These are chocolate cookie cups baked in a mini muffin tin, filled with soft ganache, and finished with mini marshmallows and a candy cane handle. One batch makes 24. The cookies take 8 minutes in a 375°F oven, so the baking is the fast part.
The ganache needs about an hour to firm up before the marshmallows go on, and the candy cane handles need another hour to set. Plan for that. The dough itself comes together in one bowl with a hand mixer.
Press the dough thin and even up the sides of each cup. Thick walls puff in the middle and leave less room for filling. If a center domes up anyway, press it back down with the back of a wooden spoon while the cookie is still warm.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven
Set the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin well, rims included.
2. Cream butter and sugars
Beat the butter with both sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl down once.
3. Add egg and chocolate
Beat in the egg, then pour in the melted chocolate and beat until it disappears into the mix.
4. Sift in the dry ingredients
Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. Beat on low just until no dry streaks remain.
5. Press dough into the tin
Drop a rounded tablespoon of dough into each cup. Press it across the bottom and up the sides with your fingers, keeping it below the rim.
6. Bake 8 minutes
Bake until the cookies puff slightly, about 8 minutes. They will still look soft in the middle.
7. Reshape and cool
If a center domed up, press it flat with the back of a wooden spoon while warm. Cool completely in the tin.
8. Make the ganache
Put 4 ounces of chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Pour the warm cream over them, wait 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
9. Fill the cups
Spoon ganache into each cooled cup until it sits level with the top. Top with mini marshmallows.
10. Let the ganache set
Leave the cups at room temperature about 1 hour, until the ganache firms up and holds the marshmallows.
11. Melt chocolate for handles
Melt the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate in the microwave. Let it sit 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens.
12. Cut the handles
Snip the curved end off each mini candy cane with scissors to make a short hook. Expect a couple to break.
13. Attach the handles
Lift each cup so one side tips up. Dip the end of a candy cane in the thickened chocolate and press it onto the side. Let set at least 1 hour.
How to Store Hot Chocolate Cookie Mugs
Refrigerator
Keep the finished cups in a sealed container in the fridge up to 4 days. The marshmallows soften after the first day.
Freezer
Freeze the baked, unfilled cookie cups up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then fill.
Reheating
No need to reheat. Let chilled cups sit 15 minutes at room temperature so the ganache softens.
Variations
- White chocolate ganache in place of semisweet gives a sweeter, lighter cup.
- A pinch of flaky salt on the ganache before the marshmallows cuts the sweetness.
- Skip the candy cane handles and serve the cups straight from the tin if you're short on time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use a regular muffin tin instead of a mini one?
Yes, but the yield and timing change. A standard tin makes about 12 larger cups, and they need closer to 12 to 14 minutes at 375°F. Start checking at 12 minutes.
Q: Why did my cookie cups puff up in the middle?
The dough was pressed too thick on the bottom, or it was packed above the rim. Press it thinner and keep it below the edge. If it happens anyway, press the warm centers down with the back of a wooden spoon.
Q: How do I get the cups out without breaking them?
Cool them completely in the tin first. Then slide a thin knife around the rim and lift one side, which is also the tilt you need to attach the handle.
Q: Can I make these ahead of time?
Bake and fill the cups a day ahead and keep them covered in the fridge. Add the candy cane handles the day you serve them so they stay crisp.
Q: My ganache turned oily or grainy. What went wrong?
The cream was probably too hot or the chocolate seized. Stir in a teaspoon of warm cream at a time until it smooths out. Next time let the cream sit on the chocolate for a full minute before stirring.
Hot Chocolate Cookie Mugs – Mini Cookie Cups
Bake a mini muffin tin of chocolate cookie cups, fill them with ganache, and top each with marshmallows and a candy cane handle.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven — Set the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin well, rims included.
- 2Cream butter and sugars — Beat the butter with both sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl down once.
- 3Add egg and chocolate — Beat in the egg, then pour in the melted chocolate and beat until it disappears into the mix.
- 4Sift in the dry ingredients — Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into the bowl. Beat on low just until no dry streaks remain.
- 5Press dough into the tin — Drop a rounded tablespoon of dough into each cup. Press it across the bottom and up the sides with your fingers, keeping it below the rim.
- 6Bake 8 minutes — Bake until the cookies puff slightly, about 8 minutes. They will still look soft in the middle.
- 7Reshape and cool — If a center domed up, press it flat with the back of a wooden spoon while warm. Cool completely in the tin.
- 8Make the ganache — Put 4 ounces of chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl or measuring cup. Pour the warm cream over them, wait 1 minute, then stir until smooth.
- 9Fill the cups — Spoon ganache into each cooled cup until it sits level with the top. Top with mini marshmallows.
- 10Let the ganache set — Leave the cups at room temperature about 1 hour, until the ganache firms up and holds the marshmallows.
- 11Melt chocolate for handles — Melt the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate in the microwave. Let it sit 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens.
- 12Cut the handles — Snip the curved end off each mini candy cane with scissors to make a short hook. Expect a couple to break.
- 13Attach the handles — Lift each cup so one side tips up. Dip the end of a candy cane in the thickened chocolate and press it onto the side. Let set at least 1 hour.
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