For all my Christmas cookies this year, these cookies had the most potential, but they just didn’t live up to the hype. The mix of chocolate chips and marshmallows helped carry them to the finish line, but ultimately the allure of “hot cocoa” flavor tasted too manufactured and not real.

There are other hot cocoa recipes out there, but it may be better to leave hot cocoa to the mugs where it belongs.

HOT COCOA COOKIES
Based on this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

10 tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (96 g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (70 g) light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (205 g) all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. (~56 g) hot cocoa mix
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. + 1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
1/3 cup mini marshmallow bits

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheet.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars until smooth.
3. Add the egg and vanilla, then beat until combined.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, hot cocoa mix, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until blended.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallow bits.
7. Scoop tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes.
8. Let cool on baking sheet for ~3 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

NOTE: The recipe yielded 26 cookies using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop. I used the hot cocoa mix that contains marshmallow bits (~64 g, 3 packets) and added ~1/2 cup of mini marshmallows. I baked my cookies for 12 minutes.