These vegan, gluten-free spiced hot chocolate marshmallow cookies offer a blend of chewy chocolate, gooey marshmallow centers, and warm spices like cinnamon and gingersnap. With no dough chilling required, they are quick to make and perfect for a holiday treat or chocolate craving. The cookies are finished with drizzles of Pascha's 55% Organic Vegan Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate Chips and Organic White Vegan Baking Chips, adding an extra touch of decadence.

This recipe was created by foodallergymoms_andmore as part of Pascha's Bake Off Competition.

Serves: 32

Ingredients

• 1 cup Plant Based Butter (2 sticks, softened at room temperature)
• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar (organic)
• 1/2 cup Cane Sugar (organic)
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 3 tbsp Water (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp Molasses (organic, unsulphured)
• 1 1/2 cups Primal Palate Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp Espresso Powder
• 1 tsp Baking Soda 
• 1/2 tsp Salt 
• 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Primal Palate Gingersnap Spice
• 3/4 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 16 Vanilla Vegan Marshmallows (regular sized, cut in half for a total of 32 marshmallow halves
• 2/3 cup Pascha 55% Organic Vegan Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate Chips (melted)
• 2/3 cup Pascha Organic Vegan White Baking Chips (melted)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or in large bowl using handheld electric mixer, beat vegan butter, sugars, vanilla, water, and molasses at medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes.
3. In medium mixing bowl, whisk to combine gluten-free flour, cocoa, espresso powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and gingersnap spice.
4. Add dry mixture to bowl with wet mixture. Beat to combine, scraping sides of bowl, as needed, with rubber spatula.
5. Using a #24 spring-loaded cookie scoop (this size scoop holds 2.67 Tbsp), gently press one marshmallow half - sticky side down - in bottom of cookie scoop so it is stuck to the inside-bottom of cookie scoop. Next, scoop cookie dough into scoop, using a butter knife to level off any excess dough directly back into the bowl. Use spring-loaded handle of cookie scoop to release cookie dough onto prepared cookie sheet(s). Marshmallow half will be directly in the middle. Repeat with remaining marshmallow halves, spacing dough at least 2-inches apart.
6. Bake on middle rack of oven for 8-9 minutes, until marshmallow middles appear gooey and “puffed up.” Note that when you remove cookies from oven the “puffed up” marshmallow middles will deflate down and settle nicely in the middle of each cookie within 30-60 seconds after removing from oven. Cool 10-15 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
7. Drizzle cookie tops with melted semi-sweet chocolate. Allow to set, then drizzle cookie tops with melted white chocolate. Allow to set before serving.
8. Makes 32 cookies.

Notes

For the marshmallows, do not substitute mini marshmallows. Only use regular-size marshmallows, which some refer to as "large marshmallows." Do not use jumbo-size marshmallows.

A #24 spring-loaded cookie scoop is needed to make these cookies. All cookie scoops have a number on them, usually etched in small numbers on the handle or on the scoop itself. If you don't own one, they cost $10-$15; a great baking tool to own.

For melting Pascha Chocolate, refer to our Chocolate Tempering Video.