Description
These Hot Chocolate Cookies are a delightful winter treat combining the rich flavors of real hot cocoa mix, soft butter, and melty marshmallow bits. Perfect for holiday cookie exchanges or cozy evenings, these cookies offer a unique twist on traditional chocolate chip cookies with their warm, chocolatey taste and gooey texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 packages hot cocoa mix (or 3/4 cups hot cocoa mix – NOT sugar free versions)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Add-ins
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup Mallow Bits (mini marshmallows do not work the same and can be a bit of a sticky mess)
Instructions
- Prepare Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar together using a standing mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. This aerates the dough, helping to create a tender cookie.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined, ensuring the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, hot cocoa mix, salt, baking soda, and baking powder to evenly distribute all leavening agents and cocoa powder.
- Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beating until just blended to avoid overmixing and tough cookies.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips and Mallow Bits: Stir in the chocolate chips and Mallow Bits carefully to distribute them evenly throughout the dough without breaking the delicate marshmallow pieces.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and chill it for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours. Chilling helps the flavors meld and makes the dough easier to handle.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Shape and Bake: Drop 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned, indicating perfectly cooked cookies with a soft center.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. This prevents the cookies from breaking apart while warm.
Notes
- Using real hot cocoa mix (not sugar-free) is essential to achieve the classic rich chocolate flavor in these cookies.
- Mallow Bits are preferred over mini marshmallows because they maintain their texture and don’t become overly sticky during baking.
- Chilling the dough helps improve dough handling and cookie texture but can be skipped if short on time.
- These cookies are an excellent choice for winter gatherings and holiday cookie exchanges due to their festive flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 157.26 kcal
- Sugar: 13.55 g
- Sodium: 150.58 mg
- Fat: 6.65 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.07 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22.93 g
- Fiber: 0.44 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 23.4 mg
