Nostalgic flavor and a perfect chewy texture: Hot Chocolate Cookies just might be what your winter baking has been missing!
Love chocolate chip cookies? Who doesn’t? That’s why we think you should get to know this cookie with a cozy hot chocolate twist. These are total crowd-pleasers, perfect for bake sales, cookie swaps, ski trips, and just basically wowing your friends and family around the holidays—or on any winter day. They pack all the comfort and cheer of a cup of hot chocolate and then up the ante with three (yes, three!) types of chocolate chips.
As the name implies, the secret to these cookies is packets of hot chocolate mix, a cool-weather staple that works amazingly in your baking. They give the cookies a nice mellow chocolate flavor and help keep them soft and chewy. We add to that a mix of white, milk, and bittersweet chocolate chips just to put them over the top. So much chocolate, so much joy! We wouldn’t be surprised if you’re baking these up a lot. And by the way, they really work in any season. Find yourself facing a bunch of packets of hot chocolate mix you didn’t get to this winter? This is your go-to recipe to thrill chocolate lovers.
Why chill cookie dough?
The major reason to chill your cookie dough before baking it is to control spread and give you a thicker, chewier cookie compared to those baked immediately. Chilling firms up the butter to prevent excessive spreading and allows the flour to hydrate for a chewier consistency. This isn’t necessary for all cookie types, many of which benefit from a thin and crisp texture or, like shortbread, need a classically dense and flaky crumb. But for chocolate chip cookies it helps achieve that sought-after thick style. Here’s the great news about this recipe: The hot chocolate mix used in them itself has ingredients that promote chewiness and thickness. So what if you’re pressed for time? You might get a little more spread, but you’ll still get soft, tender cookies even if you don’t chill the dough for at least an hour.
How do I store leftovers?
Cool the cookies completely and store any leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. You can also keep the dough itself in the fridge for 3 to 4 days before baking. And you can even freeze the dough for up to 6 months; just thaw it in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight before forming and baking the cookies.
Serving suggestions
Want to try a cookie sundae? Have the cookies warm and gooey out of the oven and top each with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream. Or try this No-Churn Coffee Ice Cream that’s packed with Kahlua for an adult version of the sundae. You could also pair the cookies with glasses of Festive Eggnog Smoothies for a holiday treat or turn to a decadent coffee drink like this Copycat Starbucks Vanilla Spice Latte. But there’s nothing wrong with just pouring a tall glass of milk!
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 packages hot chocolate mix (1.38 ounces each) not sugar-free
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Cream the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, hot chocolate mix, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat the eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture.
- Slowly add in the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine the white chocolate, milk chocolate, and semisweet chocolate chips.
- Add the chocolate chips to the cookie dough and mix on low until combined. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Drop balls of dough onto 2 parchment-lined baking sheets. A cookie scoop will make quick work of this.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly browned, 9 to 11 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool on a rack and serve warm or room temperature.
- Pour yourself a big glass of milk if you like, then sit down for a treat. Enjoy!
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