Description
Delight in these soft and chocolaty Hot Chocolate Cookies, bursting with rich cocoa flavors, gooey marshmallow bits, and melty semisweet chocolate chips. Perfectly tender with a hint of warmth from instant hot cocoa mix, these cookies offer a nostalgic twist on a classic favorite—ideal for cozy evenings or holiday treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup instant hot cocoa mix (about 3 packets)
- 3 tablespoons baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Add-ins
- 1 cup vanilla marshmallow bits (not miniature marshmallows)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease your baking sheets to prevent sticking.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter, sugar, and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 5 to 7 minutes. This process incorporates air for a tender cookie.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. This will help create a smooth batter.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, instant hot cocoa mix, baking cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until evenly mixed.
- Mix Dry Ingredients into Wet Mixture: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating slowly to combine. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Fold in Marshmallow Bits and Chocolate Chips: Gently stir in the vanilla marshmallow bits and semisweet chocolate chips with a spatula until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape Cookies: Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake: Place the trays in the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set but still soft in the center.
- Cool Cookies: Remove the cookies from the oven and transfer them to wire racks to cool completely before serving, allowing the marshmallow bits to set and the flavors to meld.
Notes
- Room temperature eggs create a smoother batter and better texture.
- Be sure not to overmix once the dry ingredients are added to avoid tough cookies.
- Use vanilla marshmallow bits instead of miniature marshmallows to avoid melting them completely during baking.
- Spacing cookies 2 inches apart prevents them from merging as they spread in the oven.
- Cooling on wire racks ensures even cooling and helps maintain the cookie’s texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
