Chocolate Marshmallow

When I prepare my list of Christmas cookies I plan to bake every year, I find myself looking high and low, far and wide for a quality chocolate cookie to add variety to my spread. I think I found the perfect one this year because I found one that exemplifies one of my favorite winter treats: hot chocolate. I love a cup of hot chocolate at the holidays and I wanted it loaded with as many marshmallows as I can fit in a cup. I really like the ooey, gooey texture and sweetness marshmallows add to the rich chocolate. This cookie is just like a cup of hot chocolate. It's rich in chocolate flavor through the cocoa powder and chocolate chips and the ooey, gooey thing is there, too, due to the marshmallow fluff.

I made these cookies twice. The first time the texture didn't come out correctly, so let me tell you what I learned from making this recipe so that you get it correct on the first try:

1. Mini-chocolate chips helped with even baking. I used regular size chips the first time and noticed the cookies spread differently depending on how many chips were in each cookie. Tried mini chips on the second try and didn't see any issues, and the little bursts of chocolate chips in every bite didn't hurt either.

2. Mix in the fluff by hand. The originally recipe I reviewed said to add in half the fluff so that you could mix it in slowly. This didn't work for me. Some cookies had to much and didn't bake well, so had to little... I used my mixer to make the dough and then cut in the fluff by hand with a butter knife. I should say rather that I cut and folded it into the dough to create a marble pattern. This resulted in marshmallow swirls throughout the top and the bottom of the cookie.

3. Know your oven. Baking marshmallow fluff is like roasting a marshmallow on a fire; it can quickly go from the ooey, gooey to charred and burnt. You need to bake the cookies long enough that the edges are set but the center still looks soft and the marshmallow fluff is still white, not browned. Nine minutes was the magic number for me, but watch the first tray you put in to find your number. See images below for what the dough looked liked before and after baking.

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Chocolate Marshmallow

Yield: 22 cookies Pre Time: 20 minutes Bake Time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1/3 cup brown sugar

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg, room temperature

• 1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

• 1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon mat and set aside.

2. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until the mixture becomes light and airy (about 2 minutes).

3. Scrape down the bowl and add in the egg and vanilla, beating on low until well combined.

4. In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Next, add the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, stirring until just combined.

5. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, being careful not to over mix the dough (about 2 turns with the paddle attachment).

6. Remove paddle attachment and mix in fluff by hand with a spatula or butter knife. You want the fluff to look marbled with the chocolate dough.

7. Use a cookie scoop to portion out about 1 inch cookie dough spheres around the areas of the dough that has fluff in it. Place the cookies on the prepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

8. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven when you sees a soft center, but a firmer edge. Let cool on a rack for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!