Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

These hot chocolate cookie cups look like tiny mugs filled with a warm winter drink. The base is a simple cocoa dough pressed into a mini muffin pan. Once baked, the cups hold a smooth chocolate ganache and mini marshmallows. Pretzel halves act as the handles for a fun presentation.

Baking these takes a bit of patience while the chocolate sets, but the steps are straightforward. The dough mixes up quickly and holds its shape well in the oven. They make a great project for a weekend afternoon and stand out on a dessert tray.

Why will you love Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups?

Baking the dough in a mini muffin pan ensures uniform cups that hold the filling securely.

Pressing the dough twice, once before baking and once right after, creates a deep well for the ganache.

Drying the cups upside down keeps the pretzel handles from sliding off while the melted chocolate hardens.

Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Ingredients

• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Dutch-process or natural cocoa powder both work well for the cookie dough.

• Egg yolk: You only need the yolk for this recipe. Save the egg white for another use.

• Mini chocolate-covered pretzels: Buy extra pretzels, as some will inevitably break when you cut them in half.

• Semi-sweet chocolate: Use chopped baking bars rather than chocolate chips for a smoother ganache.

• Heavy cream: This provides the right fat content to make the ganache thick and stable at room temperature.

Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

Step 1: Make the cookie base

Mix the butter, sugar, vanilla, salt, and egg yolk until combined. Stir in the flour and cocoa powder to form a soft dough. Portion the dough into a mini muffin pan and press the centers to create a cup shape.

Step 2: Bake and shape

Chill the dough briefly to help it hold its structure. Bake until firm. While the cookies are still warm, press the centers again to deepen the wells. Let them cool fully before removing them from the pan.

Step 3: Attach the handles

Cut the chocolate-covered pretzels in half to form the mug handles. Use melted chocolate as glue to stick them to the sides of the cookie cups. Rest the cups upside down while the chocolate hardens so the handles stay in place.

Step 4: Fill with ganache

Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Spoon the warm ganache into each cookie cup. Add a few mini marshmallows on top and let the filling set.

What to Serve with Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

Serve these with a cold glass of milk or a warm cup of coffee.

Helpful Tricks for Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

Egg dishes must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) for food safety.

Use a gentle sawing motion with a serrated knife when cutting the pretzels to prevent them from shattering.

If the cookie dough sticks to your measuring spoon while pressing, dip the spoon in flour before each press.

How to Store and Freeze Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

Store leftover cookie cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. You can freeze the unfilled baked cookie cups for up to three months.

Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups Recipe FAQs

Can I use regular pretzels instead of chocolate-covered ones?

Yes, plain mini pretzels work fine for the handles. They will have a different appearance but will stick to the cups just as well.

How do I get the cookie cups out of the pan?

Let them cool completely first. Gently run a toothpick or a small knife around the edges to loosen them, then lift them out.

Can I make the cookie cups ahead of time?

You can bake the cookie cups and attach the handles a day in advance. Fill them with the ganache and marshmallows a few hours before serving.

Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups

Chocolate cookie dough is baked in a mini muffin pan, fitted with pretzel handles, and filled with rich chocolate ganache and mini marshmallows.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 12 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24

Ingredients

  

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150g
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, 113g
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 160g
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 42g
• 24 mini chocolate-covered pretzels
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chopped (for attaching handles), 40g
• 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chopped (for ganache), 113g
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for ganache) 28g
• 1/2 cup heavy cream 120ml
• 72 mini marshmallows
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder for dusting

Instructions

 

• Beat the granulated sugar, 8 tablespoons (113g) of butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until smooth. Add the egg yolk and mix to combine.
• Add the flour and 1/2 cup (42g) of cocoa powder to the bowl. Mix on low speed just until a dough forms and no dry spots remain.
• Divide the dough into 24 even pieces. Roll each into a ball and place them into a lightly greased 24-cup mini muffin pan. Press the center of each ball with a floured rounded teaspoon measuring spoon to form a cup shape, pushing the dough up the sides. Chill the pan in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake the chilled cookie cups for 14 to 18 minutes until the edges are firm and the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) for egg safety. Remove from the oven and carefully press the centers again to reinforce the cup shape. Let cool completely in the pan.
• Melt the 1/4 cup (40g) of chopped chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals. Remove the cooled cookie cups from the pan. Carefully cut each pretzel in half down the center to create handle shapes.
• Dip the cut ends of the pretzel handles into the melted chocolate and press them against the sides of the cookie cups. Place the cups upside down on a parchment-lined baking sheet so the handles can dry without sliding. Let the chocolate set completely, about 2 hours.
• Place the 2/3 cup (113g) of chopped chocolate and 2 tablespoons (28g) of butter in a heat-proof measuring cup. Warm the heavy cream in a small saucepan until it steams, then pour it over the chocolate and butter. Let sit for 3 minutes, then stir until smooth.
• Turn the cookie cups right side up. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the ganache into each cup. Top each with three mini marshmallows. Let the ganache set for 1 hour at room temperature.
• Dust the tops with cocoa powder just before serving.

Notes

Egg dishes must reach an internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) for food safety.

Use a gentle sawing motion with a serrated knife when cutting the pretzels to prevent them from shattering.

If the cookie dough sticks to your measuring spoon while pressing, dip the spoon in flour before each press.

Keyword Chocolate Dessert, cookie cups, holiday baking, hot chocolate cookie cups, mini desserts