The cocoa smell comes up before the cookies have even finished baking, but the centers can look almost too soft when the timer goes off. That’s exactly what I want for these hot cocoa cookies with marshmallow buttercream: set edges, tender middles, and little pockets of semisweet chocolate.
I learned not to judge them straight from the oven. They need five minutes on the baking sheets before they’re sturdy enough to move, and the centers finish setting as they cool. Then the marshmallow buttercream goes on only after the cookies are completely cool.
The contrast is what makes each bite work: deep cocoa in the cookie, a fluffy layer of marshmallow buttercream, and chocolate chips tucked through the dough. They’re the kind of cookie that looks special on a plate but doesn’t need complicated decorating.
Kitchen Note
I set aside the butter for the frosting before I start mixing the cookie dough. Both parts use softened butter, and separating it at the beginning keeps the cookies from using up the buttercream’s share.
Save these hot cocoa cookies with marshmallow buttercream for a chocolatey cookie with soft centers and a fluffy topping.
Natural Cocoa Is Doing More Than Making These Cookies Chocolatey
Natural cocoa powder brings a rich chocolate flavor, but it also matters to how the dough bakes. Unlike Dutch-process cocoa, natural cocoa is acidic. Baking soda reacts with that acidity, helping the cookies rise and set with a soft, tender crumb instead of baking up dense.
That’s why I stick with unsweetened natural cocoa here rather than swapping in whatever cocoa happens to be open in the cupboard. Dutch-process cocoa has been treated to reduce its acidity, so the balance with the baking soda changes. The cookies may spread or set differently, and their chocolate flavor can come across differently, too.
The cocoa also makes this dough look darker and a little less forgiving than a plain sugar-cookie dough. Mix just until the dry ingredients disappear; once the flour and cocoa are incorporated, more mixing won’t make the chocolate flavor stronger. It can make the finished cookies tougher. Keeping the cocoa type consistent and stopping at the right point gives you the soft, cocoa-forward cookie this topping needs.
Why the Marshmallow Buttercream Needs More Than Powdered Sugar
- Unsalted butter — It gives the cookie dough its richness and makes the buttercream creamy. Unsalted butter lets the measured fine salt stay in control; softened butter should give slightly when pressed but shouldn’t look shiny or melted.
- All-purpose flour — Regular all-purpose flour is the right practical choice here; there’s no need for specialty flour. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level the top so you don’t accidentally pack in extra flour and make the cookies dry.
- Granulated and light brown sugars — The granulated sugar supports the creamed dough, while the brown sugar brings moisture and a deeper, slightly caramel-like note. Keep the brown sugar packed when measuring so the dough stays balanced.
- Egg and vanilla extract — The egg binds the dough and contributes moisture, while vanilla rounds out the cocoa. Use a large egg, and scrape the bowl so the egg and vanilla blend evenly through the butter mixture.
- Semisweet chocolate chips — Baking chips give you distinct chocolate bites without changing the dough’s texture. A familiar grocery-store brand works well; there’s no need to spend extra on premium chips for this batch.
- Marshmallow creme and confectioners’ sugar — Marshmallow creme supplies the recognizable fluffy marshmallow character, while finely ground confectioners’ sugar thickens the buttercream. Granulated sugar won’t dissolve into the frosting the same way, and marshmallow creme is what keeps this topping distinct from a plain butter frosting.
From Cocoa Dough to Fluffy Marshmallow Topping
Set Up the Pans and Dry Ingredients
Heat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds, then line two 18×13-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Whisk the flour, natural cocoa, baking soda, and fine salt in a medium bowl until the cocoa is evenly distributed. A few pale streaks of flour or pockets of cocoa can leave the finished dough uneven, so whisk until the mixture looks uniformly brown.
Cream the Butter, Then Finish the Dough
Beat the cookie portion of softened butter with both sugars on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture looks fluffy rather than dense. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the bowl so no butter mixture stays stuck along the sides. Add the dry mixture in two additions on low speed, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips without continuing to beat the dough.
Scoop and Bake Until the Centers Look Soft
Scoop rounded 1 1/2-tablespoon portions onto the lined sheets, leaving about 2 inches between them. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, swapping the sheets’ rack positions and rotating them front to back halfway through. The edges should look set while the centers still appear slightly soft; waiting for the centers to look firm in the oven can leave the cookies dry after they cool.
Cool Before You Frost
Leave the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then move them to wire racks to cool completely. For the buttercream, beat the remaining softened butter on medium for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy. Beat in the marshmallow creme, then add the confectioners’ sugar in two additions on low; once it’s incorporated, beat on medium until fluffy. Spread the buttercream over the cooled cookies, not warm ones.
Easy Changes for the Chocolate and Flour
Use dark chocolate chips for a less-sweet bite
Replace the semisweet chips with dark chocolate chips. The cookies will have a more bittersweet chocolate note, which balances the sweet marshmallow buttercream nicely.
Make a gluten-free batch
Replace the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. The cookies may have a slightly more delicate crumb, so let them rest on the baking sheets for the full cooling time before moving them.
Swap chips for chopped semisweet chocolate
Chop a semisweet chocolate bar and fold the pieces into the dough in place of the chips. The chopped chocolate melts into a mix of small flecks and larger pockets, so the cookies look a little more rustic.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Keep frosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The cookies will soften a little as they sit with the buttercream.
- Freezer: Freeze the baked cookies without frosting in a single layer until firm, then store them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw them before adding freshly made buttercream.
- Reheating: These are best served at room temperature, so let refrigerated cookies sit out briefly before eating. Don’t microwave frosted cookies; the buttercream will melt.
Questions That Come Up When Baking These Cocoa Cookies
Hot Cocoa Cookies with Marshmallow Buttercream
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds.
- Line two 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Beat 1 cup of the softened butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until fluffy.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing on low just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop rounded 1 1/2-tablespoon portions onto the baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, swapping the sheets’ rack positions and rotating them front to back halfway through, until the edges are set and the centers still look slightly soft.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
- Beat the remaining 1 cup softened butter in a large bowl on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until creamy.
- Beat in the marshmallow creme until smooth.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar in two additions, beating on low until incorporated and then on medium until fluffy.
- Spread the buttercream over the completely cooled cookies.
