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
- 1 cup 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
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Cayla says
I just found these cookies and made some to try and oh my gods they are going on my cookies list because they are so nummy
Jenna Cordero says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Christi Johnstone says
So truth be told, I personally cannot taste any difference, in any way. So I say use what you keep on hand or prefer.
Lynn says
Can this cookie batter be rolled into balls and frozen before baking? I can’t wait to try these.
Thank you for your answer.
Lynn says
Can the batter be rolled into cookies and frozen before baking? I can’t wait to try these.
Than you for your answer.
Christi Johnstone says
Sure!
Heather says
Do these freeze nicely?
Christi Johnstone says
You can freeze these the same as any other drop cookie.
Elizabeth says
A neighbor made these and they were delicious. I noted the butter quantity here is 1 cup but the recipe on the marshmallow container indicates the butter quantity is 1 1/4 cup. Which amount do you prefer? The recipe on the marshmallow label also omits salt, which is so important!
Christi Johnstone says
I wrote the recipe that you see on the container probably close to a decade ago. The recipe here on my site has been tweaked over the years, so go with the one here on the site.
Lex says
Do you use light or dark brown sugar? And what kind of hot cocoa mix do you use, milk chocolate?
Christi Johnstone says
You can use either, I typically have light brown sugar on hand. For a recipe like this the brown sugar flavor isn’t going to shine through, so really either is fine. I never use milk chocolate anything, because I dislike it. If you like it, by all means, use it! It’s simply a matter of taste. I always gravitate to dark chocolate, but it’s just my personal preference.
Matt says
I’ve made these multiple times a Christmas season for 5 years and every time people can’t get enough. I’m known as the hot cocoa cookies guy in my neighborhood.
Ann says
What kind of chocolate chips should I use?
Christi Johnstone says
Whatever you like! I always recommend semi-sweet or dark chocolate, but that is purely based on my personal dislike of milk chocolate. 🙂
Cindy says
I usually never leave reviews, but I absolutely had to for these cookies. they are just perfect. I will make them often. Thank you 🙂
Christi Johnstone says
So glad you liked them!