These marshmallow-surprise hot cocoa cookies start with a soft and chewy chocolate cookie made even richer from a helping of hot cocoa mix. Topped with a gooey marshmallow smothered in melted chocolate, they’re like a marshmallow-filled hot chocolate bomb, in cookie form!
One reader, Veronica, commented: “These might be tied for first place for my all-time favorite cookie recipe (the other being your salted dark chocolate cookies!). I love anything marshmallow, and these came out SO good—rich and chocolatey with the marshmallow still soft and chewy in the middle. I made a single batch to test it out—I’ll definitely be making another batch for the holidays! ★★★★★“
My children love those hot chocolate bombs you see in the grocery stores around the holidays, a melt-away chocolate shell filled with marshmallows and hot cocoa mix, which transforms a mug of hot milk into sweet hot chocolate with marshmallows before their eyes. Because is there really anything more delightful than a surprise-inside chocolatey treat?
Today’s cookies are like the chewable equivalent of that experience. Now you can have your hot chocolate… and eat it, too!
Why You’ll Love These Cookies:
- Hot cocoa flavor in the extra chewy cookies
- Rich and chocolatey in every bite
- Cookies stay soft for days
- Gooey marshmallow hidden under a layer of melted chocolate
- Like the cookie equivalent of a mug of hot cocoa, or a hot chocolate bomb!
There are a few different parts to these fun cookies, so let me break it down first:
- Make the cookie dough and chill.
- Shape and bake the cookies.
- Place half a marshmallow on each cookie and return to the oven for 2 minutes.
- Melt chocolate and spoon over the marshmallow.
Start With the Hot Cocoa Cookie Dough
Have you ever used hot cocoa powder in cookie dough? I have a recipe in my book, Sally’s Cookie Addiction, for hot cocoa cookies. Today’s recipe isn’t quite the same, because I wanted to create an almost brownie-like cookie. The dough is similar to what I use when I make these Andes mint chocolate cookies, and overall, is pretty similar to my chocolate crinkle cookies, too.
Here’s what you need:
Unsweetened natural cocoa powder is ideal and if you’re interested in learning more, here’s my page all about Dutch-Process vs Natural Cocoa Powder. Cocoa is a very drying ingredient, so don’t leave out the 2 teaspoons of milk in the recipe. Any milk, dairy or nondairy, is fine.
For the hot cocoa mix: You can use pretty much any kind, but take a lesson from me and avoid the kind with mini marshmallows in the mix. Make sure you’re using the dry mix, and not liquid hot cocoa; the mix acts as a dry ingredient in the dough.
Success Tip: Chill The Cookie Dough
I’m a broken record again today repeating that you must chill this cookie dough for at least 2 hours (and up to 3 days). Make the dough, place it in the refrigerator, and go about your day. Or if you’re whipping up a few different kinds of cookies for your holiday platters, use the time to make a no-chill recipe like shortbread cookies or spritz cookies.
The dough is pretty sticky right after it comes together. After refrigerating, though, the dough firms up and is much easier to handle and shape.
Roll the dough into balls. Each dough ball should be a heaping Tablespoon of dough, about 25-26g. Arrange on lined baking sheets:
Add the Marshmallow
Bake the cookies for 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven and lightly press half a marshmallow into the top of each cookie. (Tip: Using kitchen shears is the easiest way to cut sticky marshmallows in half.)
Return the cookies to the oven for another 2 minutes, just enough time to slightly melt the marshmallow. When you remove the marshmallow-topped cookies from the oven, lightly press the tops of the marshmallows down with the back of a spoon to flatten them out a bit.
Chocolate Topping
While the cookies cool, melt the chocolate for topping. For melting chocolate, I always recommend using pure chocolate baking bars, typically found in the baking aisle in 4-ounce (113g) bars, such as Ghirardelli or Baker’s brands. You can use semi-sweet, bittersweet, or milk chocolate. I don’t recommend using chocolate chips because they contain stabilizers, which prevent them from melting into the correct consistency. (Save them for a batch of chocolate chip cookies!)
Spoon the melted chocolate over the tops of the cookies, to cover the marshmallows. The melted chocolate will set in about 30-60 minutes, and then you can stack, store, and transport them.
If you really want to go overboard with dessert (don’t we all?), serve the cookies with homemade slow cooker hot chocolate. Cheers!
