I’m sharing one of my all time favorite cookies with you today, my hot chocolate cookies. When I first made these hot cocoa cookies, adding hot cocoa mix to a cookie seemed like it would taste good. But I didn’t quite expect for them to be SO delicious. These Hot Chocolate Cookies have since become one of the most popular cookie recipes on Love From The Oven. Hot Chocolate Cookies are perfect Christmas cookies and are great cookie for cookie exchanges.
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Really truly, these hot chocolate cookies are incredible. The flavor that the hot cocoa contributes is pretty amazing, they do not taste like “another chocolate cookie” if you will, they taste like a cup of hot chocolate.
Let’s face it, most of us have had all the “standard” cookies such as chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, snickerdoodles, oatmeal cookies, double chocolate chip cookies and cut out sugar cookies. So these bring a new and fun flavor to those holiday cookie platters.
Since I first made these cookies hot chocolate cookies, Kraft Kitchens have tested the recipe. Both Swiss Miss and Kraft Jet Puffed have shared the recipe on their packaging. Seriously, they are that good.
Marshmallows In Cookies
Keeping it easy is important to me, and these hot chocolate cookies are as easy to make as your standard chocolate chip cookie, so nothing fancy needed here.
Mallow Bits
I do recommend that you use the Mallow Bits in place of regular mini-marshmallows, as the mini marshmallows can create quite a mess. You should be able to find these freeze dried marshmallows in your grocery store, either by the marshmallows or near where they keep hot chocolate.
2021 Update: Find Mallow Bits or similar dehydrated marshmallows at Target, Amazon and Walmart. Also check your local grocery store.
2020 Update: I’m not sure if Kraft is no longer making Mallow Bits, but I have a hard time finding them online, though some of my local stores still carry them. Here is what appears to be almost identical freeze dried hot chocolate marshmallows.
There also are many colored freeze dried marshmallows on the market. Another great option is the Swiss Miss Marshmallow Lover’s Cocoa, which actually includes packets of marshmallows along with the cocoa.
Chilling Dough + Mallow Bits
A note on these, I’ve found that when chilling the dough for 30 minutes, sometimes it can cause the Mallow Bits to melt into the cookie when baking.
It’s not consistent, and I think it’s dependent on how fresh/dry the Mallow Bits are (it happens to me more when I’ve purchased from Amazon). One way to completely avoid this problem is to mix the Mallow Bits in AFTER you chill the dough.
If you are looking for a different cookie to bring to a cookie exchange or to bake for the holidays, I’d highly recommend these hot chocolate cookies. While the recipe calls for regular hot cocoa, for a twist I used a dark chocolate hot cocoa mix with this batch. I love to serve them with a mug of Peppermint Hot Chocolate!
There are so many new flavors of hot cocoas out there, feel free to get a little creative with these! One thing to note: do not use sugar free hot cocoa mix. They won’t turn out as well I’m afraid.
Check out all of the cookie recipes on this site. Don’t miss all of the recipes for Christmas Cookies here on Love From The Oven! Also grab a copy of my free Favorite Cookies e-Book Cookbook, it has all my favorite cookie recipes in a convenient cookbook download.
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- My Free Favorite Cookies E-Cookbook
Hot Chocolate Cookie Recipe
Hot Chocolate Cookies
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*
- 4 packages hot cocoa mix** (or 3/4 cups hot cocoa mix – NOT SUGAR FREE VERSIONS)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup Mallow Bits*** (mini marshmallows do not work the same and can be a bit of a sticky mess)
Instructions
- Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with standing mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.
- In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients. Gradually beat dry ingredients into butter mixture until blended. Stir in chocolate chips and Mallow Bits*. Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop 2 tablespoons dough, 2 inches apart, onto baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes; remove to wire racks and cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
I can’t wait for you to try these cookies! They’d be the perfect addition to a hot cocoa bar. Check out my post all about how to set up a hot cocoa bar, such a fun (and super easy) thing to do when it’s chilly outside! Also, start your day with my Hot Chocolate Pancakes!
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Holiday Cookie Decorating Tips
Originally published October 2017
Meet Christi, Love From The Oven
I’m Christi I love sharing easy & delicious recipes that your family & friends will love. I’m a mom, baker, cookbook author and lover of sprinkles.
Hi there
Sounds like an awesome recipe..can we make this without eggs? If yes how ..any help is welcome..
Hi Sweta, I’m afraid I’m completely unfamiliar with egg-free baking. I do know you’d need to replace the eggs with something, but I do not have any advice as to what that would be. Sorry!
Can the dough be frozen? I would like to use up hot chocolate mix and freeze the cookie dough to pop in the oven at a later time.
Cailey, I haven’t tried it so I’m afraid I can’t speak to the results. That said, it should perform like most drop cookie doughs, if you typically freeze them.
I made this recipe but did a few things differently, and they came out seriously SO good. First, I halved the recipe because I thought I only had 2 packets of hot chocolate. I didn’t realize I only had one packet of hot chocolate because it came with another packet of just mini marshmallows so I said oh well and just used a bit of cocoa and extra chocolate chips to help make em chocolatey. Then I followed the rest of the recipe as it says, but after about 8 min of cooking I decided to take some big marshmallows and cut them into 8ths (the size of a mini mallow, didn’t have mini ones!) and stuck 4-5 in per cookie and put them back in to broil for about 3-5 min, turning the sheet half way. They came out delicious, chocolatey, and the broiled marshmallow gooey pieces on top were AMAZING. seriously recommend doing that if you make these cookies!! I would leave a picture but I’m not sure how!
In the odd new world of shelter in place in CA, I wanted to bake something fun for my family. I had no chocolate chips on hand and the dark chocolate swiss miss is without the marshmallow bits. I grated a tsp of mandarin orange zest into the dough. Awesome cookies – my guys love them.
A bit stir crazy in CA but at least we have yummy cookies!
So glad you liked them, stay safe!
I made the Hot Chocolate Cookies last night. SO yummy! Thanks for sharing.
I’m making these right now and my hot chocolate packets look a lot less than 3/4 cup ??♀️? Maybe 1/4 cup what is the right amount? What kind of packets do you use? Swiss miss looks not even close to 3/4 for 4 packets
Joyce, if you like you can measure it out and go that way. They may have adjusted the amount in the packages since this was written in 2012. That said I made these myself yesterday exactly as the recipe is written, and they turned out perfectly, so four packets works great, you can even see a photo in my Instagram story.
I found that turning the temperature down to 325 prevented the marshmallows from melting bag and cookies were thicker and more tender. We prepared the cookie sheets at the same time with the same batter so this was a true test.
How many cookies does one batch make?
24-36 depending on how large you make them. A standard small cookie scoop would make 36.
These are absolutely delicious cookies. I am going to be making tons of them for holiday parties this year. Thank you so so much for this recipe.
These turned out awesome! I live in Canada and cannot but mallow bits here, so I made them as directed (minus the bits) and then as soon as they came out of the oven I gently pushed 3 mini marshmallows into each cookie. They look so cute like that, and worked perfectly
Kristin, I’m so glad you enjoyed them!