This post was most recently updated on January 31st, 2023
Hot cocoa cookies are chocolatey, rich, full of marshmallows, and delicious. Just like a cup of decadent hot cocoa.
You might also like our grasshopper cookies, our Texas sheet cake cookies, or our rocky road cookies!
Watch our step by step video!
If you’re looking for a cookie to wow friends this year at cookie exchanges and holiday parties this is it! These hot cocoa cookies are so delicious, and loaded with chocolate and marshmallows.
I make mine with dark baking cocoa, but you can use whatever you have in your cupboard. The cookies are topped with half of a marshmallow as soon as they come out of the oven then go back into the oven for a couple more minutes. This allows the marshmallow to get nice and soft before pressing it down with a spoon to flatten it.
A chocolate ganache glaze is drizzled over the cookies and sprinkles are added to make them nice and festive. Once the ganache sets up these cookies can be stored in a container for easy transport! This recipe makes 28 cookies.
What people are saying about these cookies
“This is one of the best cookie recipes I have ever made and I have made a lot. Did not disappoint. This will be a family favorite for years to come. Thank you.”
“I made these cookies last weekend as a test run for a cookie exchange. Huge success, deliciously easy and I’m making the 9 dozen needed today! Highly recommend the recipe!”
Hot Cocoa Cookies Ingredients
(Scroll to the end of the post for a printable version)
CHOCOLATE COOKIE DOUGH
Ingredients
- melted butter
- unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s Special Dark for these)
- brown sugar
- white sugar
- vanilla extract
- large eggs
- baking soda
- salt
- all-purpose flour
The chocolate cookie dough is fool-proof and yields perfect cookies every time. I use it as a base for all of my chocolate cookie recipes!
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
Ingredients
- milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
- milk
- butter
- honey (or corn syrup)
My glaze is one that I use for donuts, Hostess cupcakes, and s’mores cookies. Perfect for dipping and spooning. I use the microwave to prepare my glaze, but you can do it over the stove (on medium-low heat) or in a double boiler.
How To Make Hot Cocoa Cookies
Combine melted butter and cocoa powder in a large bowl and mix. Add sugars and mix until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients.
Chill cookie dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour.
Scoop cookie dough onto a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
While cookies bake, cut marshmallows in half using a pair of scissors.
Place half of a marshmallow (sticky-side-down) on top of the hot cookies. Place cookies BACK INTO THE OVEN and bake another 2-3 minutes, until marshmallows look slightly puffy. DO NOT OVERCOOK MARSHMALLOWS.
Remove the cookies from the oven and gently press each marshmallow down with the back of a spoon.
Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for a couple of minutes then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Melt glaze ingredients together and drizzle over cookies. Add sprinkles, if desired.
Refrigerate or place in the freezer until the glaze sets up.
These cookies can be enjoyed at room temperature or chilled. Lightly cover the cookie sheet with plastic wrap. They will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
Hot Cocoa Cookies
Hot Cocoa Cookies
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 14 marshmallows (not miniature)
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- 8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 4 teaspoons milk
- 4 teaspoons honey (or corn syrup)
Instructions
Cookies
- Melt two sticks of butter (1 cup) in the microwave. Combine melted butter and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Stir until smooth.
- Mix brown sugar and white sugar with the butter/cocoa mixture.
- Add eggs and vanilla.
- Mix in salt, baking soda, and flour.
- Cover bowl with plastic and chill dough for 45 minutes- 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Scoop dough onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets using a medium cookie scoop (2 Tbsp. size).
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes. While cookies bake cut marshmallows in half with scissors.Place a marshmallow half (sticky side down) onto each hot cookie. Place cookies back in the oven and bake an additional 2-3 minutes (marshmallows should be slightly puffed). DO NOT OVERBAKE MARSHMALLOWS.
- Press each marshmallow down with the back of a spoon.
- Let cool on a cookie sheet for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Glaze
- Heat glaze ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir. Heat for an additional 15-20 seconds. Stir until smooth and creamy. If additional time is needed do it in 10-second increments. Note: You can use a double boiler or small saucepan over the stove to melt the chocolate and glaze instead of a microwave if you want. Drizzle glaze over cookies. Add sprinkles, if desired. Allow glaze to set up (placing cookies back into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes will speed this up).Cookies can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Thoughts on packing these for gifts? I assume they are fairly sticky.
Thanks!
The ganache will set up on top allowing them to be packaged. They are a soft cookie so I wouldn’t stack them higher than 2 cookies tall.
This is one of the best cookie recipes I have ever made and I have made a lot. Did not disappoint. This will be a family favorite for years to come. Thank you.
Thank you! So glad to hear!
Can these cookies be frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing them before. The cookies and ganache would freeze well, I’m just not sure about the marshmallows.
I made these cookies last weekend as a test run for a cookie exchange. Huge success, deliciously easy and I’m making the 9 dozen needed today! Highly recommend recipe!
Awesome!! This made my day, Heidi!
Followed the recipe and my cookies came out dry. Any reason why? Other than that the tasted delicious. Planning on trying the recipe one more time. Thanks
Hi Lena! I’m not sure! There can be factors such as elevation and humidity depending on where you live. Maybe drop the flour a bit on the next batch or pull out of the oven a little early?
Did you maybe cook them a bit longer once you put the marshmallow on? Maybe only cook them 8-9 minutes and then and additional 2 minutes once the marshmallow has been put on.
Hi, Brandy,
Can I freeze the dough, and if so, should I freeze as a whole or scoop them?
Thanks!
Hi Laura! I’d freeze them already scooped. 🙂
I’m happy you said this, as I needed to get them finished, and they’re all scooped and in the freezer! I will let you know how they come out.
Thank you!
So I’m trying these cookies for a cookie swap. Because I have to make 10 dozen, I am thinking of making the cookies one day and then just topping them when it gets closer. I was thinking that it probably isn’t the best idea to put the cookies back in the oven once they’re cooled, so thoughts about maybe using marshmallow fluff and then a butane torch to “brown” them? I feel like in theory it should work. Thoughts? Thanks!
Hi Lisa! I think you could put the cookies back in the oven to soften the marshmallows. It wouldn’t be the same as putting the marshmallows on a hot cookie, but would still soften the marshmallows. I haven’t tried using marshmallow fluff, but I’m sure it’d be delicious. It would just be more sticky than regular marshmallows. 🙂 Side note: these stay soft for a few days. You could make them a day or two before you need them and they’d be fine.
Could you use mini marshmallows instead?
Absolutely! They cookies will look a little different on top, but will taste equally delicious!
I just made these and they were easy and taste delicious but for some reason my are crispy not soft.
Can you freeze these?
Yes
I can not wait to try these today ! I will let you know how they come out.