Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies feature tender, caky, peppermint chocolate cookies with a marshmallow hidden under a fudgy homemade chocolate frosting.
Every year around the holidays, you’ll find festive peppermint swirl marshmallows. They are so fun and pretty with their pink swirls that I can’t resist buying a bag or two. Years ago, I started adding them to my classic Marshmallow Surprise Cookie recipe for a seasonal twist. You can’t go wrong with the classic combination of chocolate and peppermint with a colorful surprise inside.
Update: I’ve updated this post with new photos and tips so you and your loved ones can enjoy these pillowy peppermint chocolate marshmallow cookies this holiday season.
How to Make Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
There are three layers to these Christmas cookies. First, a fudgy, cake-like chocolate cookie on the bottom. Then, the surprise layer of a fluffy peppermint marshmallow. And finally, a smear of fudgy homemade chocolate frosting. As a result, every bite of homemade cookie has the perfect balance of texture, sweetness, and seasonal flair.
Despite these three beautiful layers, these cookies are impressively easy to make. The frosting comes together in one bowl with five simple ingredients.
What Kind of Marshmallows Should I Use?
These chocolate marshmallow cookies will work with most seasonal marshmallows. I usually find fun holiday marshmallows at Target or Walmart, or wherever Jet-Puffed marshmallows are sold.
If you can’t find colorful or flavored marshmallows, you can also use plain jumbo ones. The jumbo ones are better, as you’ll slice each marshmallow into two rounds. Even with plain marshmallows, you’ll have a seasonal touch of peppermint flavor from the extract in the cookie dough.
This year Kraft only sold the peppermint swirl mini marshmallows, which will work as well, just put a few minis on top of the cookie instead of half of a jumbo marshmallow.
Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, one of our readers found a homemade marshmallow recipe to make these cookies 100% from scratch!
Tip: When baking cookies, use a scoop to portion out the dough and get perfectly round, even size cookies.
How Will I Know the Cookies are Done?
With chocolate cookies, it can be trickier to know when they’re done baking. You won’t see the same golden color cues as you get from sugar or chocolate chip cookies. And with this recipe, you want to be sure not to over-bake the cookies the first time around.
Remember, you’ll be putting the cookies back into the oven for another 2 to 3 minutes with a marshmallow slice on top. I recommend pulling them when the edges are set and the center has started to firm up. I err on the side of less cooking and usually remove them after 7 minutes.
More Holiday Cookie Recipes
- Lemon Glazed Christmas Wreath Cookies are a tart, sweet and delicate addition to any holiday dessert spread.
- Cherry Lemon Candy Cane Cookies are impossible to resist, with their bright red cherry frosting and adorable cane shape.
- Orange Cranberry Rugelach are a must-have homemade treat for Hannukah, with orange marmalade and tart dried cranberries.
Peppermint Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
- 30 peppermint swirl marshmallows sliced in half
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ¼ cup plus 1 ½ teaspoon cocoa powder
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoon milk
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, milk, and extracts, and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined.
- Using a tablespoon or 1 ¾-inch ice cream scoop (#40), drop portions of dough onto ungreased baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies begin to spread and become firm, 7 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven and place a marshmallow, cut-side down, in the center of each cookie, pressing down slightly. Return to the oven and continue baking until the marshmallows begin to melt, 2 to 2 ½ minutes.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. To frost, spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting over each marshmallow, starting in the center and continuing outward until the marshmallow is covered.
CHOCOLATE FROSTING:
- Place confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Whisk in butter and cocoa powder. Add milk and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.
Lorraine @Not Quite Nigella
Mum these sound amazing! I’ve got to give these a try as I really like the sound of the multiple textures in these 🙂 xxx
Maggie
This sounds delicious! I have made Martha’s original version before and they were good, I think peppermint will be even better! I’m in Los Angeles and I went through Walmart, Target, Ralphs and Vons so far and have found every flavor under the sun but peppermint marshmallows lol so I am going to keep looking and if I have to, make my own!
Barbara Schieving
Thanks Maggie. I made them last year and haven’t seen them these year. I hope you can find them 🙂
Joan
Great recipe and I added sprinkles on top!
Barbara
Great idea to add sprinkles and make them more festive. So glad you liked them! Thanks for taking the time to let me know you made them.
Joy
This is great idea!
Frieda
I found the peppermint marshmallows at KMart as well! I’m tinkering with some ideas to make them smaller, more bite sized…
Janette G
The cookies are in the oven right now! I found the marshmellows at KMart in the holiday candy aisle.
Barbara
How’d your cookies turn out? You’re the only one I’ve heard from who was able to find the marshmallows. Thanks!
Janette
They were too sweet for me but my family loved them! I loved the cookie part, YUM! So when I make them again, I’ll make some without the frosting for me
Barbara
So glad your family loved them. They are a sweet cookie, especially with the fudgy icing. Thanks!
Frieda
This cookie recipe came in my email today from MS ~ but I love your twist on this cookie! Thanks for the recipe.
Maggie
oh my this is where I’ve died and gone to heaven with drooling looking at all those cookies.
Have a great cooking week!
Maggie
http://passionatelyartistic.com
Jamie
What a fun cookie and a fun surprise. I need to keep my eye out for those marshmallows.
Angie's Recipes
Those are really cute…love the marshmallow surprise.
Paula
Now this is a cookie I could certainly sink my teeth into. Love marshmallow and love peppermint and my feelings about chocolate go without saying 😉
Deborah
Oh my goodness, Barbara. I have had a bag of those marshmallows on my counter for a week now, trying to figure out what to make with them. Just a couple nights ago, I thought up a similar cookie!! Great minds think alike!!
Nic
Wow, very inventive cookies! We don’t get marshmallows like that here, will be great for the holiday season.