Prepare to elevate your cookie game with these unbelievably delicious Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies. Imagine the perfect harmony of rich, nutty browned butter, melting pockets of gooey chocolate, and pockets of toasted, chewy marshmallow. These aren’t just any chocolate chip cookies; they are an experience, offering a delightful twist that transforms a classic into an extraordinary treat. We’ve taken the beloved chocolate chip cookie and injected it with a touch of magic, resulting in a dessert that evokes the cozy comfort of s’mores around a campfire, all conveniently packaged in a soft, chewy, and crispy-edged cookie.
If you’re a fan of innovative cookie recipes, you’ll also adore my absolute favourite ULTIMATE chocolate chip cookies, these decadent eggless chocolate chip cookies, and for the true chocolate lovers, these intense dark double chocolate chip cookies. Each recipe brings its unique charm, but these marshmallow-infused wonders hold a special place in our hearts.
Why You’ll Fall in Love with These Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies
This recipe isn’t just another cookie; it’s a culinary delight designed to bring joy with every bite. Here’s why these marshmallow chocolate chip cookies are about to become your new baking obsession:
- Irresistibly Gooey Chocolate and Toasty Marshmallows: The star of the show! As these cookies bake, the marshmallows soften and slightly toast on top, creating a beautiful golden crust and an incredibly gooey, stretchy interior. Paired with melty chocolate, it’s a textural dream come true.
- Perfect Chewy & Soft Texture with Crisp Edges: Achieving the ideal cookie texture is an art, and these deliver! They boast a wonderfully soft and chewy center that contrasts beautifully with their lightly crisp, golden-brown edges. This balance ensures every bite is satisfying.
- No Chilling Required for Instant Gratification: Forget the waiting game! One of the best features of this recipe is that there’s absolutely no need to chill the dough. You can whip up a batch from start to finish in under 30 minutes, making them perfect for unexpected cravings or last-minute entertaining.
- Effortlessly Easy – No Mixer Needed: Don’t own a stand mixer? No problem! This recipe is designed for simplicity, requiring only a couple of bowls and a whisk. It’s a fantastic option for beginner bakers and seasoned pros alike who appreciate a straightforward, no-fuss approach to baking.
- The Unforgettable Flavor of Browned Butter: Elevating the classic chocolate chip cookie to new heights, the browned butter adds a deep, nutty, and caramel-like flavor that is simply divine. It provides a complex undertone that perfectly complements the sweetness of the chocolate and marshmallows.
This recipe initially began as a simple browned butter chocolate chunk cookie, and it was undeniably delightful. However, my deep affection for marshmallows led me down a path of delicious experimentation. I couldn’t resist the temptation to incorporate them into this already fantastic cookie dough, and I’m incredibly thrilled with the results! The addition of marshmallows not only introduces an extra layer of texture – both a satisfying chewiness and a subtly crispy, toasted top – but also a delightful boost of flavor. While this recipe calls for classic chocolate chips, feel free to substitute them with chunks of your favorite chocolate bar for a more gourmet feel.
Feeling ambitious? You can easily transform this recipe into supersized cookies, similar to my popular chocolate chunk cookies. Just remember to adjust your baking time slightly, extending it to 12-14 minutes to ensure these larger treats are cooked through to perfection. These innovative cookies also served as the inspiration for my indulgent chocolate marshmallow cookies and my vibrant cherry chocolate chip cookies – definite must-tries if you’re looking to expand your baking repertoire!
Essential Ingredients for Your Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crafting these extraordinary cookies requires only a handful of common, everyday ingredients, most of which you likely already have in your pantry. The magic lies in how these simple components come together to create something truly special.
Detailed quantities and step-by-step directions can be found in the comprehensive recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Unsalted Butter: The foundation of our browned butter. I always recommend using unsalted butter to give you complete control over the salt content in your baking. Salted butters vary significantly in their sodium levels, so starting with unsalted ensures consistent results every time.
- Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: A harmonious blend of two sugars is key to achieving the perfect cookie texture and flavor. Brown sugar contributes essential moisture, leading to a chewier cookie and adding subtle caramel notes, while white granulated sugar helps with spread, crispiness, and balances the overall sweetness.
