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Sweet Vanilla Hot Chocolate Molten Cookies. Homemade chocolate cookies that taste just like your favorite mug of creamy vanilla hot chocolate! These cookies, similar to a lava cookie, are made with real vanilla extract, semi-sweet chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and the real secret – big chunks of dark chocolate. A light sprinkle of sea salt after baking makes them perfect. When eaten warm, the puddles of chocolate melt into every inch of the cookie, making each cookie melt in your mouth. So delicious. And not too sweet, but just sweet enough. They’re the perfect holiday cookie to bake, share, and gift this holiday season!
It’s finally here!! It’s time for all the holiday cookies!! And you all, I’ve been baking cookies for days. Between these cookies, the recipe I hope to share on Friday, and then the cookie box, it’s been one sweet cookie after another.
I’m not complaining; it’s been fun, and I’m excited to share each recipe with you all. Since I’m working on getting the cookie box posted relatively soon, I’ve been testing sweet recipes daily and even at night.
I love holiday baking, but it can be a lot of work! These hot cocoa cookies took a few days to perfect, but they were worth it – so excited to share!
The one thing about these cookies versus other hot chocolate cookies is that I nixed the marshmallows. But I promise you will not miss them. These are delicious hot cocoa cookies!
I took the idea from the nightly mugs of hot chocolate I make for Asher this time of year. She has a routine of showing up once it’s dark while my dad and I clean the studio. Her one request is a mug of steamy cocoa. She picks out her favorite Christmas mug, and then I make her the simplest hot cocoa. It’s perfect.
These cookies have everything in them that I use in Asher’s hot chocolate!
Details
Step 1:
Melt together the butter and chocolate chunks; the mixture will be thick.
Step 2: finish the cookie dough in the bowl of a stand mixer
Next, using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs up in a separate bowl with the sugar. This is the secret to the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cookie. You have to use room-temperature eggs and really whisk them until you see plenty of bubbles on top.
You’ll notice I’m using a lot of vanilla, two tablespoons. The vanilla provides the cookies with a really nice flavor that can stand up to all the chocolate.
Now add the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt.
Step 3: the chocolate chunks
I use a large 6.3-ounce bar of dark chocolate.
Chop the bar into rather large chunks. The bigger chunks melt into puddles throughout the cookies. So yummy, trust me.
Step 4: freeze
Roll the dough into decently-sized balls. This is a sticky dough, so using a cookie scoop or a smaller ice cream scoop is easiest for this dessert.
Freeze the dough balls on the cookie sheet until firm. Don’t skip this step. You want the dough to be chilled so the cookies will bake nicely. This only requires 15 to 30 minutes in the freezer.
Step 5: bake
Bake until just set. Then a light sprinkle of sea salt (if desired), and you’re good to eat!
Warm hot chocolate cookies for all! And a dip through a little whipped cream is highly recommended – so yummy!
Looking for Christmas cookie recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Chewy Frosted Cinnamon Swirl Snickerdoodles
Easy Slice ‘n’ Bake Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies
Easy Vanilla Bean Christmas Lights Cookies
Soft Gingerbread Latte Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Lastly, if you make these Vanilla Hot Chocolate Molten Cookies be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Vanilla Hot Chocolate Molten Cookies
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 244 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 ounces dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 2. In the microwave, melt the butter and chocolate chips together. 3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until bubbles form on top, about 2 minute. Add in vanilla and melted chocolate, whisking until the mix looks glossy. Mix in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Put the bowl in the freezer, let the dough sit for 30 minutes, until it is scoop-able. The batter should be like a thickened fudge. DO NOT skip this step. It's essential to the recipe.4. Line a small baking sheet or plate with parchment paper (anything that fits in your freezer). Using a 1/4 cup measure cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for 15-30 minutes, until firm. DO NOT skip this step. It's essential to the recipe.5. Pull the dough balls out of the freezer. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Space the cookies 2 inches apart. Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the cookies start to set around the edges, the centers should be a little doughy. Let cool on the pan. 6. Sprinkle with sea salt. Eat warm or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Hot chocolate with whipped cream is wonderful for dipping (:
Notes
Freezing: the cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready, thaw, then bake as directed.
Trouble Rolling the Dough: step 2 of the recipe is important, make sure you are really whisking your eggs and getting a very glossy look. It’s should look like a thick shiny chocolate brownie batter by the time step 2 is complete. If you are still having trouble. Start by adding 1/4 cup additional flour, then add more as needed. Some readers have used up to 1 cup of additional flour, but I have never personally found this needed.
This post was originally published on November 28, 2023
Baked them like she said, however the inside is extremely raw… is that how they are supposed to be? The outsides are clearly set!
Hi there,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! They shouldn’t be raw, but they are definitely and molten in the center. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
Loving these so much. Including them in my cookie boxes this year too. 🙂 Am riffing on them for my second batch to make a peppermint hot chocolate version.
Yay!! Thanks so much, Stef! Love to hear these cookies were a hit, I appreciate you making them! xx
Can I keep the batter in the freezer overnight and form into balls the following day? I am bringing this recipe to a cookie party but I wanted to prepare the batter before hand. Thanks!
