These Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies are thick, rich, and chocolaty, and made with a hint of cinnamon and chili powder for a subtle spicy flavor. They’re extremely easy to make and perfect for enjoying during the holidays.
I love curling up with a warm cup of Mexican hot chocolate, which is what inspired me to make these cookies.
They’re fudgy, loaded with chocolate chips in every bite, and spiced with cinnamon and chili powder for a subtle hint of spice.
They are easy and simple enough to make for a weeknight treat, but also perfect for a holiday gathering. Bake them for your next celebration and I promise they’ll be a hit!
How to make Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
Step 1: Whisk together some all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, chili powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, together some softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk until well combined, and then mix together the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The dough will be thick and sticky.
Step 4: Fold the chocolate chips into the cookie dough until just combined, then cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
Step 5: Portion out the cookie dough into 16 cookies by using heaping 1 tablespoon per cookie. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes at 350°F until the edges appear set but the middle is still soft.
Step 6: Sprinkle them with flaky sea salt (if desired) and let them cool for 5 minutes to firm up before serving.
Variations
- Add half a cup of chopped walnuts to the batter to give these cookies a little crunch.
- Like some caramel with your chocolate? Try drizzling some cajeta or dulce de leche on top of each cookie.
- Top with mini marshmallows for the full hot chocolate experience. Instructions on how to make these with marshmallows are in the recipe card below!
Storing and Freezing
To store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
To freeze: You can freeze the cookie dough balls for up to 3 months, and then bake them directly from frozen whenever you want freshly baked cookies!
More dessert recipes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- â…” cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- â…› teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
- mini marshmallows*, for topping, optional (see notes)
- flaky sea salt, for topping, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, chili powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), add the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the egg, vanilla extract, and milk, and beat until well combined.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry ingredients and beat until combined. The cookie dough will be thick and sticky.
- Fold in the chocolate chips until just combined, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour or in the freezer for 35 minutes.
- When ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Use a heaping 1 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out the dough, and scoop 8 portions onto each baking sheet for a total of 16 cookies.
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges appear set but the middle is still soft.
- Remove them from the oven, sprinkle them with a touch of flaky sea salt if desired, and let them cool for 5 minutes.
Isabel’s Tips:
- