A cozy cup of hot cocoa…but make it a cookie! These cookies really do bring that nostalgic flavor of hot chocolate mix with marshmallows which makes this the perfect recipe for your next holiday cookie exchange!

I first thought of this recipe idea after I made my S’mores Cookies because I loved the marshmallow creme center so much and I wanted something slightly similar but appropriate for winter and the holidays. Enter hot cocoa cookies! Christmas cookies are one of my favorite things on earth and my annual holiday cookie party I hosted for 15 years is one of the reasons this blog even exists! (Read more about how I got here.) So I’m always looking for a new, fun holiday cookie!

Like most of my cookie recipes, this recipe will result in a chewy cookie that you won’t want to stop making for the rest of the year!

Since I bake so much and I’m often testing new recipes, I have some hits and some misses but the moment we finished the first batch of these cookies (after perfecting the recipe), my family asked for more! And because I’m baking so often, I usually freeze extra cookies and/or give some away so they aren’t lying around to snack on or go to waste. It’s a great way to practice some portion control, spread the love, and avoid food waste but these didn’t make it into the freezer nor any gift boxes!

Here’s how to make these perfect holiday treats using high-quality, simple ingredients!

Ingredients to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies

Marshmallow Creme
KAMUT® White Flour or other All Purpose White Flour
Cocoa Powder
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Fine Salt
Unsalted Butter
White Sugar
Brown Sugar
Eggs
Vanilla
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Cooking Spray

Tools to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies

Baking Sheets
Parchment Paper
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Medium Mixing Bowl
Whisk or Dough Hook
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer and Large Bowl
Spatula or Wooden Spoon
Small (1 Tablespoon) Cookie Scoop
Large (2 Ounce) Cookie Scoop

All About Ingredients for Hot Chocolate Cookies

KAMUT® White Flour or other All Purpose White Flour

I use KAMUT® White Flour in most of my baking recipes because you can easily substitute it with all-purpose flour for those that do not have easy access to KAMUT® White Flour and it tastes great. It’s also healthier than all purpose flour. Read more here to find out more about why I bake almost exclusively with KAMUT® Brand Wheat.

Cocoa Powder

Use any unsweetened cocoa powder. I like Dutch process when I can’t find Hershey Special Dark (which is a mixture of both natural and Dutch process cocoa). The type of cocoa powder you choose will often determine the leavener you use in your recipe. However, I write most chocolate cookie recipes (including my Dubai Chocolate Cookies!) using both baking soda and baking powder so you can use any unsweetened cocoa powder.

Unsalted Butter

I make most cookies with unsalted, cold butter. If you only have salted butter on hand, use that and omit the added salt!

If you are using a hand mixer or a standard tilt-head stand mixer, I recommend room temperature butter and you will just need to chill the cookie dough a bit longer. Anytime I use cold butter in a cookie recipe, I include the option to use softened, room temperature butter in the recipe.

Vanilla

I love to add a little bit of vanilla to my chocolate recipes. You can quite distinguish the flavor but it adds a richness and warmth. I especially love to add it to these hot cocoa cookies because I remember finding out years ago that Starbucks always adds vanilla to their hot chocolate and I always thought their recipe offered a richness of flavor that I didn’t notice when I made hot cocoa at home.

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Because the marshmallow creme adds extra sweetness to these cookies, I opted for semi-sweet chocolate chips but use the chocolate chips you have!

Marshmallow Creme

Of course marshmallow creme is one of the key ingredients to take these from just chocolate cookies to Hot Chocolate Cookies! I used Toonie Moonie Organics Marshmallow Creme for these cookies. I love their marshmallow creme because it’s organic, free of artificial dyes and is vegetarian-friendly. You can use any marshmallow creme or marshmallow fluff for this recipe but if you haven’t tried Toonie Moonie, I highly recommend giving it a try! It’s likely available in a grocery store near you or you can order online.

Full disclosure – I have worked with this brand but that was after several months of falling in love with their product on my own. This post is not sponsored and any opinions here are my own.

How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookies

Start by placing the container of marshmallow creme in the freezer for at least one hour. Even if the marshmallow creme stays in the freezer overnight, it will be soft enough to scoop.

Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Stir together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder using a whisk or dough hook and set dry ingredients aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, cream together butter and both sugars on medium speed. When this mixture is completely smooth, reduce the mixer to low speed and add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until just combined. Pause the mixer to scrape down the side of the bowl as needed. Add vanilla extract and mix on low speed until just combined.

Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in one or a few batches (depending on bowl size) and mix on low speed, just until all dry ingredients are incorporated.

Remove the bowl from the stand mixer or set hand mixer aside. Using a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula, stir in the chocolate chips. Using a large 2-oz cookie scoop, place up to 8 cookies on each cookie sheet, evenly spaced.

Using the bottom of a cup, sprayed with cooking spray, each cookie dough ball into a disc that is approximately 4-5 inches across. No need to make perfect circles or measure.

Remove the marshmallow creme from the freezer and, using a small, 1 Tablespoon cookie scoop, place one scoop of marshmallow creme in the center of each cookie dough disc, then wrap the dough around the marshmallow creme. Use little pieces of dough to ‘patch up’ any holes where you still see marshmallow creme and place each of the cookie dough balls back on the baking tray, evenly spaced, with the seam side down.

For best results, place the marshmallow creme back in the freezer if you have any time you’re not using it for a few minutes to keep it as cold as possible. Keeping the filling colder than the dough will help less filling leak out during baking. Expect some of the marshmallow creme to still leak out and that’s okay – it actually gives it a fun look!

Chill baking sheets in the fridge while you preheat the oven to 350. Chill cookie sheets for 30 minutes if you used cold butter and, if you used softened butter, chill for 60 minutes.

Bake cookies for 18 minutes, rotating and swapping the trays halfway through baking time.

Transfer each cookie sheet to a wire rack and enjoy warm (when cookies set and are cool enough to handle) or let cookies cool completely on trays to keep them soft long after cool. Find more of my cookie baking tips here.