- Large Egg: The egg acts as a binder, providing structure to the cookies and enriching the dough. It also helps to keep the cookies wonderfully soft and chewy, preventing them from becoming dry or crumbly. Ensure your egg is at room temperature for optimal emulsification with the butter and sugars.
- All-Purpose Flour: Just standard plain flour is all that’s required for this recipe. Avoid self-rising flour, as we’ll be adding our leavening agent separately. Spoon and level your flour for accuracy, or better yet, weigh it for the most consistent results.
- Baking Soda (Bicarbonate of Soda): This is our leavening agent, crucial for creating that signature lift and chewiness. Be sure to use baking soda, not baking powder, as they react differently and will produce different results.
- Salt: Even in sweet recipes, a touch of salt is indispensable. It doesn’t just make the cookies salty; it acts as a flavor enhancer, balancing the sweetness and intensifying all the other delicious notes in the cookie, particularly the chocolate and browned butter.
- Vanilla Extract: A dessert staple! Pure vanilla extract adds a warm, aromatic depth of flavor that complements chocolate and marshmallow beautifully. It’s often the unsung hero that ties all the flavors together in sweet treats. For the best taste, use good quality vanilla.
- Chocolate Chips: Your choice of chocolate will impact the final flavor. I prefer using dark (semi-sweet) chocolate chips for a balanced sweetness that cuts through the richness, but milk chocolate chips are a fantastic option if you prefer a sweeter cookie. You can even use a combination, or chop up your favorite chocolate bar into chunks for varied texture and pockets of melted chocolate.
- Mini Marshmallows: The star addition! Mini marshmallows are ideal here as their small size ensures they are perfectly dispersed throughout the dough, creating numerous pockets of gooey, toasted goodness in every bite. Larger marshmallows can be used, but you might need to chop them to prevent them from melting out too much during baking.
What is Browned Butter? A Culinary Game-Changer
Perhaps the secret weapon in this recipe, browned butter is more than just melted butter; it’s butter transformed into a nutty, aromatic, and deeply flavorful ingredient that adds unparalleled depth to baked goods. So, what exactly is browned butter, and why is it such a crucial component in these marshmallow chocolate chip cookies?
Browned butter, also known as *beurre noisette* in French, is simply regular butter that has been gently melted and then cooked further until its milk solids toast to a golden-brown hue. As the butter melts and continues to cook, the water content evaporates, and the milk solids separate and caramelize at the bottom of the pan. This process, known as the Maillard reaction, creates an incredible depth of flavor that is often described as nutty, toasted, and slightly caramel-like, akin to hazelnuts. This complex flavor profile elevates ordinary cookies to gourmet status.
Incorporating browned butter into these cookies offers multiple benefits. Firstly, the rich, toasted notes from the butter beautifully complement the sweetness of the chocolate and marshmallows, adding a sophisticated layer to the overall taste. Secondly, since the butter is already melted, it eliminates the need for creaming butter and sugar, simplifying the baking process and making this a “no mixer needed” recipe. It’s a win-win situation – exceptional flavor with minimal effort!
How to Create Your Perfect Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies
You’ll be delighted by how straightforward these cookies are to make. With just a few basic kitchen tools – a couple of mixing bowls, a sturdy whisk, and a reliable silicone spatula – you’ll be on your way to baking bliss. No fancy equipment or complicated techniques required!
- Brown the Butter to Perfection: Begin by placing your unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan (this helps you see the color change). Cook it over medium heat, swirling occasionally. Watch as the butter melts, then foams, and the milk solids begin to separate and turn a beautiful amber-brown color, emitting a wonderfully nutty aroma. Once browned, carefully pour the butter into a large heat-proof bowl, being sure to leave behind any dark, burnt solids at the bottom of the pan. Allow this liquid gold to cool for about 10 minutes – this step is crucial for the dough’s consistency.
- Prepare Your Dry and Wet Ingredients: While the butter cools, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate medium bowl. Set this aside. Once the browned butter has cooled slightly, add both the light brown sugar and granulated white sugar to it. Whisk thoroughly until the sugars are well incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Next, crack in your room temperature egg and add the vanilla extract, whisking again until everything is perfectly combined and glossy.
