These Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups made with sugar cookie dough are filled with hot chocolate ganache, have a pretzel handle and mini marshmallows on top! Disclosure: Pillsbury provided me with Pillsbury Dough Products. All opinions are 100% my own.
Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups are perfect for cold winter days and they are a fun holiday cookie to bring to Christmas parties, cookie exchanges and potlucks!
They do take a little extra time to make because attaching the pretzel handles is time-consuming but the hot chocolate cookies cups are so cute that it’s worth it. And everyone loves the smooth hot chocolate ganache that they are filled with!
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I checked the weather and read that there are multiple Alberta Clippers on the way. I’m not even sure how that is possible but it looks like several of the northern states could have blizzards.
For those of you who don’t live in a northern state, Canada or the North Pole, the definition of a blizzard is: A severe snowstorm caused by strong, sustained winds of at least 56 km/h (35 mph) and lasting for a prolonged period of time – typically three hours or more. Sound like fun? Not so much!
What do we do during a blizzard or severely cold weather? We stay home and keep warm, of course. We also bake, play board games, drink hot chocolate and get cabin fever. Once again, for those of you who live in warm climates, cabin fever is: irritability, listlessness, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors during the winter.
But it’s not all bad, definitely not! I love living in Minnesota. On the days that are warmer, we enjoy our time outdoors. We go sledding, skiing, snowboarding, and ice skating. We build snowmen, have snowball fights and go for walks in the snow.
If the weather gets really warm, like 38 degrees last Sunday, a good percentage of native Minnesotans walk around without their winter coats! Sounds crazy but 38 degrees feels warm when you compare it to -21!
I made these Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups for the first time in the Pillsbury Test Kitchens. I first imagined making these cookies at the beginning of December. I was doing a little brainstorming about recipes to make in January and February.
What came to mind was cold weather and hot chocolate. I wanted to try making a hot chocolate cake, hot chocolate cheesecake and hot chocolate cookie cups so I made a list on my iPhone.
Then, when I was at the Pillsbury Test Kitchens and was given the challenge of making my own cookie, I remembered my list and decided to give these a try. These 4 pictures are from my day in the test kitchens.
How To Make Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
Step One: Cookie Cups
To make the hot chocolate cookie cups, I started by putting 1 tablespoon of Pillsbury sugar cookie dough into greased mini muffin tins or try using a greased silicone mini muffin pan.
(Update – an optional step would be to roll the sugar cookie dough balls in granulated sugar before putting them into the mini muffin tins to help prevent sticking.)
I baked them for 12-14 minutes at 375 degrees. Allow the cookies to cool completely in the pan before gently removing them.
Step Two: Chocolate Ganache
Next, I made chocolate ganache by bringing the whipping cream to a boil.
After quickly stirring in hot chocolate, I poured the hot cream over semi-sweet chocolate chips and let it sit for 3 minutes. Then, I stirred the mixture until the chocolate chips were melted and the ganache was smooth.
Step Three: Pretzel Handles
I broke off the loops on some mini pretzels to use as handles. I melted a little white chocolate and used it to attach the pretzel handles to the cookie cups.
Step Four: Assembly
Spoon the chocolate ganache into the cookie cups and top with mini marshmallows (I used Jet Puffed Mallow Bits).
Enjoy the Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups with a cup of real hot chocolate. These cookies are super popular during the holidays and throughout the entire winter.
Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups FAQs
Question #1 How Do I Form The Cookie Cups? This recipe can be made with or without forming the sugar cookie dough in the pan.
1. Leave the dough as a ball and it will puff up while baking and sink when removed from the oven, leaving a “dip” for the ganache. This is the EASIEST method and it is how I made my Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups.
2. If you make an indentation in the sugar cookie dough ball before baking, it will still puff up while baking and sink when removed from the oven, leaving a “dip” for the ganache.
3. The straighter the sides of the mini muffin pan, the straighter the side of the cookie cups will be.
4. To make a bigger “cup” to fill with ganache, you can use a small cup (like a medicine cup) to make an indentation in each cookie, after removing them from the oven.
WARNING – when you press the cup into the soft cookie dough it can pull away or tear the cookie dough on the sides of the cup leaving small gaps. And you may need to make additional ganache if using the method.
Question #2 What should I do if my cookies overflowed in the muffin pan and spread out too far?
1. Use a small cookie cutter (mine is 2 inches in diameter) to cut away the extra cookie immediately after taking them out of the oven.
