Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Topper

Make your winter sweet and cozy with these Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Toppers. Drizzled in chocolate and covered in candy canes, they’re the perfect finishing touch for a mug of hot cocoa. They also make great holiday gifts!

Everyone can use a little extra coziness this time of year. Adding homemade Hot Chocolate Toppers to your cocoa transforms the familiar cold weather drink into a cheerful holiday treat!

Ingredient and Substitutions

• Marshmallows – Instead of starting completely from scratch, we are getting some help from ready made marshmallows.
• Cornstarch & Powdered Sugar – The cornstarch and powdered sugar help reduce the stickiness that comes with marshmallow making. That said, you need to brush off any excess before topping with chocolate, or it will prevent the chocolate from sticking.
• Butter – The butter will help make it so the marshmallows will not stick to the bowl once they are melted. If you want to make this step easier, you can use a pan spray, but I love the flavor the butter gives the marshmallows.
• Chocolate Melts – You can use chocolate melts or almond bark. Both are made for melting, and will set up nicely. You can also use chocolate chips, but they can be a bit more finicky when melting, and don’t always harden as well as the melts do.
• Crushed Candy Canes – We love the peppermint flavor that crushed candy canes gives these marshmallow toppers.

How To Make Marshmallow Toppers For Hot Cocoa

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and powdered sugar.
2. Place half the sugar mixture into a sifter and sprinkle it over a sheet pan, making sure to coat the entire pan.
3. Grease a large microwave-safe bowl with the butter, then add in the marshmallows. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, making sure to stir every 30 seconds until they are melted.
4. Pour the marshmallows onto the prepared sheet pan. Sprinkle the top with half of the remaining sugar mixture. Rub your hands with the sugar mixture and press the marshmallow out flat in an even layer about ¼ inch thick. Anywhere that becomes sticky, just sprinkle it with the sugar mixture.
5. Allow the marshmallow to set for 30 minutes.
6. Dip your circle cookie cutter into the sugar mixture and cut out as many circles from the marshmallows as you can fit. Using a pastry brush, dust the sugar mixture off the marshmallows and set them to the side.
7. Melt your chocolate according to the directions on the packaging.
8. Drizzle the tops of the marshmallow circles with the chocolate. Sprinkle the crushed candy cane over the top of the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to set for 20 minutes. Break the chocolate from the sides of the marshmallows.
9. Place a marshmallow into your favorite cup of hot chocolate and enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Advice

• Storage – They will last for about two weeks if they are stored in an airtight container.
• No Pastry Brush, No Problem – If you don’t have a pastry brush, you can wipe off the excess cornstarch and powdered sugar with a paper towel.

Topper Swapper

While crushed candy canes work wonderfully on top of these marshmallow toppers, you can omit them if you like. You could also replace them with sprinkles, mini chocolate chips or Peppermint Andes Baking Chips. Feel free to get creative!

More Holiday Recipes To Try

If you are looking for more delicious holiday recipes, here are some of my favorites to try!

• Gingerbread Man Cookies
• Peppermint Oreo Bark
• Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
• Christmas Charcuterie Board
• Cute Christmas Appetizers
• Christmas Tree Sugar Cookie Recipe