Hi Mari,
Totally, that would be just fine for you to do. I hope you love this recipe! xx
Great! Thank you! Made these cookies last Christmas and they were a huge hit. Can’t wait to have them again. Happy holidays!
Can I substitute a white chocolate bar for the chocolate chips?
Hi Lisa,
So sorry, I wouldn’t recommend that for this recipe. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xx
I followed this recipe exactly, except I used a 1.5TBSP cookie scoop because I didn’t have a 1/4 cup one. My cookies didn’t spread at all- in fact, they stayed tall and puffed up. I even tried freezing the dough balls for 15 minutes, instead of 30, hoping they’d spread more, and they did not. I did not add any extra flour to the dough (just the 1/2 cup + 2 TBSP). I’m surprised because most of the comments state that the cookies spread TOO much and I had the opposite problem.
Flavor is just ok. If you’re debating making this cookie, it’s a fair amount of work for an ok cookie, and you may want to choose a different one. I’ve made a decent amount of halfbakedharvest’s other recipes and this is the only one that hasn’t worked for me, so I’m sure it’s user error. But I wanted to let others know, because I also value the comments that other bakers leave:-)
Happy holidays!
Hi Grant,
Thanks so much for trying these cookies and sharing your feedback! Sorry to hear they did not spread for you, I wonder if skipping the freeze part altogether would have helped. Again, thanks for your feedback! xx
I followed your recipe to a T and I ended up with the flattest cookies that all ran together. I froze them, used the correct measurements and baked them like it said. I would recommend using a different recipe.
Hi Denise,
So sorry to hear these cookies did not turn out for you. Thanks for giving them a try. Please let me know if there is anything that I can help with! xx
This recipe would be perfect if it was marketed as a skillet cookie or pazookie. I have now tried to make it twice because the flavor is phenomenal (it’s like a brownie in cookie form) and I wanted it to workout. Unfortunately, through both methods (freezing like the directions above, and freezing overnight) the cookies either spread and remained in a doughy form or they baked very unevenly after leaving them past the recommended cook time. I think this could be fixed through increasing the amount of flour, I just haven’t had the time to try it again.
Hey KM! I’m so sorry you are having trouble. I’ve not experienced what’s happening on your end. It’s odd they bake differently each time. Are you baking at 350?
You could try an additional 1/4 cup flour but I’ve not tested this so I can’t say for sure how they’ll turn out.
Let me know how it goes and we can try to problem solve the issue!!
Happy holidays!!
The cookies turned out perfect! If you love a rich chocolate cookie, this is the recipe. I allowed the cookies a full 30 minutes in the freezer once formed and they baked perfectly.
Hi Nicole,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback, so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Happy Holidays! XxT
Total time 55mins? Theres literally two steps 30 mins each this is a 2hr recipe minimum.
I made a few dozen of these last year (2023), and the cookies VANISHED! I decided to make several dozens and freeze them to use throughout the holidays. When we had a whole house full of family over on Christmas Day, I emptied the freezer stash because someone would try one, and request 2-3 more!
These are officially my go-to Christmas time cookie!
Lol thank you so much, Sara!! I am so glad these cookies have been such a hit and appreciate you making them! Have the best Sunday! xT
Another 10/10! I read the reviews before I made this and saw a common issue was how the cookies spread. So I kept the dough in the freezer for probably two hours total. First in the bowl and then after I placed them on the cookie sheet. Also I put less on the cookie sheet so there was enough space to let them spread. Otherwise followed this recipe exactly as written. Thank you Tieghan!
Hey Ashlynn,
Amazing! Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, so glad it turned out well! Have a great November! Xx
Unfortunately this recipe did not work for me either. I followed the instructions down to even weighing all of my ingredients, and up until the actual baking my dough appeared accurate per the video.
However, my cookies spread largely and became one molten sheet. I gave more than the 2 inches between cookies, but these melted together fast.
Flavour is still good, but they are definitely not something I could give to friends as intended 🙁 I’ve baked many half baked harvest recipes, and this was the only one that did not turn out unfortunately.
Hi Vicki,
Thanks so much for trying these cookies and sharing your feedback! So sorry to hear they did not turn out for you!! Did you do the freeze part in step 4? It sounds like the dough just needed more time in the freezer. I hope this helps! xT
Yes I froze them for 25 minutes, I know the range was 15-30mins. A few minutes after putting them in the oven they formed like a puddle around the still frozen balls and just continued to melt as time went on.
Thank you for replying, we love your recipes regardless and use them weekly for dinners 🙂
These are a flop. A really messy flop. Cookies just become flat goo that all runs together even if you do all the freezing this recipe requires. Sad I spent time and ingredients on this.
Hi there,
Thanks for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! So sorry to hear these cookies did not turn out for you. Please let me know if I can help in anyway! xT
Hi, I was wondering how long and what temp I might cook these if I’m using an airfryer?
Hi Christina,
So sorry, I have never made cookies in an air fryer before so I do not have those instructions. Please let me know if I can help in any other way! xT
Followed the recipe exactly and they came out SO perfect!!!! Definitely don’t forget the two steps where you put the dough in the freezer! Thank you for the delish recipe!
Hey Katie,
Wonderful!! Thanks a bunch for making these cookies and your comment, I’m so glad they were enjoyed! xT