The Ultimate Hot Chocolate Cookies Baking Recipe: A Cosy Christmas Treat

Have you ever dreamt of transforming the comforting, soul-soothing warmth of a mug of hot chocolate into a soft, chewy biscuit? That feeling of pure contentment, snuggled up on a cold evening, is precisely what we’ve managed to capture in every single one of these delightful cookies. If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate treat to make your christmas baking session truly special, you’ve certainly found it. We are delighted to share our definitive Hot Chocolate Cookies Baking Recipe, a creation that wonderfully mirrors the beloved winter beverage, right down to the gooey marshmallows and intensely chocolatey flavour.

This recipe is more than just a list of ingredients and steps; it’s a chance to create cherished moments. It’s about filling your home with the heavenly scent of baking chocolate and sharing a warm, freshly-made treat with those you care about most. Whether you’re an experienced baker or a complete novice, we assure you this recipe is simple, enjoyable, and delivers spectacular results. So, let’s tie on our aprons and get ready to bake a batch of pure joy!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Deep, Rich Chocolate Taste: We incorporate both cocoa powder and a premium hot chocolate mix to achieve a profound, complex chocolate flavour that echoes a luxurious cup of hot cocoa.
• Irresistibly Soft and Gooey: The wonderful contrast between the soft, chewy cookie base and the little pockets of molten mini marshmallows creates a texture that is simply divine in every mouthful.
• Wonderful for Holiday Decorating: These cookies serve as the perfect canvas for your festive imagination. They are ideal for making christmas cookies decorated with colourful icing and sprinkles, guaranteeing they’ll be a highlight on any holiday table.
• Easy for Bakers of All Levels: We have carefully outlined the entire process in easy-to-digest steps, making sure that even those new to baking can produce brilliant results. There are no complicated methods or special tools required!
• A Guaranteed Hit with Everyone: From children to grandparents, absolutely everyone falls in love with these cookies. They are the ideal treat to share at a party, package as a thoughtful gift, or enjoy after a delicious family meal, like our much-loved Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe.

Ingredients

• 225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 150g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar, packed
• 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g (2 cups) plain flour
• 65g (3/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 50g (1/2 cup) high-quality instant hot chocolate mix
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 180g (1 cup) milk chocolate chips
• 100g (1.5 cups) mini marshmallows

Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Hot Chocolate Cookies

We’ve laid out this recipe with clarity in mind, walking you through every stage to guarantee your hot chocolate cookies are a triumph. Just follow along for a tray of the most delightful biscuits you’ve ever made.

Step 1: Preparing the Cookie Dough

1. Cream Butter and Sugars: In a spacious mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to cream together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Beat them on a medium speed for around 2–3 minutes until the mixture is beautifully light and creamy.
2. Add Wet Ingredients: Introduce the eggs one by one, ensuring you beat well after each is added. Once the eggs are completely blended in, stir through the vanilla extract. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly mixed.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the plain flour, cocoa powder, hot chocolate mix, bicarbonate of soda, and salt together. This is a vital step as it ensures the raising agent is evenly distributed and helps avoid any lumps. For an extra-smooth texture, you can sift them instead. To delve deeper into the science of ingredients like cocoa, this guide from King Arthur Baking is a fantastic read.
4. Mix Wet and Dry: Bit by bit, add the dry mixture to your wet ingredients, mixing on a low speed until everything is just incorporated. Be very careful not to overwork the dough here; you should stop mixing as soon as no dry patches remain. Overmixing can result in tough cookies.

Step 2: Incorporating the Chocolatey Goodness

1. Fold in the Mix-Ins: With a spatula, gently fold through the milk chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. You’ll notice the dough is quite thick and sticky – this is perfect. The marshmallows might seem a bit unruly, but just gently coax them back into the dough.
2. Chill the Dough: This is our crucial tip for cookie perfection! Cover the bowl with cling film and place the dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour, though up to 24 hours is even better. Chilling the dough not only intensifies the chocolate flavour but also prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven and makes them far easier to shape.

