Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Cookies

These Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Cookies capture the cozy essence of a warm cup of hot cocoa in every bite. While most recipes for hot cocoa cookies are chocolate cookies stuffed with marshmallows, I decided to take a different route. The base for my recipe are my Gluten Free Brownie Cookies with marshmallow fluff swirled into the batter before baking to give it the dreamy look. They are perfect for the holidays or whenever you’re are in the mood for something cozy.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Gluten-Free Flour: This recipe for Hot Chocolate Cookies that really shows how different commercially available gluten free flour blends are. I tested this recipe for with King Arthur Measure for Measure, Cup4Cup, and my own Gluten-Free Flour Blend. The cookies made with Cup4Cup did spread more than the cookies made with King Arthur and my own GF flour blend. This is most likely because Cup4Cup contains less structure heavy flours such as rice flour. So if you like thinner cookies, use a blend like Cup4Cup and if you would like a thicker cookie, use a blend like Measure for Measure or Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1.

Dark Chocolate: The best Chocolate for this recipe is between 64% and 70% dark cocoa percentage. I recommend using a product you enjoy eating on its own (you should always use chocolate you enjoy eating on its own). But since this recipe has only a few ingredients, the flavor of the chocolate you use will stand out. This is a great recipe to use for an artisan chocolate bar.

Hot Cocoa Mix: I have tested this recipe with a high end hot cocoa mix like deZaan Drinking Chocolate, Swiss Miss Dark Hot Chocolate and Swiss Miss Simply Cocoa Dark Chocolate Mix. My favorite were the cookies made with deZaan Drinking Chocolate followed by the ones made with the Simply Cocoa Dark Chocolate Mix. While the cookies with the standard hot chocolate mix tasted just as good, they were on the sweeter side from the added sugar to the cocoa mix.

Cocoa Powder: I use dutch-processed cocoa powder in this recipe such as deZaan Crimson Red Dutch Processed Cocoa Powder. A great grocery store option is Hershey Special Dark Cocoa Powder. The dutch-process cocoa powder creates what some people consider a richer, fudgier flavor in baked goods. Natural cocoa will not only create a lighter colored cookie but also a cookie on the dry side without the chewiness you achieve from using high quality cocoa powder.

Marshmallow Fluff/Creme: I have tested this recipe with Marshmallow Creme and Marshmallow Fluff and both products created a delectable filling.

What’s the difference between dutch processed and natural cocoa powder?

Dutch-processed cocoa powder and natural cocoa powder are two distinct types of cocoa powder with differences in acidity, color, and taste.

Natural cocoa powder is ground cocoa powder in its pure form. It doesn’t undergo further processing which leaves the cocoa a light, chalky brown color with a bitter taste to it. Natural cocoa powder is generally paired with baking soda (which is alkali) in recipes. Because cocoa beans are naturally quite acidic, baking soda will trigger the chemical reaction that causes lift and lightness in your final bake.  

Dutch-process cocoa powder, discovered by a Dutch chocolate maker, on the other hand, is made by soaking cocoa beans in an alkali solution which neutralizes the acidity and cuts a bit of the bitterness. The results in a product that is darker in color and less bitter flavored. It creates what some people consider a richer, fudgier flavor in baked goods. This is the kind of cocoa powder I recommend using in this recipe for Hot Chocolate Cookies.

Black cocoa powder is a style of Dutch-process cocoa powder that – because of heavy, repeated processing- is extremely dark in color (think Oreo cookies). If you are looking for this deep dark color, I recommend giving the black cocoa powder a try. I love replacing 5-10 grams of dutch processed cocoa powder with black cocoa powder in my baked goods.

Natural Cocoa: More acidity = more rise (also a drier baked good)
Dutch Processed Cocoa: Less acidity = less rise (fudgier baked good)

How to make Hot Chocolate Cookie Dough

While most recipes for hot chocolate cookies are double chocolate chip cookies with chocolate chips and stuffed with mini marshmallows, I decided to take a different route for my Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Cookies. The base for my recipe is my Brownie Cookie Recipe. Each cookies has some marshmallow fluff swirled into the batter before baking to give it the dreamy look. These cookies will go into the oven immediately, so there's no need to chill the dough. One can make this recipe with a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer and a large bowl.