P.S. You can do the same exact thing (marshmallow and chocolate topping) on these peanut butter cookies for a peanut butter s’mores-style cookie.
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page.
Marshmallow-Surprise Hot Cocoa Cookies
- Prep Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 20–22 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These marshmallow-surprise hot cocoa cookies start with a soft chocolate cookie made even richer from a helping of hot cocoa mix. Be sure to use dry hot cocoa powder, and not a liquid beverage. Top with a marshmallow and melted chocolate. Don’t forget to refrigerate the cookie dough for at least 2 hours.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/3 cup (27g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (40g) dry hot cocoa mix
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) milk (any kind, dairy or nondairy, is fine)
Topping
- 10–11 large marshmallows, cut in half
- 8 ounces (226g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped (see Note)
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the egg and vanilla extract, and then beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, baking soda, and salt together until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Beat on low until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Finally, beat in the milk. The cookie dough will be thick and sticky.
- Cover dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is imperative for this sticky cookie dough.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. Scoop and roll dough, a heaping 1 Tablespoon (about 25-26g) each, into balls. Arrange 2–3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for just 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and lightly press a marshmallow half into the tops of each cookie, cut side down. Return them to the oven and bake for 2 more minutes. Remove from the oven and, using the back of a spoon, gently press down on the marshmallow to slightly flatten it out.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, and then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the chocolate: You can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave. If using the microwave, place the chopped chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl. Microwave for 20-second increments, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth. Spoon melted chocolate over each cooled marshmallow-topped cookie. (When covering with melted chocolate, I usually put the cookies back on a baking sheet, or you can just keep them on the wire rack.) Chocolate sets at room temperature in 30-60 minutes. Once chocolate has set, you can stack, store, transport, and gift the cookies.
- Cover leftover cookies tightly and store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (step 3). Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough. Baked and cooled cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature. Keep in mind that after thawing, the chocolate may look streaky on top, or have condensation on the surface. Still fine to eat!
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Sheets | Kitchen Shears | Cooling Rack | Double Boiler (optional for melting chocolate)
- Larger Batch: The recipe is easy to double in 1 mixing bowl without overwhelming your mixer. Simply double all of the cookie dough ingredients. Extend the cookie dough chilling time to at least 3 hours.
- Natural Cocoa Powder: Do you know the difference between natural cocoa powder and dutch-process cocoa powder? Use natural cocoa powder in this dough. Unsweetened cocoa powder weighs less than dry hot cocoa mix, so that is why you see the weights so different.
- Hot Cocoa Mix: Be sure to use the dry hot cocoa mix, and not liquid hot cocoa. 1/4 cup (about 40g) is usually 1 standard packet. I usually use milk chocolate, but any kind works. Avoid the hot cocoa mix that has the little marshmallows in it. If you do not have hot cocoa mix, skip it entirely and increase the cocoa powder to 1/2 cup (45g).
- Chocolate: The best chocolate for melting and drizzling is the “baking chocolate” bars found in the baking aisle of the grocery store. I typically use Baker’s or Ghirardelli brands, either semi-sweet, bittersweet, or milk chocolate if you can find it. They are usually sold as 4-ounce bars, so you’ll need 2 for this recipe. Do not use chocolate chips because they contain stabilizers, which prevent them from melting into the correct consistency.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I loved this recipe but if I sub a Hershey bar for the semi sweet chocolate. Will the Hershey’s bar harden?
Hi Laney! We really recommend sticking with baking bars for best results, but you could use Hershey’s bars. The milk chocolate is softer.
I’m excited to make these! I don’t have cocoa powder at home, only hot cocoa mix. Can I increase the amount of hot cocoa instead? Thanks!
Hi Steph! Those really aren’t interchangeable ingredients, unfortunately. You need cocoa powder for the cookie dough.
These were soooo delicious!
Can you use a Hershey bar in place of the baking chocolate bar?
Hi Cerwyn! We really recommend sticking with baking bars for best results.
Is it possible to make this recipe using a handheld mixer that doesn’t have a paddle attachment?
Definitely!
I made a raspberry coulis and added a smear to the top of each marshmallow before adding the chocolate coating, and it was just like a delicious homemade Viva Puff! So good.
I made these and they are amazing! I decided to top them with crushed peppermint candy and it really added a nice touch! I will definitely be adding these to my Christmas cookie list.
