Hot Cocoa Cookies!

It's the time of year when I just want to curl up with a cup of hot cocoa and a cookie every night.  I was making M&M cookies with by niece a couple weeks ago and decided I wanted to morph the recipe a bit and turn them into Hot Cocoa Cookies!  The original recipe for M&M cookies can be found here.

What's the best part of hot cocoa?  The little marshmallows!  For these cookies I highly demand suggest you pick up some Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Bits or dehydrated marshmallows.  They taste exactly like Lucky Charms!  If you've ever baked with regular mini marshmallows, you know they basically disappear in the over - where do they even go??  Anyway, these were easy to find; right in the aisle with the tea and coffee.

The cookie dough may seem a little dry when you stir in the chocolate chips and marshmallow bits, but once you start scooping it onto the cookie sheets it's just fine!  Good luck making these and, if you do, leave a comment and let me know how they turn out!

Hot Cocoa Cookies

Yields 2 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick/1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons hot cocoa mix
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 3/4-1 cup hot cocoa marshmallows

 Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  You will need two large cookies sheets, either nonstick or lined with parchment paper.
• In large mixing bowl, cream together butter and both sugars until fluffy.  Add in egg and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
• Add flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, baking soda and salt.  Mix until combined.  
• Take mixing bowl off stand, pour in mini chocolate chips and marshmallows.  Stir into cookie dough with a spatula.
• Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, scoop cookie dough onto baking sheets.
• Put both baking sheets into the oven for six minutes.  Remove from oven and use a spoon to lightly flatten each cookie.  Return to oven on opposite shelves (the cookie sheet that was on the top shelf should be on the bottom and vice versa) and bake for an additional six minutes.
• Once the cookies are done, you want to get them onto cooling racks pretty quickly to avoid burning the bottoms.  They will still be soft when you do, so be careful not to break them.

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I hope you enjoy these cookies as much as we have!  Only a week until Christmas, good luck with last minute shipping and gift wrapping :)