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These gluten-free hot cocoa cookies are everything you love about a mug of cozy hot chocolate - rich cocoa flavor, soft chewy centers, melty marshmallows, and a festive peppermint crunch on top. They're the kind of winter treat you want to bake when the weather turns chilly, the tree is lit, and you're craving something warm and comforting straight from the oven!
Quick Look: Gluten-Free Hot Cocoa Cookies
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 8 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 23 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 24
- 📊 Calories: ~241 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: oven baked on a sheet at 350 °F
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: rich cocoa flavor, soft chewy centers, melty marshmallows, and a festive peppermint crunch on top.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy, perfect for holiday cookie exchanges
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Before we jump in, if you love trying new gluten-free cookies, you might also like my Chocolate Chipless Cookies, Raspberry and White Chocolate Cookies, or my Gluten-Free Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies - all reader favorites that come together easily for any baking day!
Hot cocoa cookies hit that sweet spot between nostalgic and indulgent. These are soft and chewy with a brownie-style texture in the center and gently crisp edges. The marshmallow melts just enough to create that classic hot cocoa finish without disappearing into the dough. Dark chocolate chips fold into every bite for a double chocolate twist, while crushed candy canes add a festive finish.
If you've struggled to find gluten-free chocolate cookies that stay moist, this recipe solves the dryness issue. The combination of butter, brown sugar, and raw cacao powder keeps the dough tender, and chilling the dough prevents gluten-free flour from spreading too thin in the oven. These bake into reliable winter cookie recipes you'll want to make every year!
For another festive treat, try my Christmas Puppy Chow or these Peanut Butter Balls next!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here's a quick rundown of the ingredients and what they bring to the recipe.
- Unsalted butter: Creates a soft, rich base and helps these behave like chewy hot cocoa cookies. If you need dairy-free hot cocoa cookies, use vegan butter.
- Light brown sugar & granulated sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and caramel notes, while white sugar helps with structure.
- Eggs: Bind the dough and help achieve the fudgy chocolate cookie texture.
- Vanilla & peppermint extract: Vanilla deepens the hot chocolate cookie flavor; peppermint adds a holiday chocolate cookie vibe.
- Gluten-free 1:1 flour: King Arthur Baking's blend keeps these sturdy yet soft without becoming crumbly like some gluten-free chocolate cookies.
- Raw cacao powder: Delivers a deep cocoa flavor and keeps the cookies tasting like true cocoa powder desserts.
- Baking soda & salt: Provide lift and balance.
- Dark chocolate chips: Add a double chocolate element with rich pockets of melted chocolate - I like the Enjoy Life brand!
- Marshmallows: The key to that classic hot cocoa look and taste. I like the Dandies brand.
- Chocolate drizzle and candy canes: Bring the Christmas cocoa cookies feel and add a bit of crunch on top.
How to Make These Hot Cocoa Cookies
Step 1: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the softened butter and sugars in a large bowl.
Step 2: Beat the softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Add the eggs, vanilla, and peppermint extract.
Step 4: Mix again until well combined.
Step 5: In a separate bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, cacao powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 6: Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
Step 7: Mix until a thick, sticky dough forms.
Step 8: Stir in dark chocolate chips.
Step 9: Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes, or up to overnight.
Step 10: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Scoop 1.5 – 2-inch dough balls onto your baking sheet.
Step 11: Press down on each dough ball slightly.
Step 12: Bake for 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently press half a marshmallow into the center of each cookie.
Step 13: Return to the oven for 3-4 minutes until marshmallows melt slightly and cookies are set.
Step 14: While the cookies cool, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil in a bowl and melt in 30 second increments in the microwave. Alternatively, use a double boiler on the stove to melt.
Step 15: Cool fully before drizzling with melted chocolate and sprinkling with crushed candy canes. Refrigerate briefly to set.
Step 16: Enjoy!
Storage & Freezer Tips
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. If you want the marshmallow tops to stay neat, keep a layer of parchment between stacked cookies. They also freeze well without the drizzle, add the topping after thawing for the best result!
You can freeze these two ways:
- Freeze the dough: Scoop, flatten slightly, and freeze on a sheet pan. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the first bake time before adding marshmallows.
- Freeze the baked cookies: Skip the drizzle, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw and decorate when ready.
Hot Cocoa Cookie Recipe FAQs
Yes, just use vanilla for a traditional hot cocoa flavor.
They melt faster, so if you do, tuck a few into the center right after the first bake for best results.
Gluten-free flour benefits from resting time, which prevents overspreading and keeps the cookies soft.
Absolutely. Both dough and baked cookies freeze beautifully.
These gluten-free hot cocoa cookies bring the cozy charm of a winter drink straight to your dessert table, with soft centers, melted marshmallows, and a festive chocolate drizzle. For another seasonal favorite, try my soft baked pumpkin cheesecake cookies next!
More Gluten-Free Treats
Simple Gluten-Free Hot Cocoa Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ tsp peppermint extract
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free 1:1 flour, I like King Arthur Baking brand
- ½ cup raw cacao powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips, I like Enjoy Life brand
- 12 marshmallows, cut in half horizontally to make 24 flatter round pieces. I like Dandie's brand.
Chocolate Drizzle / Topping
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- ½ cup candy canes, crushed into fine pieces
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the softened butter and sugars to a large bowl and mix until light and fluffy using a stand mixer or with a fork by hand.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla extract and peppermint extract and stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the GF flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until a thick sticky dough forms. Stir in the dark chocolate chips. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes (up to overnight).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees 15 minutes before baking.
- Use a cookie scoop to form 1.5-2-inch wide balls. Space them 2 inches apart on the baking sheet and press down slightly with your hand. Recipe makes 22-24 cookies.
- Bake for 9 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and gently press a ½ of a marshmallow into the center of each cookie (being careful not to flatten/squish the cookie completely). Return the cookies to the oven for 3-4 more minutes until the cookies are done and the marshmallows begin to melt.
- Let the cookies cool completely (either on the baking sheet or on a cooling rack), then add them to another (or the same) baking sheet lined with parchment paper to prepare for drizzling.
- Combine the chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl and melt in 30 second increments in the microwave. Alternatively, use a double boiler on the stove to melt.
- Drizzle some of the chocolate over each cookie, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes before the chocolate sets. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to help chocolate set. Enjoy!
Notes
- Freeze the dough: Scoop, flatten slightly, and freeze on a sheet pan. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the first bake time before adding marshmallows.
- Freeze the baked cookies: Skip the drizzle, freeze on a tray, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw and decorate when ready.
Nutrition
All nutrition facts are an estimate and automatically calculated. While I fact check them using My Fitness Pal, please note that they may not always be 100% accurate and depend on ingredients used. Weigh your total and divide by the number of servings for the most accurate grams per serving size.
I refrigerated the dough for 60 minutes but clearly it needed longer, probably overnight. Mine spread out and turned into thin brownie/cookies. Still delicious but I’d change the refrigeration time next batch.
These were delightful and so easy to make!