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
Radhika Womack says
Ever since I found this recipe in August I couldn’t wait to make them for our cookie exchange party in December! The day finally came and I made them today – so PERFECT!!! I didn’t change a thing from the recipe!!! These were such a hit!!!!! Thank you so so so much!!!! I wish I could post my pictures!!
Tonia says
Fantastic! I’m so happy to hear that! I found them on Instagram and they sure did turn out cute! I’m going to share them in my IG stories. Thank you for coming back to let us know. ~Tonia
Melissa says
I had no issue getting the cups out of the muffin tray (I sprayed and rolled in sugar), but, my muffin cups looked pretty disastrous, not cute and perfect like these pictures. I used a cookie cutter because they cooked over, but it still looks rough around the edges. Taste is good and they are pretty easy to make, especially for how cute they look. I would recommend trying! Hardest part is getting the handles on, but they are cute even without the handles
Carol A Keane says
Well I tried it. I found that if you put a little sugar on the bottom of the mini muffin tins as well as rolling it in sugar it didn’t stick as much. Tears if the dough is too thin. I used baking chocolate and Andes mints or Hershey miniatures and Andes mints equal amounts to give the cocoa either a creme de mint or peppermint taste without being overwhelming. I couldn’t get the pretzel to stick so tried melting marshmallow it worked but when I thought of it the chocolate was inside and started to spill. Such a cute idea. I used the 18 cookie size of cookie dough.
Fall says
Hello! I absolutely love this idea and thought it is really cute! I am planning on making these for a christmas party I will be attending on this coming Tuesday. Because I will be making these two day early, my quesion was how well will these do in the fridge for two days? Will the ganache cause the cookies to get moist and soggy?
Tonia says
How fun! We will be making them again this week. Yes, they will be good for two days in the fridge. Merry Christmas! -Tonia
Holly Michelli says
Yes, the cookie cups do get moist and soggy the longer they sit. You need to keep them in the fridge to allow them the longest “shelf life” possible, but that doesn’t help if you want them on a holiday cookie tray! I have been seeking suggestions that could “line” the cookie as to keep the ganache from getting the cookie cup soggy….ANY THOUGHTS??
Tonia says
Hi Holly,
When I made my Root Beer Float Cookie Cups, I coated the inside of the cookie cups with melted almond bark: https://www.thegunnysack.com/root-beer-float-cookie-cups/
For this recipe, you could try coating the inside with melted chocolate chips or melted chocolate bark.
Happy Baking!
~Tonia
Leah F. says
Getting ready to make these for a Christmas party tonight. I’ve seen where you roll these in sugar first before baking. My question is since I’m using plain sugar cookie dough could I used colored sugar like red and green to roll them in instead of white table sugar?
Tonia says
Yes you most certainly can. Happy Baking! ~Tonia
Leah F. says
Great! I wasn’t sure if would make a difference since the granular structure is just a bit bigger.
Shanny says
These turned out perfectly! Thanks so much for the recipe. They are adorable and tasty!
Marilyn says
These are just too cute ! I used homemade Snickerdoodle cookie dough, and it worked great…rolled a scant tablespoon of dough in sugar then put in the mini muffin tin that I had sprayed first. Great new Christmas dessert…I will freeze until then.
Thanks for sharing the recipe !
Ericka West says
Would this be a mixture or a solution?
Leah Kohman says
Getting ready to make these and I was nervous about removing from pan…came across this info in a web search FYI…
To remove baked items that are stuck in muffin tins, just put the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes! Then, run a knife around the edges and they should pop right out. To reheat, just place directly onto a baking sheet and put back in the oven.
Farhan Ali says
These are so stinking cute, Tonia! Love it!
Ali says
These were a HUGE hit with co-workers, friends and family. People not only loved the way they looked, they also loved the way they tasted. It was strongly hinted that I should make them again! I opted to make my own sugar cookie recipe, which turned out well. I used a non-stick metal mini-muffin tin and they popped out easily. I tried with a regular metal mini-muffin tin that was greased, but the cookies tasted too greasy from that. Like others, I felt it was easier to use the melting chocolate rather than the white chocolate chips, since it is meant to set up quickly. Also, I turned the cookies on their sides and rested them in the muffin tins while the chocolate on the handle was setting. Thanks for the great idea! (And the variations — the chocolate peppermint one looks tempting)
Kathy says
I used my own sugar cookie recipe (which chilled in the fridge for 24 hours) and couldn’t get an indent. Maybe I baked too long, I don’t know. Now I have sugar cookie cups that will get a frosting Santa hat on top, and ganache ingredients for another day. Sigh.
Four new recipes this Christmas, and three fails. 🙁
Christine R. says
… we made these on Wednesday in between waiting for bread to rise —- quite yummy indeed! (see 12/23 post on Syrian Bread – we included the link back here for your recipe! Thanks!)
Julie Hood says
Just made this recipe with my sister–SO SO so good. Thanks for sharing it! 🙂
Kristi says
Made these last night for my husband to take to work – fantastic. My favorite part: these cookies look like they take waaaay more work than they actually do. I admit, I nixed the pretzel handles after 6… but I’m pretty sure the flavor was not compromised 🙂 The ganache tastes like super rich hot chocolate. Winner winner – Thanks!!
Tonia says
Woohoo! Love it!
Deb says
Do you put silcone pan in oven without a cookie sheet seems very flimsy without one?
Tonia says
Yes, I usually put a pan underneath.
Megan says
I’ve made these twice now! They’re always a hit. A couple of things though:
1. When using the white hot chocolate to glue the pretzel bits on, it is much easier to do when the chocolate is a little cooler and not as runny.
2. After the cookies cool in the pan and I remove them, I have found it is really easy to gently press down the middle to make a good indentation!
Michelle Lucero says
These delicious treats are very adorable, but I would defiantly recommend using silicone baking cups other wise you get a mess.
Bev Slager says
I attempted to make these yesterday using the cookie dough and a metal mini baking pan. It was a mess I had to throw them all away. I think I need to use less dough and silicone pans?! They were raw on the bottom and came so far out of the pan they were too big. Thanks for the silicone tip. I will attempt them again 😊
Sheena says
instead of the chocolate ganache- I used chocolate pudding- so yummy!!!! and much easier and kid friendly
Tricia says
These turned out so awesome. They look super intricate but really weren’t all that hard to make! I had no trouble breaking the pretzels or attaching them. The hardest part for me was getting the ganache in the cups without getting any on the “rim”. I think next time I’ll use a syringe (as a previous reader posted), instead of spooning in ganache with a 1/2 teaspoon. Also, my cookie cups never sunk enough and a medicine cup was too big, so I used a paper straw to hollow out the inside as soon as they came out of the oven and it worked out great. I would like to try these out with regular size muffin tins, and maybe use a piece of a candy cane to look like a straw in the cocoa, in addition to the marshmallows.
Mary-Lynn Metivier says
The cocoa makes them taste like cocoa, so definitely I would not leave it out. Was impossible to stick the pretzel handles onto the cups, so left them off. They were delicious cooking (trial run) and am making them for a cookie swap.