2. Try using less cookie dough in each of the cups.
Question #3: How do I prevent the cookie cups from sticking in the mini muffin pans? I’ve made sugar cookie cups using Pillsbury Sugar Cookie dough many, many times using different pans, from different brands, in different kitchens and have not had issues with them sticking, but several of you haves so here are some things to try:
1. Roll the sugar cookie dough in a granulated sugar before placing it in the cups.
2. If the cookie cups are only a little bit stuck, try using a thin knife to gently pry up the edges.
3. Remember, mini muffin pans vary by brand, materials used to make the pans and the age of the pan.
4. I now use this Grazia Silicone Mini Muffin Pan to make my Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups and it works great! If you want to try a new pan, I would definitely recommend that one.
Question #4: Will the chocolate ganache spill out of the cookie cups when you are eating them?
Here is a look at the inside of the hot chocolate cookie cup once the ganache has cooled in the fridge. It is fudge-like so no, it will not spill out.
Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
Ingredients
- 1 package Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Dough
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon hot cocoa mix
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 12 mini pretzels
- 1 cup Jet-Puffed Mallow Bits
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Put 1 tablespoon of the sugar cookie dough into 24 greased mini muffin tins. See note 1 for optional sugar coating.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes at 375˚F. Allow the cookies to cool completely in the pan before gently removing them.
- Make the chocolate ganache by bringing the whipping cream to a boil.
- Stir in the hot cocoa mix.
- Pour the hot cream over the semi-sweet chocolate chips and let it sit for 3 minutes. Then, stir until the chocolate chips are melted and the ganache is smooth.
- Break off the loops on some mini pretzels to use as handles.
- Melt the white chocolate and use it to attach the pretzel handles to the cookie cups.
- Spoon the chocolate ganache into the cookie cups and top with mini marshmallows.
Video
D.j. says
I just tried making these. There is no way you used store bought cookie dough in the pictures you posted. Just no way. Store bought turns out either undercooked or a nasty brown. I understand you want to make the recipe accessible and you think it will see more so if you say you use store bought, but I just wasted my time and money on these when you could have just written the recipe the way you actually made it – with homemade cookie dough.
cristin says
I just made them with the peppermint sugar cookie tube in a well sprayed pan, and they came out just great! Thanks for a cool recipe!
Cierra says
I beg to differ, D.j.
I make sugar cookie fruit cups every summer using store bought cookie dough and they turn out wonderfully every time. Look at all of the successful comments. You seem to be the only one complaining. Don’t accuse the author of lying and then blame her for your own shortcomings.
Margie Becker says
you just over baked them you need to take out even when they don’t look done and then they will be fine. Sure the recipe writer was telling truth. Maybe you just had a bad day.
Debra Cobb says
I have made these 3 years in a row with store bought Pillsbury cookie dough.
They turned out great each time. Just like she instructed……
Beth says
I see that you said they are best enjoyed fresh, however, do they have to be refrigerated? I would like to make them tonight and take them to a cookie exchange in the morning. Is leaving them out overnight not a good idea?
Tonia says
There is cream in the ganache so it is up to you. When I made them in the Pillsbury kitchens, I brought them back to my hotel and they sat in my room overnight and we still ate them the next day. Enjoy! ~Tonia
Lynn says
Has anyone tried to use instant chocolate pudding instead of the ganache? Would the pudding be too much?
Tonia says
I have not tried that, but I think they would be delicious! I would suggest adding the pudding right before serving so that the cookies don’t get soggy. ~Tonia
Amanda says
I want to make these to take to my son’s school Christmas party. About how much does this recipe yield?
Tonia says
Hi Amanda,
It makes 24 cookie cups. Merry Christmas!
~Tonia
Jenna says
Would jello pudding work just as good as whipping cream?
Brenda says
How well do these hold up? Can they be stored or should they be consumed immediately? Thank you!
Tonia says
They hold up pretty well if stored in the fridge but, like most baked goods, they taste best when fresh. Enjoy! ~Tonia
Kathleen says
Has anyone tried to make these with gluten-free cookie dough?
Christine says
Do you shape the dough to the pan to get the ‘cup’ shape?
Tonia says
Hi Christine,
No, I didn’t. I just put the dough balls in the greased mini muffin pan and baked them. The dough puffs up as it cooks and fills the cups. Happy Baking!
~Tonia
Sandra says
Watch the video—it explains exactly how to get the cup shape…
Tiara says
I was so excited to make this but it didn’t work for me : ( The store was out of Pilsbury dough so I bought the generic kind… maybe that’s why it didn’t turn out. The sides of the cups were too thin and had holes in them after it set when I took it out of the oven. What do you think?
Kitty says
I think you didn’t use enough dough in each muffin tin. Try increasing the size of the ball you put in there and you should be alright
Bianca says
I also got a lot of holes in mine using Pillsbury dough. Sealing them with a bit of cooled white chocolate worked wonders and prevented the chocolate ganache from leaking out. Of course, if you used enough dough in the first place you should be fine 🙂 good luck!
