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!
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 while 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 four 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 one 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 have, 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 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.
More Cookie Cup Recipes
Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups
Video
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Spoon the chocolate ganache into the cookie cups and top with mini marshmallows.
Rosemary Williams says
I saw these on a news program years ago and have been making them ever since, so it’s about time I said thank you for the cutest, simplest cookie recipe ever! I don’t bake and am terrible at decorating. This recipe is a lifesaver and has become a treasured tradition with my child. I’ve never left a recipe comment before, but these cookies are that awesome. Thank you, thank you!!!!!
Tonia Larson says
Hello Rosemary,
That’s fantastic! You are very welcome. I’m delighted to hear that they are a holiday tradition for your family and thank you for stopping by to leave your first recipe comment!
Warmly,
Tonia
Kirsten R. says
Fantastic updates to the how-to-make part of this recipe since I first made them 10 years ago! If this is the first time you are trying them, make sure you watch the video and adjust the steps in the recipe to how they are presented the video. Most important is baking the cookie cups and attaching the pretzel handles to the cooled cookie cups BEFORE you make the ganache and fill the cups. Saved me so much time!
I usually bake the cookies the night before, attach the pretzel handles the next morning, and set each on back in my silicone mini-muffin pan at an angle with the handles pointing up. While they are cooling and setting on the cookie cups, I bake a batch of another cookie. Then I make the ganache, fill the cups, and top with marshmallows.
Ever time I make these, they are the hit of the cookie exchange, or the most commented on part of the cookie plate! Thanks for an awesome addition to our family’s Christmas Cookie tradition!
Tonia Larson says
Hello Kirsten,
That’s wonderful! Thank you so much for stopping by to tell me. You made my day!
Warmly,
Tonia