If you love a nice mug of hot cocoa, then you are going to absolutely adore these Hot Cocoa Cookies. Made with hot cocoa mix, they truly taste like hot chocolate!
With the addition of dehydrated mini marshmallows, you have all the flavor of hot chocolate in these delicious hot cocoa cookies! These make the perfect addition to your Christmas Cookie baking and holiday cookie exchanges!
On a recent trip to Target a new product jumped into my cart…
(2020 – Update: Unfortunately it seems Mallow Bits are very hard to find in stores year. Any freeze dried marshmallows will work. They are easy to find online, though in store can be a bit harder. Check by your hot chocolate area. Also, some brands such as ChocoMaker are now selling what appear to be identical marshmallows as sprinkles, so check the sprinkle isle.
2017 – Fun update, a few months after I shared this post back in 2012, the folks at Kraft reached out to me, and a few months later after much testing on in the Kraft Kitchens, this cookie recipe appeared on the actual Jet-Puffed Mallow Bits container, as well as some of the Swiss Miss Cocoa containers. You can still find it there today!)
Kraft Marshmallow “Mallow Bits”. Clearly I had to buy some. They were available in both vanilla and peppermint, and were on the end of an isle, where all the products you can’t find seem to reside.
While I’m sure they would be great to eat out of the container for lunch, I decided I would work them into a recipe. Hot chocolate cookies sounded like fun.
Hot Cocoa Cookies
The Mallow Bits can be a bit (no pun intended) hard to find. Check both the marshmallow area and the hot cocoa/coffee isle. More often than not I find them with the hot cocoa.
But if you can’t find those, or you like to have things in mass quantities, there is always Amazon. You can get a pack of the Mallow Bits or a different brand of dehydrated marshmallows.
I have to admit, I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular from these cookies.
I mean the only difference from a regular cookie is swapping the cocoa powder for hot chocolate mix – no biggie.
Well surprise surprise, these were GREAT.
Both my daughter and a friend of ours agreed – while they knew they’d be good, they ended up being much better than expected. Woohoo! Here’s how to make them… 
RECIPE FOR COOKIES MADE WITH HOT CHOCOLATE MIX
Hot Cocoa Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 4 packages Hot Chocolate Mix not sugar free - or 3/4 cups
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup Marshmallow Bits*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a mixing bowl, mix butter until light and fluffy. Add in sugars and mix until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until just combined.
- Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Add to wet ingredients and stir to combine.
- Scoop onto baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper, approximately 2-3 tablespoons of dough per scoop, and bake for approximately 9-11 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool at least ten minutes prior to transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Notes
matt says
These are a holiday favorite. I’ve been making them for about 5 years. Every year I get more and more requests. Thank you for the tip on the dehydrated marshmallows. I was searching high and low for these and thought I was going to have to find a new cookie recipe to make (I tried them with regular marshmallows once. Not a good idea). This is the perfect recipe and cookie to add to the holiday goody box for friends/family.
Diane says
The last step should be to fold in the marshmallow bits and chocolate chips. I put them in with the dry ingredients and that made it very difficult. They are very good though!
Danielle says
Hi! I’m so excited to make these cookies! How long do they stay fresh after baking them? i wasn’t planning on serving them until 4-5 days after i bake them- would that be okay if i store them in an air tight tin?
Christi Johnstone says
As with any cookie they are freshest in the first 1-3 days after. I would recommend cooling them completely then popping that air tight container in the freezer if possible for optimum freshness.
Michelle says
This recipe is EXCELLENT!!!! Super easy to make and the cookies form and cook up perfectly. The flavor is amazing and they look really pretty. Wish I could post a picture here because they look that good!
The only thing I did different is after I put the dough on the sheet I placed a few chocolate chips and mini marshmallows right on top before I baked them so you can see all the goodness.
Can’t wait to serve these on Christmas!
Jenny says
I have not tried these yet im planning on making them tomorrow on christmas eve and im not a very skilled baker so if this question is stupid im sorry lol in your post it said you chilled the dough for 30min and to add the mallows after chilling but in your recipe it doesnt say anything about chilling them does it make a difference to chill it or no
Linda cannoy says
I can’t wait to try these for Christmas !
Francie Harville says
My dad found this recipe and made it gluten-free for my niece (using one-for-one GF flour). They were very tasty! I’m making them today with regular flour. The GF version does get rather dry and sandy after a day or so, which is pretty common for GF baked goods. Happy New Year!
Ken says
Can you use dehydrated marshmallows?
Christi Johnstone says
Dehydrated marshmallows (Kraft’s Mallow Bits) are already used in this recipe. 🙂
Monique says
Are you using salted or unsalted butter?
Christi Johnstone says
Either is fine, I don’t notice a difference in the taste in these cookies.
Racine says
Can Nestle Quick be used in these?