- Combine and Incorporate Mix-Ins: Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients in the large bowl. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold and cut the ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can lead to tough cookies. Once the flour is mostly incorporated (about 90% mixed), it’s time for the stars of the show: the chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Add them to the dough, reserving a small handful of each for topping later. Continue to fold gently until the chips and marshmallows are evenly distributed.
- Scoop and Bake for Golden Perfection: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop (or simply roll golf-ball-sized portions of dough), firmly pack the dough to ensure all the delicious mix-ins stay in place. Arrange the dough balls about 2 inches apart on baking trays lined with parchment paper. This spacing allows for proper spread. Now, take your reserved chocolate chips and marshmallows and gently press a few onto the top of each cookie dough ball – this ensures a beautiful, appealing finish and extra gooeyness. Bake in your preheated oven for approximately 8-9 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are just set but still look soft.
- Cool and Enjoy: Once baked, remove the trays from the oven. For perfectly round cookies, you can immediately use a round cookie cutter (slightly larger than your cookies) and gently swirl it around each cookie to reshape them. Let the cookies cool on the baking trays for a few minutes to allow them to set up. They will be delicate at first but will firm up as they cool. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. As they cool, they’ll develop that irresistible crispy edge and maintain their wonderfully chewy center.
Secrets to Baking Absolutely Perfect Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies
While these marshmallow chocolate chip cookies are inherently easy to make, a few insider tips can elevate them from good to absolutely phenomenal. Pay attention to these “secrets” for consistently perfect results:
- Allow the Browned Butter to Cool: This is a critical step. Pouring hot browned butter directly into your sugar and egg mixture can “cook” the egg, leading to an undesirable texture. Allowing it to cool for at least 10 minutes ensures the dough remains pliable and prevents your cookies from spreading too thin during baking.
- Always Underbake Your Cookies Slightly: For that coveted soft, chewy, and slightly gooey center, it’s essential to slightly underbake your cookies. They should look dry and set around the edges but still appear very soft and slightly undercooked in the middle. The residual heat from the baking sheet will continue to cook them as they cool, achieving the perfect texture. For these cookies, 8-9 minutes is often the sweet spot.
- Maintain Dough Height: Once you’ve scooped or rolled your dough balls and placed them on the baking trays, resist the urge to flatten them. Keeping the dough balls high and rounded will result in thicker, chewier cookies with a better rise. Flattening them will lead to thinner, crispier cookies.
- Strategic Mixing of Chocolate and Marshmallows: Because we’re using melted butter, the chocolate chips and marshmallows can be a bit rebellious and try to fall out of the dough. When scooping or rolling your cookie dough balls, make sure to firmly press the mix-ins back into the dough. This ensures they stay in place and contribute to that beautiful, loaded appearance once baked.
- Invest in a Cookie Scoop for Uniformity: Using a cookie scoop is a game-changer for achieving uniformly sized cookies. Not only does this make them look professional, but it also ensures they bake evenly, preventing some from being overdone while others are undercooked. It also helps you pack the dough firmly around the mix-ins.
- Don’t Skip the Toppings: For visually stunning cookies with extra pockets of gooey goodness, always reserve a small handful of chocolate chips and mini marshmallows. Gently press a few onto the top of each dough ball just before baking. This simple step guarantees that gorgeous, Instagram-worthy finish and an added burst of flavor and texture right on top.
- Parchment Paper is Your Friend: Always line your baking trays with parchment paper. It prevents sticking, promotes even browning, and makes for effortless cleanup.
Storage and Freezing Tips for Freshness
To keep your delicious marshmallow chocolate chip cookies tasting fresh for as long as possible, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature in your pantry. They will maintain their delightful texture and flavor for 4-5 days. For an extra touch of freshness, you can place a slice of bread in the container with the cookies; it helps to keep them soft!
Freeze the Dough for Future Cravings: This recipe is incredibly freezer-friendly, allowing you to enjoy freshly baked cookies whenever the mood strikes without all the effort. After preparing the dough and scooping it into individual balls (and adding the extra toppings if desired), place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container. They will keep well for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake as directed, adding an extra 2-4 minutes to the baking time, or until golden and set. This is a fantastic way to always have warm, homemade cookies just moments away!
With the irresistible depth of flavor from browned butter, the delightful chewiness of gooey marshmallows, and the rich indulgence of chocolate, all encased in a soft center with perfectly crisp edges, these cookies truly represent the ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. They’re a dessert that promises to become a firm favorite in your home, bringing smiles with every bite.
