Hot Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
These Hot Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies taste like homemade hot chocolate in the form of a chewy chocolate cookie! They’re intensely chocolatey, have a gooey marshmallow center, and covered in drizzled chocolate. Perfect.
What are your thoughts on comfort food?
I really hope it’s positive because here’s the deal:
I LOVE it, especially during wintertime because comfort food is conveniently warm while it’s all “Baby, it’s cooold freezing outside.”
Typically, my list of favorite comfort foods favors the savory side. You know, like, potato dishes (like this Cheesy Asparagus Potato Tart), super cheesy pizza, mac and cheese (like this penne butternut squash mac and cheese), and really anything else that’s heavy, thick, packed with calories, and incredibly dreamy.
I usually don’t equivocate dessert with comfort foods, because, well it’s dessert. It’s a totally separate category, which means I can have both so I fulfill my daily food pyramid requirements and all that…or, something.
Anyway, I definitely consider hot chocolate on the comfort food list since it’s all warm and creamy and dreamy, which puts these hot chocolate cookies on the comfort food list.
Get it? Got it. Eeeexcellent.
That’s not how it goes? Hmm. Weird.
These cookies are almost as chocolatey as my triple chocolate milky way death-by-chocolate bad boys. And let’s be real, isn’t it that rich chocolate goodness that makes desserts so irresistible?
I mean, Chocolate Chip Cookie Peanut Butter Cream Pie? Double Chocolate Chip Reese’s Cookies? Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Nutella Cream Pie? Need I say more?
In elementary school, my best friend always–always–had a Ding-Dong in her lunch.
And I…didn’t.
It just looked so…good. It was like a chocolate cream filled piece of heaven hidden in a foil disguise. I begged and pleaded for my parents to buy a box, but they were on a healthy kick and Hostess products were a no go. But, just the fact that it was chocolatey was enough to make it irresistible to me.
Just like these cookies. Straight-up-double-dip-in-the-milk-or-hot-cocoa kind of cookies.
You’re probably going to want some milk with these.

Hot Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp espresso powder
- 1 Tbsp milk, any kind
- 9 large marshmallows cut in half (18 halves)
- 1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
Toppings (Optional)
- Sprinkles
- Andes Mint Bits
- Toffee Bits
- Nuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- With a mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla. Beat.
- Once mixed, in a small bowl, sift cocoa powder, flour, espresso powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together. Slowly add dry ingredients into the wet. Mix until combined.
- Add in milk and mix until combined. The dough will be thick.***
- Roll dough into 1-2 Tbsp sized balls (depending upon how big of cookies you want). Once on the cookie sheet, press your thumb into the center of the cookie (the edges will crack slightly).
- Bake cookies for 8 minutes.
- Pull cookies out and press marshmallows in the thumbprint-centers. Bake for 2-3 more minutes, or until cookies are done and marshmallows have begun to puff up.
- While the cookies are cooling, with a double broiler (or microwave), melt chocolate chips and vegetable oil together.
- Once melted, spoon a little bit onto each cookie. If you want to add any chocolate drizzles, put some chocolate in either a piping bag or a small sandwich bag with the tip cut off and drizzle over cookies.
- Add toppings to your liking. Allow chocolate to set, about 30-60 minutes at room temperature.
- Enjoy with milk!
Notes
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
My favorite products used in this recipe:
Check out some other death by chocolate recipes:

Meet Michelle
I’m a self-taught baker who truly believes it’s impossible to be upset when eating dessert. It’s my life’s goal to bake everyone happy!
If I’m not baking, I’m probably reading a good book with a cup a coffee in hand.
Welcome! I’m glad you’re here!
OMG. I am all for some hot chocalate in my cookies! Bring on the real hot chocolate so I can dunk these in!
Haha, thanks, Jane!
Hot chocolate is the perfect cute for the cold! Love it! These look sooo good and perfect to do with my kids!
Thanks, Clara! I hope your kids enjoy
As always, beautiful pictures! I love the addition of Christmas sprinkles! So festive! I made these last night and my family devoured them in seconds! We LOVED them!
Thanks, Deb!
These are the prettiest cookies EVER! Pinned!
Thank you so much, Dorothy!
I’m dying over these yummy cookies! Gorgeous photos too!
Thank you so much, Julie!
Yum those cookies look amazing! I love thumbprint cookies & who doesn’t love hot chocolate? Perfect!
Thanks so much, Kate!
I made some of these for a family get together recently and they were gone in a very short time. Great recipe, delicious cookies, and very easy to make! Thank you for sharing!
I am so glad! Thank you so much, Linda!
Hi, would like to ask if the cookies will turn out crunchy or soft and chewy or cake-ish?
Thanks!
Hi Eunice! They are more soft and chewy and little fudgy as well.
Thanks for the quick reply Michelle!
Did you cut the marshmallows in half horizontally or vertically? (or doesn’t it really matter?)
Hi, Lorr! I cut them in half horizontally, but it doesn’t really matter. Either way, it should work fine!
Thank you for the delicious recipe – I baked a batch today during our first snowstorm of the season.
I ended up pressing the warm marshmallow into each cookie after removing from the oven in order to cover more of the cookie.
I’ll be baking these again for Christmas!
Thanks, Denise! So happy to hear you liked the recipe!
Do these freeze well?? Has anyone tried?