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We pull out all of the classic + cozy stops for December’s Cookie of the Month, the Hot Cocoa Meltaway Cookie! Paired with the best Christmas rom-com, these feel like you’re curled up next to the Christmas tree in your comfiest clothes.
December’s Cookie of the Month
The Cookie: Hot Cocoa Meltaway Cookies
This Hot Chocolate Meltaway Cookie is about to become your new (The) holiday tradition. A pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth hot chocolate-esque cookie base that is stuffed with (more than 5) marshmallows and topped with a vanilla icing. It is full of Christmas magic and is kind of irresistible.
The Movie: “The Holiday”
Heartbreak meets cozy cottage magic when Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet) swap homes for Christmas and unexpectedly find new love (Hi, Jude Law + Jack Black?) on opposite sides of the world. If you love charming meet-cutes, quaint English villages, and that irresistible early-2000s rom-com glow, you’re about to be utterly smitten.
The Activity: Dinner + A Gift Exchange
Your December activity is simple and magical in the coziest way. Grab your group and enjoy a fun dinner of Christmas Fettuccine together. After dinner, do a little gift exchange (think swapping names, favorite things, or even white elephant). When the gifts have been opened, put on “The Holiday” and cozy up. Pajamas and soft blankets are non-negotiable.
And then after dinner, after the gift unwrapping, after Jude Law has taken his glasses off (you know the moment)… you finish the night with December’s Hot Cocoa Meltaway Cookies.
Ingredients
*You can find exact quantities and directions in the recipe card below.
- Salted butter, softened – I always use salted butter in my bakes. You can sub unsalted butter if you’d prefer, just add an extra pinch of salt to the dough.
- Powdered sugar – This is the first key to getting these cookies to be insanely soft and pillowy.
- Egg
- Vanilla – I used the Pure Vanilla extract from my flavorings line and it absolutely smashes in these.
- Cake flour – The cake flour is the second key to giving these cookies the soft meltaway texture.
- Dutch processed cocoa powder – I recommend using dutch processed because it will react with the baking powder to give these cookies the fluffy lift we are looking for.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Tiny marshmallow bits – I found these in the baking aisle of my grocery store! You’re looking for the tiny dehydrated marshmallows that you would find in a hot chocolate mix.
Vanilla glaze
- Butter – Again, I used salted.
- Vegetable shortening – This is optional, but it will help the icing to crust and get hard on the outside. You can sub butter if you don’t care about that, though.
- Powdered sugar
- Milk – You will use as much or as little milk as you’d like to get your desired frosting texture.
- Clear vanilla extract – Clear extract here to keep the frosting nice and bright white.
How to Make December’s Cookie of the Month
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, combine the butter, powdered sugar and egg until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla, mixing until evenly distributed.
- Next, add the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Mix until a sticky dough forms. Allow the dough to rest for 5 or so minutes– it will be easier to handle that way.
- Fold the mini marshmallows in until incorporated.
- Portion out the dough into small, 1/2 Tbsp portions. Roll into a ball and arrange on the cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 7-9 minutes, or until the cookies have spread slightly and look dry on the top.
- While the cookies are baking, make the icing by combining the butter and vegetable shortening until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar and milk to bring the mixture together into a thick frosting.
- While mixing, add in the clear vanilla extract. Add in extra milk to thin out the icing, if needed.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes and then drizzle the top with the icing.
- Allow the cookies to cool and enjoy!
What is Cookie of the Month Club?
A feature of 2025, the Cookie of the Month Club features a BRAND NEW (likely themed, guaranteed delicious) cookie recipe for each month, a movie to watch while eating said cookie, and an activity to go along with the fun! Grab your crew and have so.much.fun!
Disappointed that you’re finding out about this as it wraps up? Find a round up of this year’s COTM club recipes here!
Karli’s Kitchen Faves
Here are a few of my favorite kitchen tools that I used to make this recipe!
- Kitchenaid Mixer – I really love this thing. It’s not necessary for making good cookies, but I love the size of the bowl and the power. It saves me a lot of arm aches.
- Cookie Sheet – These cookie sheets have put in WORK in my kitchen. If you’re looking for a brand that will stand the test of time (and cookies), this is my recommendation.
- Silicone baking mat – I love using this or parchment paper to line my cookie sheets to make it easy-peasy to get cookies off of the pan without sticking.
- Piping bag – These are disposable, meaning you do not have to clean them ha. They are durable and won’t burst and leak your frosting. For this cookie, you can also use a ziplock bag with the corner snipped off.
- Piping tips – This is a set of my 4 favorite piping tips.
Christmas Cookies
Hot Cocoa Meltaway Cookies (Cookie of the Month)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (222g) salted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cup (134g) powdered sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/4 cups (295g) cake flour
- 1/3 cup (40g) dutch processed cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (17g) tiny marshmallow bits
Vanilla glaze
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 1/2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup (80g) powdered sugar
- 1/8 cup milk, (plus more, if needed)
- 1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, combine the butter, powdered sugar and egg until smooth and creamy.1 cup (222g) salted butter, softened, 1 1/4 cup (134g) powdered sugar, 1 egg
- Add the vanilla, mixing until evenly distributed.1 tsp vanilla
- Next, add the cake flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Mix until a sticky dough forms. Allow the dough to rest for 5 or so minutes– it will be easier to handle that way.2 1/4 cups (295g) cake flour, 1/3 cup (40g) dutch processed cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt
- Fold the mini marshmallows in until incorporated.1/2 cup (17g) tiny marshmallow bits
- Portion out the dough into small, 1/2 Tbsp portions. Roll into a ball and arrange on the cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 7-9 minutes, or until the cookies have spread slightly and look dry on the top.
- While the cookies are baking, make the icing by combining the butter and vegetable shortening until smooth.2 Tbsp butter, 1/2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
- Add the powdered sugar and milk to bring the mixture together into a thick frosting.3/4 cup (80g) powdered sugar, 1/8 cup milk
- While mixing, add in the clear vanilla extract. Add in extra milk to thin out the icing, if needed.1/2 tsp clear vanilla extract
- Allow the cookies to cool for 5 minutes and then drizzle the top with the icing.
- Allow the cookies to cool and enjoy!
are these the tine dehydrated mellows or the tiny regular soft ones
Dehydrated!
Can you freeze these?
Yes! Use them within 3 months once frozen.
Can I make ahead and freeze the dough before baking? Or is it better to make the cookie and then freeze the cookie?
You can do either. I prefer to bake the cookie and then freeze, but you can also freeze the dough! If freezing the dough, I recommend scooping into dough balls before freezing.
This recipe looks amazing, can’t wait to try it, but first, can you use all purpose flour in place of the cake flour?
Using all-purpose will alter the texture of these cookies. They will not be as melty and pillowy soft!
Made these this year for my annual goodie baskets and everyone LOVED them.