12 Projects of Christmas: Ooey Gooey Cocoa Cookies

I don't know about you, but I love hot cocoa, especially during the colder months.  And what goes better with hot cocoa than cookies, especially hot cocoa cookies!  I saw this recipe on Pinterest and immediately knew it was one I needed to try:  it's chocolatey, cocoay, cookie goodness with a marshmallow on top--seriously, what could be better?

So I decided to make these cookies today as one of our 12 Projects of Christmas.  H and I went to the recruiter's office today and I thought it would be a nice Christmas treat to take them some warm, homemade cookies, so I woke up this morning and got to baking (even though I'm pretty sure I'm coming down with a cold...boo).

I took the originally recipe and mixed it up a little.  I wanted some actual hot cocoa in the cookie, which isn't in the original recipe so I mixed that up a little.  So enjoy :)

First, get your ingredients:

1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
12 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate (bars)
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup hot cocoa mix
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Marshmallows
7.5 oz. of semisweet chocolate chips

Start my chopping up the semisweet chocolate bars.  I used Baker's baking chocolate and a big knife.  Place the chopped chocolate with the butter (I cut the butter into small cubes to make it melt faster) into a sauce pan and melt over medium heat.  DON'T STOP STIRRING or your chocolate might burn!  No bueno :(

Once it's all melted and mixed smooth, set it aside to cool for about 15 minutes.  In the mean time, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, hot cocoa mix, and cocoa powder with a whisk.

In a separate bowl, mix eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on low speed for about 2 minutes.  Mix in the melted chocolate until it's just incorporated, then mix in half of the flour mixture until it's just combined.  Then mix in the other half until it's just combined.  Don't over mix.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, then spoon onto a cookie sheet in tablespoon-sized balls, pressing slightly on the top of each one to flatten a little.  

Sorry I don't have any pictures of this part.  H woke up and came into the kitchen to start cooking breakfast, which distracted me and I forgot to take pictures :(

Bake at 350* for about 10 minutes, until the tops start to crack.  While you're waiting for them to bake, cut your marshmallows into thirds, so each marshmallow gives you 3 round disks.  When the 10 minutes is up, push 4 to 5 chocolate chips in the top-center of each cookie, put a marshmallow disk on top of each one, and bake for 2 more minutes.  Cool on parchment paper on the counter, or on your favorite cookie cooling rack!

I sprinkled the tops with some extra shaved semisweet chocolate and powdered sugar---they look lovely, don't they?

You can see the gooey center from the melted chocolate chips, the marshmallow smushed on the top---mmmm, so good!  Serve with an ice cold glass of milk!

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Enjoy! 

xoxo, Melissa