If you embark on the delightful journey of making these marshmallow chocolate chip cookies, please take a moment to leave a rating and comment below. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, not only for me but also for other readers seeking their next favorite recipe! Feel free to share your culinary creations by taking a photo and tagging @sugarsaltmagic on Instagram – I absolutely love seeing what you bake!
More Irresistible Recipes You’ll Love
If these marshmallow chocolate chip cookies have sparked your love for baking, here are some other fantastic recipes from our collection that you’re sure to enjoy:
- Chocolate Chip Pistachio Cookies: A sophisticated twist with nutty crunch.
- Marble Cookies: Beautiful to look at and even better to eat.
- Orange Marshmallows: Perfect for pairing with your next cup of cocoa or eating on their own.
- Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars: All the goodness of cookies in an easy-to-serve bar form.
- Caramilk Cookies: For fans of that unique caramelized white chocolate flavor.
- Caramel Peanut Butter Thumbprint Cookies: A delightful trio of flavors in every bite.
- Chocolate Chip Shortbread: A buttery, crumbly classic with chocolate surprises.
- Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies: A wonderfully nutty and chocolaty combination.
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Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookies
25
cookies
20 minutes
9 minutes
29 minutes
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Ingredients
- 113 g unsalted butter (1 stick / 1/2 cup / 4oz)
- 225 g plain (all-purpose) flour (1 3/4 cups / 8oz)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar (135g / 4.8oz)
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar (50g / 1.8oz)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips (180g / 6.4oz)
- 1 cup mini marshmallows (55g / 2oz)
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan forced). Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
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Place the butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter melts and begins to bubble. Continue to cook, swirling every so often, until the bubbles turn foamy and the butter achieves an amber-brown color with a nutty aroma. Pour the browned butter into a large mixing bowl, ensuring any burnt solids remain in the saucepan. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
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Add both types of sugar to the cooled browned butter and whisk vigorously until thoroughly combined and smooth. Then, add the egg and vanilla extract, whisking again until the mixture is glossy and well-emulsified.
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Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Use a sturdy spatula to gently fold and cut the dough until the flour is just about incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
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Once the flour is approximately 90% mixed into the dough, set aside a small handful of both chocolate chips and mini marshmallows for topping. Add the remaining chocolate chips and marshmallows to the dough and gently fold until they are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
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Use a 2-tablespoon sized cookie scoop, firmly packing the dough, to create golf ball-sized portions. Transfer these dough balls to the prepared baking trays, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. If any bits of chocolate or marshmallow fall out, simply press them back into the dough.
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Take the reserved chocolate chips and marshmallows and gently press a couple onto the top of each cookie dough ball. This enhances their visual appeal and ensures extra gooeyness.
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Bake for approximately 8-9 minutes. The cookies should have lightly golden edges and centers that appear set but still soft. As soon as you remove the trays from the oven, you can use a round cookie cutter (slightly larger than your cookies) to gently swirl it around each cookie, reshaping them for a perfectly round finish if desired.
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Allow the cookies to cool on the baking trays for a few minutes. This crucial step allows them to set and firm up before attempting to move them. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once fully cooled, they will achieve their ideal crispy exterior and delightfully chewy interior.
Notes
- All ovens vary, so it’s essential to know your own. Begin checking your cookies at the 8-minute mark. They should appear dry and “set” around the edges but will still be very soft in the center. This indicates they are perfectly underbaked for that ideal chewy texture.
- For the most accurate and consistent baking results, we strongly recommend weighing ingredients like flour and sugar using a kitchen scale. Measuring by volume can be highly inconsistent. Affordable kitchen scales are readily available. If you absolutely must use cups, ensure you use the “spoon and level” method: spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge; do not scoop directly from the bag.
- When shaping the cookie dough balls, press the dough together firmly. This ensures the chocolate chips and marshmallows are well-embedded and less likely to fall out during baking, leading to beautifully loaded cookies.
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141
kcal
Marie Roffey
Dessert
American, World
Have you tried this recipe?
Don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below and let me know how it was! I love hearing from you. Nutrition information is approximate and derived from an online calculator. The brands you use may cause variations.
Calories from Fat 54