Step 3: Baking to Perfection

1. Preheat and Prepare: Once you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Line a couple of large baking trays with baking parchment.
2. Portion the Dough: Take the chilled dough from the fridge and scoop out rounded tablespoons (roughly 1.5 tablespoons per cookie). Roll them into neat balls and arrange them on your prepared trays, leaving about 2 inches of space between each one so they have room to spread.
3. Bake: Pop them in the oven to bake for 10–12 minutes. The edges will look firm, but the centres should still appear quite soft and slightly underbaked. This is the key to a wonderfully chewy cookie! They will continue to set as they cool on the tray.
4. Add More Marshmallows (Optional): For that quintessential “hot chocolate” aesthetic, you can gently press a few more mini marshmallows into the tops of the cookies the moment they come out of the oven. The warmth from the cookies will melt them just enough to become delightfully gooey.
5. Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking trays for 5–10 minutes before you move them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. This step is important for helping them firm up properly.

Tips for Success and Festive Decoration Ideas

To help you make this hot chocolate cookies baking recipe truly exceptional, we’re sharing a few of our favourite tips. These little touches will elevate your bake from wonderful to absolutely sublime.

Making the Best Cookies

• Use Quality Ingredients: The final taste of your cookies is hugely influenced by the quality of your cocoa and hot chocolate mix. We suggest using a brand you already enjoy drinking for the most delicious outcome.
• Don’t Skip the Chill: We cannot say this enough! Chilling the dough is an essential step if your goal is to have thick, chewy cookies with a deep, concentrated chocolate flavour.
• Room Temperature Matters: Using butter and eggs at room temperature is key. It allows the ingredients to blend together seamlessly, resulting in a smoother, more consistent dough.
• Measure Flour Correctly: For the most accurate results, we always recommend weighing your flour with digital scales. If you’re using cups, employ the “spoon and level” technique: spoon flour into the cup until it’s overflowing, then sweep a straight edge across the top to level it.

Ideas for Christmas Cookie Decoration

These cookies are a brilliant part of any festive spread. With just a little bit of decoration, they can be transformed into a truly special Christmas treat.

• White Chocolate Drizzle: After the cookies have fully cooled, melt some white chocolate and elegantly drizzle it over the tops. This creates a lovely visual contrast, reminiscent of swirled cream.
• Festive Sprinkles: For a dash of Christmas cheer, scatter some red, green, and white sprinkles over the white chocolate drizzle before it has a chance to set.
• Crushed Peppermint: To add a refreshing, minty note, sprinkle some crushed candy canes or peppermint sweets over the cookies.

FAQ

Conclusion: Your New Favourite Winter Treat

And there you have it—our cherished hot chocolate cookies baking recipe, which neatly packages the warmth and delight of the famous winter drink into a single, perfect biscuit. We have a feeling these will quickly earn a special place in your baking repertoire, particularly when the festive season arrives. They make a wonderful finish to any meal, whether you’ve enjoyed a simple weeknight dinner like our Sticky Chicken Rice Bowls or a more elaborate Sunday feast.

So, there’s no reason to delay! It’s time to let the glorious aroma of chocolate fill your kitchen and make some delicious new memories. We wholeheartedly encourage you to get creative with the decorations and truly make this recipe your own. Gather your ingredients, switch on your oven, and let the festive baking commence! Please do share your beautiful bakes with us on social media—we would be thrilled to see your amazing hot chocolate cookies!

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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Yields: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 150g (3/4 cup) light brown sugar, packed
• 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g (2 cups) plain flour
• 65g (3/4 cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 50g (1/2 cup) high-quality instant hot chocolate mix
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 180g (1 cup) milk chocolate chips
• 100g (1.5 cups) mini marshmallows

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cocoa powder, hot chocolate mix, bicarbonate of soda, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined.
5. Gently fold in the milk chocolate chips and mini marshmallows with a spatula.
6. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
7. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan). Line baking trays with parchment paper.
8. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough, roll into balls, and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared trays.
9. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are firm but the centres are still soft.
10. Optional: As soon as they come out of the oven, press a few extra mini marshmallows onto the tops.
11. Let the cookies cool on the baking trays for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition (per cookie):
Calories: 221,
Carbs: 29g,
Protein: 2g,
Fat: 10g