I love Christmas. The indoors feel cozier, the air feels more magic, hot chocolate tastes better.
Giving gifts is a major way that I like to show people in my life that I care about them. However, my gift-giver way of life is somewhat halted by my student-sized wallet.
One great way I have found to show my love to others this time of year without declaring bankruptcy is the gift of baking. More specifically, the baking of holiday themed cookies. It also feels good to make something with my hands. I can mindfully think of each person as I bake, and taste, their gift.
For this article, I will be sharing one of my favourite cookies to make for my friends. Hot Chocolate Cookies! Afterall, what is more Christmassy than hot chocolate and cookies?
This recipe takes about one hour and serves roughly four dozen cookies.
Hot Chocolate Cookies
Dough
1½ cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup of unsalted butter
1½ cups of all-purpose flour
¼ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ tsp of baking powder
1¼ cups of brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
~5 cups of mini marshmallows (Alternatively, you can use 24 marshmallows and just cut them in half)
Topping
1 cup of milk chocolate (I use Jersey Milk bars)
Festive sprinkles
- Cut up your butter into chunks. Then, add the chunked butter and the chocolate chips to a microwave safe bowl and microwave it in 30 second intervals. Between each interval, stir the mixture with a spatula, ensuring that everything is mixed together. Continue this process until everything is melted and smooth. Set aside.
- To another bowl, add the flour and sift in cocoa powder and baking powder. Whisk the mixture to combine and set this aside.
- Now take your whisk or electric mixer and blend together the brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Then, add in the chocolate mixture you made before. Once incorporated, slowly mix in the flour half a cup at a time. Continue to do this and mix until just incorporated.
- Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for about 20 minutes to allow for better handling of the dough. Preheat the oven for 325°F (160°C).
- Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray. Remove the dough from the fridge and generously scoop it out with a tablespoon. Roll the portioned dough into a ball and place it on the baking tray. Make a thumbprint indent on the top. Bake for about 8 minutes, leaving it slightly under-baked.
- Remove the cookies and top each with around five mini marshmallows or one half regular-sized. Place the cookies back in the oven to bake for 3 to 4 more minutes.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
- While this is cooling, take your milk chocolate and place it into a microwave safe bowl. Warm this up in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted (be careful not to burn).
- Immediately spoon this chocolate over the cookies and sprinkle each with some festive sprinkles! Do this process quickly as the chocolate hardens fast.
And there you have it! Hot chocolate cookies to share with all your friends, if you have any left to share that is.
If you want to get creative, you can also make peppermint hot chocolate cookies by substituting the vanilla extract for peppermint extract and swapping the holiday sprinkles for crushed up candy canes.
