Soft, chocolatey cookies made with real hot cocoa mix, loaded with chocolate chips and little marshmallow bits. These hot chocolate cookies taste like a mug of cocoa in cookie form, and they’re the star of any Christmas cookie plate.
Let’s talk about the secret ingredient. Packets of hot cocoa mix go straight into the dough. That gives these cookies a mellow, milky chocolate flavour that’s different from a regular chocolate cookie, more like the hot chocolate you drink after a day in the snow.
Then come the Mallow Bits. These are the tiny crunchy dried marshmallows you find in cocoa mix, and they bake into sweet little pockets that make every bite look and taste like a mug topped with marshmallows. Add chocolate chips and you’ve got a cookie that’s soft in the middle, lightly crisp at the edges and full of melty bits.
They’re perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday baking days, school parties and cosy winter afternoons.
Why You’ll Love These Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Real hot cocoa flavour: hot cocoa mix goes right into the dough.
- Fun marshmallow bits: they look adorable and add pops of sweetness.
- Big batch: one batch makes 36 cookies, plenty for sharing.
- Make-ahead dough: chill it for up to 24 hours and bake when it suits you.
- Cookie exchange favourite: festive, sturdy and easy to package.
Ingredient Notes & Easy Substitutions
Butter and sugars – Softened butter beaten with white and brown sugar gives a tender cookie with a little chew from the brown sugar.
All-purpose flour – The amount matters here. Use 3 cups for flatter cookies, or 3 1/4 cups (with a longer chill) for thicker ones. Stir your flour, spoon it into the cup and level it off. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much.
Hot cocoa mix – Use four packets, or 3/4 cup. A plain cocoa mix works best. Flavoured mixes can have extra ingredients that change the result, and sugar-free mixes won’t work. Want darker cookies? Stir in a tablespoon of cocoa powder.
Mallow Bits – These dried marshmallow bits are key. Regular mini marshmallows melt into a sticky mess. If Mallow Bits are hard to find, buy a hot cocoa mix that comes with marshmallows in it.
Chocolate chips – Add extra chocolate pockets. Semi-sweet or milk chocolate both work.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Hot Chocolate Cookies
1. Cream the butter and sugars
Beat the softened butter with both sugars until light and fluffy, then mix in the eggs and vanilla. This step whips air into the dough, which helps the cookies bake up soft.
2. Add the dry ingredients
Combine the flour, cocoa mix, salt, baking soda and baking powder in another bowl, then gradually beat them into the butter mixture. Don’t panic when the dough looks thick and dry. That’s exactly right, so don’t add any liquid.
3. Fold in the goodies and chill
Stir in the chocolate chips and Mallow Bits, cover the bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to a day. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape and improves the flavour.
4. Scoop and bake
Heat the oven to 350°F. Scoop 2-tablespoon balls of dough onto lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart, and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Let them sit on the tray for 5 minutes before moving them to a rack to cool.
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer
- 2 large mixing bowls
- Baking sheets
- Silicone baking mats or parchment paper
- Wire racks
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour see Note 2
- 4 packages hot cocoa mix or 3/4 cup; not sugar-free, see Note 3
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup Mallow Bits dried marshmallow bits, see Note 4
Instructions
- In a stand mixer, beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
- Stir the flour, hot cocoa mix, salt, baking soda and baking powder together in another bowl. Gradually beat the dry mix into the butter mixture until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips and Mallow Bits. Cover the dough and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to bake, heat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough onto the sheets, about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Leave on the sheets for 5 minutes, then move to wire racks to cool.
Notes
- The dough is dry: It will be thick and quite dry. That is how it should be, so do not add any extra liquid. The cookies still bake up soft.
- Flour: Use 3 cups for flatter cookies, or 3 1/4 cups plus a longer chill for thicker ones. Stir the flour, spoon it into the cup and level it off rather than scooping.
- Hot cocoa mix: A plain hot cocoa mix works best; flavoured mixes may contain ingredients that change the cookies. Never use sugar-free. If you would like darker cookies, stir in 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder (dark cocoa is even better).
- Mallow Bits: Can't find them? Buy hot cocoa mix that has marshmallows already in it. If they melt during baking, press them into the tops of the scooped dough after chilling instead of mixing them in. Regular mini marshmallows don't work the same and get sticky.
- Nutrition: Estimated per cookie from the ingredients.
Nutrition
Tips for the Best Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Measure flour carefully: spoon and level it so the dough isn’t too stiff.
- Trust the dry dough: a dry dough doesn’t mean a dry cookie.
- Chill longer for thicker cookies: the longer the chill, the better the shape and flavour.
- Press marshmallows on top: if your Mallow Bits melt in the oven, press them into the tops of the scooped dough after chilling instead.
- Line your trays: silicone mats or parchment stop any melty marshmallow from sticking.
- Cool on the tray first: 5 minutes lets them firm up before moving.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding liquid to the dough: it’s meant to be thick and dry. Leave it as is.
- Using sugar-free cocoa mix: it won’t work in this recipe. Use the regular kind.
- Using regular mini marshmallows: they melt and get sticky. Stick with Mallow Bits.
- Scooping flour straight from the bag: it adds too much flour. Spoon and level.
- Overbaking: pull them out when the edges are just lightly browned.
Easy Ways to Change It Up
The recipe card is the classic version. These are optional twists:
- Darker chocolate: use a dark chocolate hot cocoa mix, or add a tablespoon of dark cocoa powder.
- Peppermint hot chocolate cookies: top with crushed candy canes right after baking.
- White chocolate chips: swap some or all of the chocolate chips.
- Flatter cookies: use 3 cups of flour instead of 3 1/4.
How to Serve Hot Chocolate Cookies
Serve them with a mug of hot cocoa, a glass of cold milk or a coffee. Add them to a Christmas cookie tray, pack them into tins for cookie exchanges, or leave a few out for Santa.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
- Make the dough ahead: cover and chill it for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Storing baked cookies: keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within a few days for the softest texture.
- Freezing: like most drop cookies, the baked cookies can be frozen in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my hot chocolate cookie dough so dry?
It’s supposed to be. This is a thick, dry dough, and it still bakes into soft cookies. Don’t add any extra liquid.
Can I use mini marshmallows instead of Mallow Bits?
They don’t work the same and can turn into a sticky mess. If you can’t find Mallow Bits, use a hot cocoa mix that already contains marshmallows.
What kind of hot cocoa mix should I use?
A simple, plain hot cocoa mix works best. Avoid flavoured mixes, and never use sugar-free.
Do I have to chill the dough?
Yes, chill it for at least 30 minutes, and up to 24 hours. Longer chilling gives thicker cookies with better flavour.
Why did my marshmallows melt?
It can depend on how fresh and dry your Mallow Bits are. To avoid it, press them into the tops of the scooped dough after chilling instead of mixing them in.
Chocolatey, soft and dotted with sweet little marshmallows, these hot chocolate cookies bring all the cosy feelings of a mug of cocoa to your cookie tray.
Bake a batch for your next cookie swap and watch them disappear first.