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350F, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2: Place 215 grams of dark chocolate in a heat-proof, microwave-safe bowl. Cut butter into small cubes and place in a small saucepan over medium heat. Carefully melt the butter. You don’t want to brown the butter – just melt it. Alternatively, you can also melt the butter in the microwave. After melting all the butter, take it off the heat, pour it over the chocolate, and let it sit in the bowl. This will be a very fluid mixture.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, combine 2 large eggs, egg yolk, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, salt, a few teaspoons vanilla extract, and kosher salt. Use the eggs directly from the fridge. Cold eggs whip up in more volume. Whisk the eggs at medium speed for 5 minutes until they become fluffy and thick. This step is crucial—do not skip it. Whipping the eggs and sugar for an extended period will result in a beautiful crinkle topping.

Step 4: In the meantime sift or whisk together in a medium bowl the gluten-free multi purpose flour, hot cocoa mix, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Set the dry ingredients aside.

Step 5: With a heat-proof spatula stir together your melted butter-chocolate mixture. The heat from the melted butter should have melted all the chocolate. If not, microwave the mixture for 10-15 seconds. If the mixture seems very thick and feels cool to the touch, rewarm it carefully in the microwave for 30 seconds on high. I always nuke my chocolate butter mixture for 30 seconds before adding it.

Step 6: When your egg-sugar mixture looks fluffy and thick, turn the stand mixer to a low speed and add the melted chocolate. Mix until combined, then turn off the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer back on and give the mix a 30-45 seconds of a good whip. This can-do wonders for your hot chocolate cookie batter. It helps to emulsify butter, eggs, and chocolate and

Step 7: Once you've combined all the wet ingredients, power off the electric mixer and switch to the paddle attachment. Add the sifted flour mixture and carefully mix until roughly combined. Turn off the mixer and with a rubber spatula fold everything together. Make sure to get the bottom of the pan and the dough off the paddle.

How to bake Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Cookies

You can bake these Hot Cocoa Cookies right away; there's no need to let the dough rest. The cookie dough will firm up quickly, so I recommend making sure you have your sheet trays, your #20 cookie scoop, the marshmallow fluff and the oven is preheated to 350F.

If you live in a colder climate or keep your kitchen on the colder side, place your parchment-lined sheet trays on top of the stove while the oven preheats. This way the cookie dough does not “seize up” when you scoop it on the tray and the cookies will spread more. You just want the sheet trays at room temperature – clearly, you do not want them hot or even warm.

Step 1: Using a #20 cookie scoop (around 3 tablespoons) divide the batter between the two sheet trays. This recipe should give you 12-13 gluten free hot chocolate cookies. Don't be surprised if the dough balls looks like "blobs" on the sheet tray.

Step 2: Top the center of each cookie dough balls with a small spoon full of marshmallow fluff. The fluff will be sticky so you can either dip the spoon into hot water or lightly spray the spoon with non stick spray.

Step 3: If you like, with a skewer or toothpick carefully swirl the marshmallow fluff into the cookie dough.

Step 4: Bake one tray at a time for 11 minutes. The cookies are done when they have beautiful crinkle top and are slightly domed.

Step 5: Remove from the oven, and to achieve perfect round cookies, use cookie cutter slightly bigger than the cookie and shape them into a perfect circle. The cookies must be hot for this.

Step 6: Allow the cookies to cool for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheets before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage & Freezing

Store any leftover hot chocolate cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you plan on stacking them, make sure to place a piece of wax paper in between the layers. Otherwise, the cookies will stick together.

Since the dough is on the thinner side and not like your traditional cookie dough, I have had no luck freezing the unbaked gluten free hot chocolate cookie dough. But you can freeze the fully baked hot chocolate cookies. Place the baked cookies on a parchment lined sheet tray and freeze them until solid. Once solid, wrap each cookie with some plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Freeze up to 4 weeks. When ready to enjoy them, thaw them at room temperature. If you like reheat them in your oven or microwave for a few seconds to give them that gooey, fudgy texture again.

Pro Tips for Making Hot Chocolate Cookies

Timing: The dough for the Fudge Brownie Cookies does not have to be chilled so timing is everything here. Make sure you have all your ingredients measured out, sheet trays lined with parchment, and your cookie scoop nearby.

Measuring: When measuring out your ingredients, make sure you measure everything correctly. Just a few extra grams of flour can throw of this recipe.

Sheet Trays: If you live in a colder climate or keep your kitchen on the colder side, place your parchment-lined sheet trays on top of the stove while the oven preheats. This way the cookie dough does not “seize up” when you scoop it on the tray and the cookies will spread more. You just want the sheet trays at room temperature – clearly, you do not want them hot or even warm.

FAQ - Gluten Free Hot Cocoa Cookies