Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow Topping
These thick cocoa cookies have lightly crackled tops, soft centers, and clusters of mini marshmallows with a chocolate rim still visible around each one. The marshmallows go on after the cookie bases bake, then return to the oven just long enough to puff and soften—not toast.
Check the cookie edges rather than waiting for the centers to feel firm. The bases continue to set on the hot baking sheet, while the marshmallow topping needs only a minute or two of additional heat.
Makes about 12 cookies. Prep time: 20 minutes. Bake time: 12–14 minutes per sheet, including the marshmallow finish.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (45g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick; 113g)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- About 2 cups mini marshmallows (100g); plan on 8–10 per cookie
Optional finish: A small pinch of ground cinnamon for a light dusting over the marshmallows.
How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cool, rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the dough: Beat the softened butter with both sugars until creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until a thick, scoopable dough forms.
- Portion the cookies: Scoop rounded 2-tablespoon portions onto the sheet, spacing them 2–3 inches apart. Do not flatten them. Bake about 6 per standard sheet, in batches as needed. If the dough is too soft to hold its shape, chill it briefly before baking.
- Bake the bases: Bake for 9–11 minutes, checking at 9 minutes. Remove the sheet when the edges look set and the tops have begun to crack, even if the centers still look soft.
- Add the marshmallows: Immediately arrange 8–10 mini marshmallows in a close cluster on each warm cookie, leaving a narrow chocolate rim. Press them gently into the tops.
- Soften the topping: Return the sheet to the 350°F oven for 1–2 minutes. Check after 1 minute and remove the cookies as soon as the marshmallows look puffed and soft but remain mostly white.
- Cool: If using cinnamon, dust it lightly over the marshmallows. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them carefully to a wire rack. Let the topping settle before storing or stacking.
Use a cool baking sheet for each batch. Dough placed on a hot sheet can spread before it reaches the oven.
When to Add the Marshmallows
Adding the mini marshmallows after the first bake keeps them on top rather than letting them disappear into the dough. Pressing them lightly into the hot cookies helps them stay in place. The second bake is only to soften the topping; leaving it in the oven too long can make the marshmallows chewy.
How to Tell the Cookies Are Done
Look for set edges, the first cracks on top, and centers that still appear soft. The cookies firm up during their rest on the baking sheet. Waiting until the centers feel firm can leave the bases dry or crisp.
Toasted Marshmallow Variation
For a browned topping, briefly broil the marshmallow-topped cookies instead of returning them to the 350°F oven. Watch closely: marshmallows brown quickly under the broiler. This produces a different finish from the soft, mostly white topping above.
Storage
Store completely cooled cookies in a loosely packed airtight container at room temperature. For the best topping texture, aim to eat them within about 3 days; the marshmallows may become sticky or firmer over time. Keep the cookies in a single layer if possible, or separate layers with parchment.
Freezing the topped cookies may change the marshmallow texture after thawing.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per cookie, based on 12 cookies: 250 calories, 4g protein, 9g fat, and 42g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 380 calories, 6g protein, 14g fat, and 64g carbohydrates. Values vary with ingredient brands, cookie size, and the amount of marshmallow topping used.
Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow Topping
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Electric mixer
- Cookie scoop
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (45 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 stick; 113 g)
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar (150 g)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (50 g)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- About 2 cups mini marshmallows (100 g), 8–10 per cookie
- Optional: small pinch of ground cinnamon for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cool, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat the softened butter with both sugars until creamy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until a thick, scoopable dough forms.
- Scoop rounded 2-tablespoon portions onto the baking sheet, spacing them 2–3 inches apart. Do not flatten; bake about 6 cookies per sheet.
- Bake for 9–11 minutes, checking at 9 minutes. Remove the sheet when the edges look set and the tops have begun to crack, even if the centers still look soft.
- Immediately arrange 8–10 mini marshmallows in a close cluster on each warm cookie, leaving a narrow chocolate rim. Press them gently into the tops.
- Return the sheet to the oven for 1–2 minutes. Check after 1 minute and remove the cookies when the marshmallows are puffed and soft but mostly white.
- Dust lightly with cinnamon, if using. Rest the cookies on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack and let the topping settle.
Tips
- Use a cool baking sheet for each batch to prevent the dough from spreading before baking.
- If the dough is too soft to hold its shape, chill it briefly before baking.
- Judge doneness by set edges and the first cracks on top; the centers should still look soft.
- Check the marshmallows after 1 minute of the second bake so they do not become chewy.
Variations
- Toasted Marshmallow Topping: Broil the marshmallow-topped cookies briefly instead of returning them to the 350°F oven; watch closely because the marshmallows brown quickly.