Dairy Free Hot Chocolate Cookies

Whenever the weather gets colder, I always find myself craving a warm cup of hot chocolate.

These dairy free hot chocolate cookies give you that exact same cozy feeling in the form of a soft, chewy cookie.

Many traditional baked goods rely heavily on regular butter and milk, which can be tough if you need to avoid dairy.

This recipe is completely dairy free, so you can enjoy a rich chocolate dessert without worrying about how it will make you feel later.

Each cookie is topped with a gooey marshmallow and a simple chocolate drizzle that melts right in your mouth.

Why This Recipe Is a Keeper

Gooey Marshmallow Center – You get a soft, melty marshmallow on top that makes every single bite delightfully gooey and fun.

Authentic Hot Cocoa Flavor – Rich cocoa powder and warm vanilla capture the classic taste of hot chocolate in a chewy cookie.

Ultra Soft Texture – A touch of cornstarch keeps the centers tender, chewy, and soft for days without drying out.

Totally Dairy Free – Everyone can enjoy this treat safely because it uses simple plant-based butter, oat milk, and dairy-free chocolate.

Here’s What You’ll Need

For the Cookies

• 1/2 cup Dairy Free Butter, Softened
• 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, Packed
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tbsp Unsweetened Oat Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/4 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
• 8 Large Marshmallows

For the Drizzle

• 1/2 cup Dairy Free Chocolate Chips
• 1 tsp Coconut Oil

How to Make It

Step 1

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the dairy free butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the egg, oat milk and vanilla until smooth.

Step 3

Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms, then fold in the chocolate chips. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Use kitchen scissors to snip each marshmallow in half, then roll the dough into 2 tablespoon balls and place them 3 inches apart.

Step 5

Bake for 8 minutes, then remove the pan and gently press a marshmallow half, cut side down, onto the center of each cookie. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, just until the marshmallows puff and soften.

Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.

Step 6

For the drizzle, microwave the chocolate chips with the coconut oil in 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cookies and let the chocolate set for 20 minutes.

Recipe Tips

Use Stick Butter Instead of Tub Butter

From my experience, you should always bake these with dairy-free butter that comes in a solid stick rather than a spreadable tub.

Tub varieties contain added water and air to keep them soft in the fridge. That extra liquid will make your dough too thin and cause the cookies to spread flat and greasy on the tray.

Stick butter has the proper fat content you need to get thick, chewy centers.

Do Not Skip Chilling the Dough

I recommend chilling the mixed dough in the fridge for the full 30 minutes before rolling it into balls.

Dairy-free butter softens much faster at room temperature than standard dairy butter does.

If the dough goes into the oven warm, the cookies will melt and spread into flat puddles before the edges have a chance to bake.

Sift Your Cocoa Powder

I’ve found that cocoa powder naturally gathers moisture and forms small, stubborn lumps inside the bag.

Pouring it through a fine wire strainer before mixing makes a big difference. This simple step keeps dry, bitter pockets of cocoa out of your sweet cookies.

What to Make Next

• Dairy Free Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Dairy Free Edible Cookie Dough
• Dairy Free Fudgy Brownies
• Dairy Free Magic Cookie Bars
• Dairy Free Peach Cobbler Cookies

Popular Questions

What type of dairy-free butter works best for this recipe?

Stick-style dairy-free butter works best because it has a lower water content than spreadable tub butter.

Tub varieties contain extra moisture that can make the dough too soft and cause your cookies to spread too thin.