

      Reply

  32. hello! I don’t have a stand up mixer, so this could be done by hand with a whisk right? the only factor being time? thanks and merry Christmas:)

    Reply

  35. Hello! you mentioned the changes you made, more brown sugar, chocolate extract and mini marshmallows but the origianl recipe used 1/4 cup cocoa and your recipe calls for 1/2 cup cocoa. Is that correct? Just checking since it wasn’t mentioned as a change. Also, why did you up the brown sugar? Thank you!

    Reply

  36. Hello! you mentioned the changes you made, more brown sugar, chocolate extract and mini marshmallows but the origianl recipe used 1/4 cup cocoa and your recipe calls for 1/2 cup cocoa. Is that correct? Just checking since it wasn’t mentioned as a change. Also, why did you up the brown sugar? Thank you!

    Reply

    • Similar but not exactly the same. I’ve had people use the Cocoa extract and love it and some have hated it and preferred the chocolate. I haven’t tired the Cocoa

      Reply

    • You sure can! Normally when I put the dough in the fridge overnight, I just take it out and let it sit on the counter while the oven pre-heats just so it’s a little easier to scoop.

      Reply

  39. Okay, picked up all the ingredients to try this recipe out this weekend, then realized when I got home that I forgot the mini marshmallows. I do however have marshmallow crème at home for a different recipe… do you think a small dollop of that on top of cookies will work okay?

    Reply

    • I’m not sure that would work but I’ve never tried it that way. If the marshmallow creme will form like a film over the top under the broiler this could possible work If you try it and it does, let me know!

      Reply

  43. Hi! Should you use light brown sugar or dark? I see the picture shows dark, but the list of ingredients just says brown sugar. Thanks!

    Reply

  45. I was looking for a Christmas cookie recipes for my jobs Christmas party bake off and came across this recipe! These hot chocolate cookies look simple to make and very delicious! Thanks for posting this recipe! Looking forward to making these for the party!

    Reply

  47. Hello! This looks like an amazing recipe and I’d love to make it as dessert for my family dinner! I read through all the comments and didn’t see anything about flour substitutes. I’m looking to use some kind of gluten free flour as a couple in my family are celiac. Any suggestions?

    Reply

    • Hey Alana, I don’t do a lot of gluten free baking but I know that Bob’s Red Mill is a great for gluten free flours. I’m not sure which one to use here though.

      Reply

  48. Help! I’m making these for a Christmas party tonight. I mixed them up and put them in the fridge. They look like a thick brownie batter. Is that what it’s supposed to look like?

    Reply

  49. Every year I try a new cookie to add to the rotation. I just made these and they were a flop. I followed the directions exactly – but would have hoped for more clarity in the directions or blog on how to test if the cookies are done before adding the marshmallows or, if needed, make sure dough is on the cool side (re-chill in between bathes). Had to throw out the cookies- they were not done on the inside even though I let them sit on the sheets to continue cooking. Wasted quite a bit of ingredients and time, unfortunately.

    Reply

    • They’re supposed to be gooey on the inside! Noooo those were exactly like they were supposed to be. Did you try one before you threw them away? Hundreds of people have been making these, they’re my most popular recipe. They’re not supposed to be hard. They’re supposed to be the softness of like a toasty brownie with a gooey hot chocolate center!

      Reply

  50. These cookies taste nothing like any hot chocolate I’ve ever had. What they DO taste like, however, is the cookie version of a deliciously fudgy, decadent brownie! And the best part of brownies – IMO – the corner with it’s perfectly crunchy outside and lovely chewy inside! Mmmm!! As I tried the cookies before adding the marshmallows, glaze, etc., I saw no need as they were perfect as is. Call them hot chocolate cookies if you must, but here they will be forever known as fudgy brownie cookies. 🙂

    Reply

    • I like to think of them as hot chocolate cookies because they are warm, soft and chocolatey and have melted marshmallows on top like a nice warm mug of hot coco

      Reply

  51. Made these cookies for my annual cookie tins and they were AMAZING. They tasted just like hot chocolate with a fudge twist. They also stayed fresh for almost a week after being made. I’ll be making these again. Thank you for the great recipe.

    Reply

Trackbacks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *