Introduction

These Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Surprise Cookies are a delightful twist on classic cocoa cookies, featuring a gooey marshmallow center and a smooth chocolate drizzle. Perfect for cozy evenings or sharing with friends, they bring warm flavors and fun textures in every bite.

The image shows a close-up view of seven round chocolate cookies placed on a metal cooling rack over a white marbled surface. Each cookie has a rich, dark brown base with a cracked, soft texture and is topped with a smooth, glossy swirl of melted milk chocolate in the center. One cookie is broken open to reveal a thick, white creamy filling inside, contrasting with the dark outer cookie. The melted chocolate on top reflects light, adding a shiny, inviting look to the overall dish. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

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)
10–11 large marshmallows, cut in half
8 ounces (226g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions

Step 1: 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 2–3 minutes.
Step 2: Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat on high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, baking soda, and salt together until combined.
Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Beat on low until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick.
Step 5: Beat in the milk. The dough will be thick and sticky.
Step 6: 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.
Step 7: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside.
Step 8: Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. Scoop and roll heaping 1 tablespoon (about 25-26g) portions into balls. Arrange them 2–3 inches apart on the baking sheets.
Step 9: Bake the cookies for just 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and lightly press a marshmallow half into the top of each cookie.
Step 10: Return the cookies to the oven and bake for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven and gently press down on the marshmallows with the back of a spoon to slightly flatten them.
Step 11: Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 12: Melt the chopped chocolate in a double boiler or microwave. For microwave, heat in 20-second increments, stirring in between, until smooth.
Step 13: Spoon melted chocolate over each cooled marshmallow-topped cookie. Allow chocolate to set at room temperature for 30-60 minutes.
Step 14: Once chocolate is set, the cookies are ready to stack, store, transport, or gift.

Tips & Variations

Use dairy-free chocolate and milk alternatives to make these cookies vegan-friendly.
For extra crunch, add chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts to the dough.
Substitute flavored hot cocoa mix (such as peppermint or salted caramel) to add a unique twist.
Make mini versions by using smaller scoops and mini marshmallows for bite-sized treats.

Storage

Store leftover cookies covered tightly at room temperature for up to 1 week. Keep them in a single layer to prevent marshmallow and chocolate damage. To reheat, warm briefly in a microwave (10-15 seconds) to soften the marshmallow and chocolate for a cozy treat.

How to Serve

A stack of three chocolate-covered cookies with a shiny dark chocolate top layer, each one broken to show a thick, soft white marshmallow center and a dark, dense chocolate cookie bottom layer. The cookies have a slightly rough texture on the bottom chocolate part and a smooth, glossy chocolate coating on top that dips gently over the edges. They are placed directly on a white marbled surface with small crumbs scattered around, and the background is softly blurred in neutral tones. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of hot cocoa mix?

Yes, but the hot cocoa mix adds sweetness and extra flavor. If you use only cocoa powder, you might want to increase the sugar slightly to balance the taste.

Why is chilling the dough important?

Chilling the dough firms it up, making it easier to handle and preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking, which is especially important for this sticky dough.

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Surprise Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.5 from 360 reviews

Marshmallow Hot Cocoa Surprise Cookies are rich, chocolatey treats bursting with the flavors of hot cocoa and gooey marshmallows. These soft, chewy cookies feature a delightful hot cocoa mix and cocoa powder in the dough, topped with melted chocolate and fluffy marshmallows for an irresistible wintertime indulgence.

Author: Daniel
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 27 minutes
Yield: 20–22 cookies 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

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)

Topping

10–11 large marshmallows, cut in half
8 ounces (226g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Instructions

Mix Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture is fluffy and light in color, about 2–3 minutes.
Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the room temperature egg and vanilla extract to the sugar and butter mixture. Beat on high speed until fully combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, dry hot cocoa mix, baking soda, and salt until evenly mixed.
Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients bowl. Beat on low speed until just combined. The dough will be very thick at this point. Finally, add the milk and beat the dough until it becomes thick and sticky.
Chill the Dough: Cover the cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is essential to handle the sticky cookie dough properly.
Prepare for Baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set them aside.
Form Cookies: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Scoop heaping tablespoons (about 25-26g each) of dough and roll them into balls. Place the dough balls 2–3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake Initial Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 minutes until they are just set but not fully baked through.
Add Marshmallows and Finish Baking: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and gently press a half marshmallow onto the top of each cookie. Return the cookies to the oven and bake for an additional 2 minutes. Remove again and using the back of a spoon, slightly flatten each marshmallow atop the cookies.
Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt Chocolate: Melt the semi-sweet chocolate either using a double boiler or by microwaving in 20-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth and fully melted.
Drizzle Chocolate: Spoon the melted chocolate over each fully cooled marshmallow-topped cookie. Let the chocolate set at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.
Store: Once the chocolate has set, stack, store, transport, or gift the cookies as desired. Store any leftovers tightly covered at room temperature for up to one week.

Notes

Chilling the dough is crucial to handle the sticky texture and helps the cookies maintain their shape during baking.
Use either dairy or nondairy milk for the dough depending on your preference or dietary needs.
Ensure marshmallows are pressed gently after the final bake so they spread evenly without melting away.
These cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week in an airtight container.
For an extra chocolate boost, use a quality semi-sweet chocolate for melting and drizzling.

Keywords: marshmallow cookies, hot cocoa cookies, chocolate cookies, holiday cookies, winter desserts, chewy cookies