If you've been on the hunt for the perfect chewy chocolate cookie, this is your sign to stop scrolling and start baking. These Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies are rich, dense and brownie-like, with a soft, gooey marshmallow tucked inside. They're the kind of cookie that makes you pause mid-bite and go, "Okay… WOW." Whether it's a quiet moment with a cup of tea or a sweet surprise tucked into a lunchbox, they hit the chocolate craving perfectly.
And don't worry, the marshmallow stays put. No burnt sugar leaks, no weird spreading. These cookies have been my go-to for over 30 years, and they deliver every single time. If you loved my No-Chill Chocolate Chip Cookies, these are like their fudgier, gooier cousin - just as easy, and maybe even better.
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Rich, brownie-like chocolate cookie with a chewy, gooey marshmallow centre
Ready in 25 minutes: 15 minutes to prep, 10 minutes to bake
A huge hit with kids - especially when they get to stuff the marshmallows
Make-ahead friendly: freeze the dough or baked cookies
Perfect for lunchboxes, after-school treats, or chocoholic cravings
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📝 Key Ingredients
Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
Smooth and mellow for deep chocolate flavour. Regular cocoa won't give quite the same richness.
Cake Flour
Lower protein = softer, thicker cookies that help lock in that gooey marshmallow centre.
Brown + White Sugar
A mix of moisture and structure - brown sugar for chewiness, white sugar for crispy edges.
Mini Marshmallows (Frozen)
Frozen marshmallows melt slower, ensuring gooey centres without leaks.
Dark Chocolate Chips
For extra melty chocolate pools in every bite.
Espresso Powder (Optional)
A tiny pinch enhances the chocolate without adding coffee flavour.
🍯 Variations and Substitutions
Swap mini marshmallows with marshmallow-stuffed chocolate squares or homemade Rocky Road.
Sprinkle sea salt on top before baking for a salty-sweet twist.
Add chopped pecans or hazelnuts for crunch.
No cake flour? DIY it - remove 3 tablespoon plain flour and replace with cornflour.
🥣 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat, Prepare and Freeze Marshmallows
Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) / 380°F and line your cookie tray. Freeze your marshmallows now to stop leaks later.
Step 2: Sift the Dry Ingredients
Using a hand whisk, whisk cake flour, Dutch cocoa, baking powder and optional espresso powder together to remove lumps.
Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugars
Using a stand mixer and paddle attachment, beat both sugars and softened butter until creamy. This creates the perfect chewy base.
Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Next, let's mix in the eggs and vanilla and beat for about 3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
Step 5: Mix Dry Ingredients and Chocolate Chips
Add dry ingredients and chocolate chips to the wet mixture. Mix gently until just combined. Stop mixing as soon as everything comes together - overmixing here = tough cookies (and nobody wants that).
Step 6: Chill, Scoop and Stuff
If the dough feels too soft or sticky, chill for about 10 minutes. This will make it easier to handle and help control spreading.
Scoop large balls of dough (I love a big cookie scoop for this job), and make a deep dent in each.
Pop 4-5 frozen mini marshmallows into the centre and gently roll the dough to fully seal them inside. No marshmallow should peek through - lock them in tight!
Step 7: Decorate and Bake
For extra bakery-style flair (and gooey-ness), press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball.
Place them onto your lined baking tray, spacing them well apart. Bake for 10 minutes.
The edges should be set but the middles soft. Remember, they'll firm up as they cool.
Step 8: Cool and Enjoy
Finally, let cookies cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack. Or... enjoy one warm for max gooeyness!
👩🏼🍳 Expert Baking Tips
Freeze marshmallows for no leaks.
Seal dough completely around marshmallows.
Avoid overmixing dough.
Bake one tray at a time.
Don't overbake - keep them soft and gooey.
Add extra choc chips on top before baking.
Optional: use a little espresso powder to enhance chocolate flavour.
🫙 Storage Suggestions
Store cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months.
Freeze unbaked dough balls for anytime cookies. Follow my simple instructions here on how to freeze cookie dough
Why did my marshmallow leak out? Seal dough completely and use frozen marshmallows.
Can I use regular cocoa powder? Yes, but Dutch cocoa gives a deeper flavour.
Can I make the dough ahead of time? Absolutely - freeze the stuffed dough balls.
Can I use large marshmallows? Yes, cut them smaller to avoid overpowering the cookie.
Can I double the batch? Yes, this recipe doubles beautifully.
📸 Share Your Bake!
Baked these cookies? Tag @apple.cake.annie or #applecakeannie on Instagram so I can see and share your creations! If these cookies brought a little joy to your day, tap those stars or leave a review below! Your feedback makes this cosy little baking community even sweeter.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the 2 sugars on low speed
Add the butter and mix to combine
Add eggs and vanilla, then mix on a medium speed, until light and fluffy (approx 3 minutes)
Stop the mixer and add the flour mixture, along with the chocolate chips
Mix on low speed until just combined
Using a large ice-cream scoop, scoop out the dough and roll into balls
Recommended: freeze the dough balls for 10 minutes, to make handling easier
Using your thumb, place a dent into each ball, place 4-5 frozen marshmallows into the dent, then roll to enclose
Place cookie dough balls onto a tray lined with baking paper. Leave some space for spreading
Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes, then remove from oven and allow to cool on tray for 2 minutes, before transferring them to a rack to cool.
Notes
Loved this bake? Tap the stars or leave a quick review - it only takes a sec and means the world to me (and helps more bakers find this recipe!)
I bake one tray at a time, on a conventional setting. If using fan-forced, reduce temperature to 180
You can freeze some of the cookie dough balls for later -just label a snap-lock bag with the contents and baking instructions. Defrost only while the oven heats up and add a minute or 2 to the bake time.
Store in an airtight container for a few days
This is a very stiff and sticky dough, so chilling it for 10-15 minutes before scooping and rolling will save you a lot of mess!
Wearing gloves while rolling the cookie dough is recommended
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