You'll Want to Cozy Up With These Hot Cocoa Cookies By the Fire

The best part of a cookie sandwich? Two cookies for the price of one. I bet you never thought of that! In these Hot Cocoa Marshmallow Sandwiches, two deeply chocolatey cookies sandwich a vanilla bean-infused marshmallow cream filling. I guarantee they’ll be the star of your holiday cookie box and are sure to impress at any cookie swap.

Why You’ll Love It

• I turned the flavor up to 11 on all the elements of a classic hot chocolate. The actual cookies are super-soft, but not cakey like a whoopie pie (I know people are sensitive about cakey cookies). And the pillowy filling has just enough creaminess (without any cream!) to cut through all that chocolate.

• These taste like Oreo Cakesters, but way better. This is going to sound crazy, but when I first tested them I gasped — they’re just that good.

Key Ingredients in Hot Cocoa Marshmallow Sandwiches

• Dutch-process cocoa powder: This flavors the dough. If you can find it, black cocoa, its stark, smoky sister, can replace some or all of the Dutch-process cocoa.

• Toasted milk powder: It’s a hot chocolate cookie, hence, milk, but also, milk powder lends a deeper, caramelized taste to many baked goods.

• Vanilla bean: This is optional, but highly recommended in the filling. It’s okay to use vanilla extract in its place. You could even experiment with adding 1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract, too.

Helpful Tips

• Try toasting the filling. You can toast the marshmallow cream with a kitchen torch while it’s in the bowl, mixing well between each time you toast, to make toasted marshmallow cream. Or you can carefully run the torch along the sides of the cookies to toast the marshmallow cream before serving. (Do this on an unlined half-sheet tray.)

• The key to meringue success. Meringue, such as this marshmallow cream, does well with fresh eggs and a very clean bowl and whisk. Any remnant of grease or fat on the bowl or whisk, or from the egg yolk, will hinder the egg whites whipping up.

Hot Cocoa Marshmallow Sandwiches Recipe

It tastes just like a hot chocolate in cookie form, complete with a creamy marshmallow filling.

Prep time 1 hour 30 minutes

Cook time 20 minutes to 25 minutes

Makes 34 (2-inch) cookies

Ingredients

For the cookies:

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 3 tablespoons nonfat milk powder

• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup Dutch-process or black cocoa powder, or a combination

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

For the marshmallow cream:

• 1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 large egg whites

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

• 3 tablespoons light corn syrup

• 2 tablespoons water

• 1 pinch kosher salt

Instructions

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Make the cookies:

1. Spread out 3 tablespoons nonfat milk powder in an even layer in a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not walk away or it could burn. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool completely.

2. Arrange 2 racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Place 12 tablespoons room temperature unsalted butter, 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment, starting on medium-low and working up to medium-high speed, until fluffy and lightened in color, about 2 minutes total.

4. Beat in 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract on medium-low speed just until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the toasted milk powder and 1/2 cup cocoa powder just until combined. Scrape down the bowl again.

5. Beat in 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour on low speed just until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl once to make sure everything is incorporated.

6. Scoop the dough out into 68 (2-teaspoon) portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Arrange on the baking sheets spaced evenly apart, up to 20 per sheet.

7. Bake for 4 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets between racks and from front to back. Bake until the cookies are puffed up, set, and cracked on top, 3 to 4 minutes more. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Repeat with baking the remaining cookies, reusing the parchment and letting the baking sheets cool slightly first. When finished baking, reserve the baking sheets and parchment.

Make the marshmallow cream:

1. If using a vanilla bean, cut one in half lengthwise with a paring knife. Scrape the sticky seeds out with the non-sharp side of the knife. Place 2 large egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar in a clean, dry stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

2. Stir 1/2 cup of the granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons light corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water together in a small saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan occasionally but not stirring or whisking, until it registers 238 to 240°F, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. While the syrup is cooking, turn the stand mixer on to medium-low speed and slowly stream in the remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Increase the speed to medium and beat until medium peaks form, about 2 minutes. Stop the mixer.

4. When the sugar syrup is ready, take it off the heat. Turn the mixer on to medium speed. Slowly and carefully pour the sugar syrup into the stand mixer, being careful to pour it down the side of the bowl and not on the beater. Once all the syrup is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for 1 minute.

5. Reduce the speed to medium. Beat in the vanilla bean seeds or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 pinch kosher salt. Continue beating until the outside of the bowl is just warm to the touch, about 1 minute.

6. Transfer the marshmallow cream to a piping bag or large zip-top plastic bag. Place half of the cookies upside-down on one of the reserved baking sheets.

7. Cut off the tip of the piping bag or one bottom corner of the plastic bag to create a 1-inch opening. Pipe 1 to 2 tablespoons onto each flipped cookie. Top each with a second cookie right-side up to create a sandwich cookie and gently press down until the cream spreads close to the edge of the cookies. Let sit for 2 hours to set before serving.

Recipe Notes

Ingredient/Equipment Variations: If you don’t have a candy or instant-read thermometer, you can check that the syrup is at the right stage by placing a tiny bit in some cool water. If you can roll the syrup around in your fingers to make a soft, flexible ball, it’s ready.

Make ahead: The cookies can be baked up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature, or frozen for up to 2 months. Assemble with the marshmallow cream when ready to serve.

Storage: The sandwich cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. As they sit, the marshmallow cream will deflate slightly, so they are best enjoyed right away or a day or two after baking.

Forever Cookies

Meet the cookies that'll forever change your holiday baking. From the beloved recipes our families have made for decades to clever twists on classics, these are the keepers we turn to year after year.

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