Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Marshmallow, cookie and chocolate make a seamless combo at any time, but many of us think we don’t have the time to whip up a batch of cookies using these ingredients. In fact, you can mix the dough for these chocolate and marshmallow cookies in a single bowl, and the whole process from start to finish can take less than half an hour. That’s because there’s no chilling involved with this recipe.

The cookies emerge from the oven with a soft, chewy texture and a fluffy marshmallow center. Finish them with sweet chocolate icing crowned with a pecan. Serve a plate of these cookies warm from the kitchen, and you’ll watch them disappear as fast as the ingredients came together.

Ingredients for Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

• Butter: Use softened, unsalted butter to make the cookie dough. It should be warm and workable but not completely melted, or you’ll get greasy creamed butter.
• Sugar: For cookies, brown sugar gives superior moistness and caramel aroma to regular white sugar, although the latter is fine as a substitute.
• Egg: A large egg (yolk included) at room temperature will help emulsify the cocoa and bind the flour to make the dough.
• Milk: To form the dough, you can use regular 2% milk, make it creamier with full-fat dairy milk or use your nut milk of choice.
• Vanilla extract: Just a little vanilla extract will provide the complementary flavor to the chocolate in these cookies. They wouldn’t be the same without it.
• Flour: You can use regular all-purpose flour from your pantry for the dough.
• Baking cocoa: There’s plenty of sweetness from the brown sugar, so use unsweetened baking cocoa powder to turn these into chocolate cookies.
• Baking soda: This will give each cookie a little lift in the oven, even if the cooking time is relatively short.
• Salt: Adding a pinch of salt brings out the other flavors, especially the chocolate, without turning the cookies “salty.”
• Marshmallows: Use the large marshmallows you’d normally roast on a campfire rather than the button variety.

Icing:

• Butter, baking cocoa, milk, sugar, vanilla extract and pecans: You can use the same ingredients as above, but consider swapping in brown sugar, and add shelled pecans for their texture and gentle nuttiness.

Directions

Step 1: Make the cookie dough

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar, with a fork or a food mixer, about five minutes. Add the gently beaten egg, milk and vanilla, mixing well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking cocoa, baking soda and salt, and beat the dry mixture into the creamed mixture till stiff peaks form.

Step 2: Bake the cookies

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Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, then bake the cookies for eight minutes. Cut the marshmallows in half and press one, cut side down, onto each hot cookie. Return the tray to the oven for another two minutes, then allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 3: Make the icing

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In a small saucepan, combine the butter, baking cocoa and milk. Bring the mix to a boil, and boil for no more than one minute, stirring constantly. Let the mixture cool slightly, then transfer it to a small bowl. Before it has time to form a skin, beat in the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. Spread the icing over the cooled cookies and top each with a pecan half.

Editor’s Tip: Creamed butter gets its volume from the air you beat into it, which you won’t get if you melt it in the microwave. Let it soften naturally, dicing it into smaller cubes to accelerate the process if you’re in a hurry.

Kristina Vänni for Taste of Home

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Variations

• Add chocolate chips: Scatter a few chocolate chips into the cookie mixture for an extra burst of chocolate oozing from each bite.
• Candy the pecan nuts: Since you already have brown sugar and vanilla extract to hand, you could candy the pecan nuts in a skillet, along with a little water, to give them a crunchy, crispy sugar glaze.

How to Store Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

Allow the cookies to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container for four to five days. Do store them in a single layer, as they don’t stack well.

Can you freeze chocolate marshmallow cookies?

Should you want to make a batch to save for later, you can certainly freeze the cookies, but you’ll get a crumblier rather than chewy cookie after you’ve thawed them at room temperature. As with refrigerated cookies, don’t pile them on top of each other at first. Chill them until they’re hard, then transfer them to an airtight freezer container.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Tips

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What’s the best way to enjoy a marshmallow cookie and chocolate?

You don’t need a campfire to savor these cookies. You can get the best out of them with a mug of hot cocoa for a warming treat, or crumble them over a bowl of ice cream for an indulgent dessert.

Are chocolate marshmallow cookies vegan-friendly?

Most marshmallows contain gelatin, so you’d have to seek out the vegan variety. Beyond that precaution, however, you can make a vegan version of these cookies by substituting plant-based milk for dairy, coconut oil for butter, and ground flaxseed as an egg substitute to bind the cookie mixture.

How do I keep my cookies soft for longer?

Cookies are always going to be in their prime when they’re warm from the oven, but there is a way to keep that soft, chewy texture even after refrigeration. Simply add a slice of bread to the airtight storage container before sealing it. The cookies will draw moisture from the bread, preventing them from turning hard.