Description
Delight in these rich and chewy Hot Cocoa Cookies featuring a luscious chocolate cookie base topped with gooey marshmallows and a decadent drizzle of melted semi-sweet chocolate. Perfectly balanced with optional peppermint accents, these cookies bring the comforting flavors of hot cocoa into a handheld treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup Butter (barely softened)
- 1 1/3 cups Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract (optional)
- 2 1/2 cups Flour (use 2 3/4 cups for thicker cookies)
- 2/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon Salt
- 2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Topping and Drizzle
- 8 large Marshmallows (cut in half)
- 6 ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate (melted for drizzling)
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup Crushed Candy Canes (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Cream Butter and Sugars: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large mixing bowl, cream together the barely softened butter, brown sugar, and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through to ensure even mixing.
- Add Eggs and Extracts: Incorporate the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract. If you’re using peppermint extract for a festive twist, add it at this stage. Mix for an additional minute to fully combine.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Mix: Sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add these to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into balls about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter and place them 2 inches apart on the sheet to allow for spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just set but the centers remain soft.
- Add Marshmallow Topping: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, press half of a large marshmallow (cut side down) onto the center of each warm cookie. Return the baking sheet to the oven and bake for an additional 2 minutes, just until the marshmallows puff slightly and become gooey.
- Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set and firm up slightly before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt Chocolate for Drizzle: In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the semi-sweet chocolate at 50% power in 30-second increments, stirring in between to avoid burning. Adding 1-2 teaspoons of neutral oil can help thin the chocolate for easier drizzling.
- Drizzle and Garnish: Once the cookies are cooled, drizzle the melted chocolate over the tops using a piping bag, spoon, or knife. If desired, sprinkle crushed candy canes over the chocolate drizzle before it sets to add a festive peppermint crunch.
Notes
- For thicker cookies, increase the flour to 2 3/4 cups.
- Adding peppermint extract and crushed candy canes creates a delightful peppermint twist.
- Ensure butter is barely softened to achieve proper creaming without melting.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be soft in the center for best texture.
- Let cookies cool before drizzling with melted chocolate to prevent melting the marshmallow topping.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 497
- Sugar: 41 g
- Sodium: 291 mg
- Fat: 26 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 64 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