Yup. 8 oz bar of Ghirardelli semi-sweet. Melted smoothly, spread it rather thin. Covered only 13 of the 30 cookies.
These are the BEST!! They are the star of the show in my Christmas cookie boxes. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!
I really liked this recipe, but my chocolate never set, I left it overnight at room temp… I had to refrigerate it for half an hour, than take it out to keep soft… But the refrigeration only served to make the chocolate not stick to our fingers, but I can’t stack for long as the cookies will stick together that way. I still plan to make it another time, but this recipe is not made for hot climates for sure.
Also I subbed hot cocoa mix for chocolate 50% and it works too! And as I don’t like the taste of baking soda (it gives a weird chemical after taste), I used baking powder. I know they are different but I prefer it that way and the cookies were great anyway!
Hi! The grams per cup seems a little off for the hot chocolate mix, can you clarify?? Mine was measuring at about 20 g per 1/4 C. Thank you!! Love your recipes!!!
This cookie looks amazing. Going to try it tomorrow. Can marshmallow fluff be subbed for the marshmallows??
Hi Jayne, This recipe is best with regular marshmallows.
Delicious! Love how the gooey marshmallows work with the soft cookie. We only had mini marshmallows, so we used 3 on each cookie under the chocolate and stuck another one on top while the chocolate was setting.
These were absolutely divine!!! A new family favorite!
Could you use marshmallow fluff instead of the 1/2 marshmallow?
Hi Sara, This recipe is best with regular marshmallows.
Hello! The recipe was really good. That said, I felt like the cookie itself seemed a little thin and crunchy after the marshmallow was pushed in. Weighed all the ingredients (it didn’t overspread), but wondered if there is a way to make the cookie a little more soft or full? Also, have you ever used a full marshmallow? Thanks!
Hi Esther! You could try making bigger cookies, if you would like. You could certainly use a full marshmallow, but it would be quite tall on top of the cookie!
Made these today!
Easy and delicious.
I sprinkled a little sea salt onto the chocolate.
Can you use hot cocoa mix from a jar instead of packets?
Absolutely.
Hi, I’m in the UK could you please explain what hot cocoa mix is and how to make it homemade as it’s not something we can buy in the UK
Hi Sharon, You can skip the hot cocoa mix completely and increase the natural unsweetened cocoa powder to 1/2 cup (45g). That has been tested and works.
Why have these cookies spread out so much? They are so so thin! I double checked all the ingredients. Please let me know.
Hi Jane, sorry to hear these spread! Here are our best tips to prevent cookie spreading – this should help for next time!
Can I use peppermint extract in this recipe??
Certainly!
Do you recommend how much I could add to the cookie recipe?
Hi Rachel, we’d recommend starting with 1/4 teaspoon and adjusting to your liking. Enjoy!
These have become a favorite in our house. We put them under the broiler and toast the marshmallows before drizzling melted salted dark chocolate on top
These are excellent!
These cookies look delicious. Can homemade marshmallows be used in place of store bought marshmallows?
Hi Kim, homemade marshmallows should work just fine, as long as they aren’t too tall/thick. Let us know how you like the cookies!
Can I use your marshmallow fluff instead of regular marshmallows?
Hi Sloane! This recipe is best with regular marshmallows.
Hi I’m just wondering , I’m in the middle of doing this recipe and it says 1 and a half cups of plain flour or 188g but when I measure it’s 210g
Hi James, how are you measuring your flour? Be sure to spoon and level when using a measuring cup, otherwise you could pack in the flour leading you to a heavier weight. When in doubt, it’s always best to go by weight measurement.
My chocolate (good Callebaut chocolate) never set to a full hard chocolate topping (even in the fridge) but my little guy didn’t care. The cookies on their own are a little blah (we tried a few plain) but with the marshmallow and chocolate they are not only tasty – they triggered some serious lunchbox envy at summer camp.
How many cookies does this recipe make?
Hi Greta, this recipe yields 20–22 cookies.
Will this recipe work if I wanted to use a #10 or #12 scoop? so have bigger cookies?
Hi Nicole, you can make larger cookies, the bake time will be longer.
I’m confused, this recipe states it’s ok to freeze with marshmallow and chocolate but your s’mores cookies topped with marshmallows and chocolate says NOT to freeze Why the difference. Thanks so much. PS. Both cookies are delish!!!
Hi Dorothy! In this case, the marshmallow is fully enclosed in chocolate, which helps keep it fresh.