These Chipotle Hot Chocolate Cookies are like a spicy hot chocolate drink in cookie form, topped with toasted marshmallow for good measure!
I became a fan of hot chocolate drinks only this year, and that was thanks largely to a certain hot chocolate drink I discovered a few months ago. I’m thinking of making a feature for it some time next year, but all I can tell you is that it involves chili and hot chocolate. And boy has it inspired me to make a bunch of recipes of a similar flavor! Today, I’m happy to write about these Chipotle Hot Chocolate Cookies.
Some time ago, I had come across a recipe from Love & Olive Oil blog that I thought would make the perfect canvas for a hot chocolate inspired cookie. I decided to tweak the recipe just a little by adding marshmallows on top. I have never done any toasting on my oven broiler before so I was a bit nervous about this, but it’s just marshmallows so what on earth could go wrong?
Turns out I only had much to gain from this experience, because oh boy, I think I just made one of my favorite chocolate cookies ever.
The chili notes play an important part, I’m sure, as to why I adore these cookies. I love spicy food, and I wasn’t expecting that to apply to chili chocolate as well, but when done right this combo is so good! With these Chipotle Hot Chocolate Cookies, a deep chocolatey flavor blends right in with a smoky spiciness that isn’t offensive. The heat creeps into your tastebuds, and it’s only surprising if you don’t know what to expect. But then the chocolate and the sweet marshmallow takes back control and the lingering heat fades.
The texture of the cookies are also right up my alley. At first you think it’s a crisp cookie because it has a decidedly firm shell, but the moment you bite into it or even break it apart you will realize that it’s actually soft and chewy inside.
Now the marshmallow bit is not necessarily a requirement because I honestly enjoy these cookies more when I get the full blast of chocolate and chipotle, BUT it is a super fun and cute addition to these Chipotle Hot Chocolate Cookies. It completes that hot chocolate concept, with the marshmallows on top.
And the recipe is as easy as mixing up some hot chocolate too. No fancy techniques, nothing complicated; although you do need to take an extra step towards the end to get that toasted marshmallow top. The marshmallows are basically pressed into the center of half-baked chocolate cookies. Then the oven is switched to broiler mode and the cookies are returned to finish for about 4 minutes more, to brown the marshmallows and fully bake the cookies.
The thing I like about these cookies is that even though I forgot to take them out of the oven for a minute or two more (which is bad so do not emulate), they did not dry out. They only remained chewy inside. If you plan not to make these with marshmallows, just place some more chocolate chips on top of the cookie dough mounds before baking them to make them look pretty once they’ve spread. In this case, bake the cookies for a full 12 minutes or so until firm.
To be honest, I’d be perfectly happy munching on these Chipotle Hot Chocolate Cookies even without the marshmallows.
Chipotle Hot Chocolate Cookies
Makes about 26 cookies
Ingredients
- 1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup dark or Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- 13 jumbo marshmallows, sliced into half crosswise
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line three baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat; set aside.
- 2. In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together flour, cocoa powder, chipotle powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- 3. In another large mixing bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar, and sugar until it is the consistency of wet sand. No chunks of butter should be visible. (You can do this by hand, or use a hand mixer or a stand mixer.)
- 4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- 5. Add in the dry ingredients all at once, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Stir in mini chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed. The dough will be soft but not sticky.
- 6. Using a small ice cream scoop, approximately tablespoon-sized, drop dough onto lined baking sheet. Leave about two inches of space between each mound to give them room to spread.
- 7. Bake cookies for 8 minutes, until they have spread and have just begun to set but are still very soft. Take the baking sheet out of the oven and switch the oven to broiler mode. Immediately stick your prepared marshmallow halves into the center of the half-baked cookies.
- 8. Return the cookies into the oven and bake for another 4 to 5 minutes, until the marshmallows have browned and the cookies are set. Repeat the baking process, making sure to turn the oven back from broiler mode before baking the next batch.
- 9. Allow the baked cookies to cool in the baking sheet at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies will be at their best stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
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