Description
These Hot Chocolate Cookies are a delightful treat combining rich cocoa and chocolate chips with a gooey marshmallow center. Perfectly soft and slightly chewy, they offer a comforting hot chocolate experience in cookie form. Ideal for cozy gatherings or as a special dessert, these cookies are topped with extra chocolate chips and can be elegantly drizzled with chocolate syrup for an irresistible finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons whole milk (or 2% or almond milk)
Add-ins and Toppings
- 1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate chips (plus more for topping)
- Marshmallows (for stuffing, chopped as needed)
- Chocolate syrup or melted chocolate for drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt until well combined, ensuring a uniform dry mix.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, indicating that air has been incorporated for tender cookies.
- Add Vanilla, Egg, and Milk: Mix in the pure vanilla extract, large egg, and milk thoroughly until the wet ingredients are well combined and smooth.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually stir the dry ingredient mixture into the wet mixture, blending until a thick, cohesive dough forms without streaks of flour.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold the 1/2 cup of unsweetened chocolate chips into the dough to distribute them evenly throughout.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour or alternatively freeze for 20 minutes to firm it up, which aids in shaping the cookies later.
- Preheat the Oven: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Shape the Cookies: Once chilled, roll the dough into balls and flatten each slightly to prepare them for stuffing.
- Stuff with Marshmallows: Place a piece of chopped marshmallow in the center of each flattened dough ball, then wrap the dough completely around the marshmallow, sealing it inside to create a gooey center when baked.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the stuffed dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, ensuring about 2 inches of space between them for spreading.
- Add Extra Chocolate Chips: Top each cookie with additional chocolate chips to enhance the chocolate flavor and add texture.
- Freeze Before Baking: Freeze the assembled dough balls on the baking sheet for an additional 20 minutes so they hold their shape and the marshmallows don’t spill out during baking.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft and gooey.
- Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Decoration: Once fully cooled, drizzle the cookies with chocolate syrup or melted chocolate for added sweetness and visual appeal.
- Set the Drizzle: Let the chocolate drizzle set at room temperature before serving to avoid messiness.
Notes
- For best results, use Dutch-processed cocoa powder for a richer chocolate flavor.
- Chilling the dough is crucial to prevent spreading and help maintain the shape when stuffing marshmallows.
- You can substitute almond milk or 2% milk according to preference or dietary needs.
- Freeze the shaped cookies before baking to ensure the marshmallow stays perfectly encased.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Reheat slightly before serving if you want the marshmallow center to be soft and melty again.