Abby says
Hello, I am interested in making these and I was wondering what brand of hot cocoa mix to use? Thank you in advance! 🙂
Tonia says
I think it was Swiss Miss brand.
Laura says
I made these for a cookie exchange and they were a hit. I won most creative cookie. I did roll the doll in suger. I used the pampered chef 24 mini muffin tin and no problems with the cups sticking. I also agee with the other comments be very generous on the white chocolate so the handles stay on.
Thank you for this cute recipe!
Tonia says
Fantastic! I’m delighted that they turned out for you!
Bev says
I just made these this evening and thought they were a lot of fun to make. I made a double batch, sprayed the muffin pans with PAM, and also rolled the sugar cookie dough in sugar….It worked beautifully. They popped right out once they cooled and were ready for the ganache. I bought a white chocolate candy Santa, microwaved him til he melted, stirred it and waited for it to cool and get thicker then used that to stick the ears onto the cups…worked like a charm. I will definitely use this recipe again, and thank you!!
Kimberly says
These were such a great idea. Others have commented about issues with sticking and I did not have this issue at all. They popped right out after I let them cool a few minutes. I then moved them to the cooling rack to completely cool. I did make a small thumbprint indentation to make sure it would work…it did. Although they puffed up during baking, I used a small cup as suggested to make the indentation once baked. I found that using a medicine cup with a rounded edge worked best as it did not “cut” the warm cookie. The handles were tricky but we figured it out. We took the advise of another reader who recommended dipping chocolate. EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION. The dipping chocolate does need to sit a bit so it’s “stickier.” Freshly warmed chocolate was too loose and we found ourselves holding the handles in place until the chocolate stiffend. As the chocolate cooled, it was much easier to work with. Also we took the bottom half of the pretzel off so we could break the top two halves in two and have more surface area to adhere the handle. Be generous with the chocolate or your hands will fail. I plan to try this again with my own sugar dough to see if my recipe can hold up to requirements. Thanks for the recipe. It was fun to do!
Jacki says
OK, my “12 minute” initial prep time was really 60 but I did make a double batch. I used Wilton non-stick mini pans sprayed with butter Pam. I did roll one pan-full in sugar and that came out easier but not perfect. It’s been 3 hours now and I can’t stand on my feet anymore. These are cute, tasty, but not worth the time compared to other impressive and delicious cookie creations. Sorry… This one’s a thumbs down for me.
shan says
Maybe you just can’t bake D.J? I just wasted MY time reading a useless review. Hate when ppl blame their own shortcomings on ppl who are nice enough to share free recipes!
Natasha Thielen says
very nice recipe. We used pop bottle caps (left on the bottle), to make the indentations. Looks a lot better that way.
Sandy says
Can these be made the night before for a party the next day? Or do you recommend making them the say day you are serving them??
Tonia says
They can definitely be made the day before. That’s a great idea since they can be time consuming! Enjoy! ~Tonia
Momoftwo says
These were impossible! We couldn’t get the cookies out of the mini muffin pans. Almost every one broke. We tried molding them back together, nothing worked. I will never make these again!
Tonia says
That is so disappointing! I know how frustrating it is when recipes don’t turn out. Thank you for stopping back to share your experience. ~Tonia
Corrine says
Ok, I am on my 3rd attempt of these cookies, but I am determined to get the cups out of the mini muffin pan. They stick and then when I twist they break. My kids got the mishaps in their lunches today. Wonder what they thought. Ok timer is going off, will post results. cross your fingers.
Tonia says
Oh darn! I’m so sorry to hear that! It is really frustrating when you spend time and money on a recipe, only to have it fail. I’ve updated the post with a few additional tips and a video that I made when making my eggnog cookie cups. Thanks for sharing your experience! ~Tonia
Nora says
We tried using the white chocolate chips and it was very difficult, the chocolate took so long to dry and before it had a chance to, the pretzel handles fell off. Then we tried the white chocolate that is used for dipping strawberries and it worked wonders because it dried so quickly. I highly recommend using the dipping chocolate instead. No particular brand, just one that is used for dipping fruits.
amanda says
Im going to make these for a work party. I have a Question. How would I melt the white chocolate (I’m scared of burning it) or could I use something else?
Tonia says
Hi Amanda,
Put the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Heat at 50% power (medium) for 1 minute, stir and continue heating (at 50% power) and stirring in 15 second intervals until smooth. Happy Baking!
~Tonia
amanda says
Im going to make these for a work party. I have a Question. How would I melt the white chocolate (I’m scared of burning it) or could I use something else?