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.
kelly says
Did you use whole sticks of butter? In the picture it almost looks like half sticks. Just want to make sure before I start baking. Can’t wait to try these!!
Mary says
I, too, make my own hot cocoa mix so I have a big container of it. If someone could open a packet of mix, measure it, and let us know how much (1/4 c.? 1/2 c.?) is in it that would be so helpful. Thanks!
Christi says
Mary, I think what might work would be to figure whatever amount of your mix equals a single serving, since each packet would be a single serving, and then go accordingly (so four packets = four servings). Hope that helps.
Lisa says
My dough wasn’t dry like yours. I added another half cup of flour but they still came out very flat and won’t hold their shape when I remove them from the pan. What could have gone wrong?
Christi says
Hmm… I do find that a really dry dough actually holds it’s shape much better, so if they weren’t dry, that makes some sense. How much was your butter melted? That’s one of the variables that could have been a factor. How did they taste?
Michelle says
I’ve made these twice now, & although they are good, I’m having the same problem with them turning out flat. I’ve used Air Bake sheets/ non-Air Bake sheets, chilled dough/ didn’t chill dough, cookie scoop/ hands ….. still flat. My butter was room temperature – soft enough to beat but not all melted.
Christi says
Michelle, how dry was your dough? My dough is always quite dry when I make these, to the point I have to almost knead it by hand to really combine it, versus stirring or using my mixer. Dose your dough look the same as mine in the photo on the cookie sheet? My first thoughts would be either having your butter a bit colder or upping the flour.
Kristen says
Made these this afternoon and they are DELICIOUS!!! And yes, soft and chewy cookies are a MUST! Thanks for the great recipe!! I’ll definitely be making these again!
Kristen says
These sound amazing… is the cookie soft and chewy??
Christi says
Kristen, yes it is. I kind of think all cookies need to be that way! š
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie says
I need to find these marshmallows I have yet to see them.
woody love says
Just use the marshmallow that come in the hot chocolate mix.
Dena Hamlin says
YUM-O! these just came out of the oven and they were one of the best cookies I ever had, but how do you get them to be shaped like ice-cream scoops?
Dena Hamlin says
Oh my gosh! The batter was UNBELIEVABLY good! we couldn’t stop eating it! The cookies are in the oven and we are VERY eager to see how the taste!
Connie @ Parent Picks + says
These sound fantastic! I just found your blog, and I must say I love your photos! They make me want to bake everything on it. I can’t wait to make these cookies. I think I saw these bits the last time I was at Target.
Melissa McLane says
I am not the biggest cookie fan but these sounded good so I thought I’d give them a try. I have to say, they are the BEST cookies I’ve EVER had! I love, love, LOVE them! Thank you so much for sharing!
Kirstin says
How many cookies did it make?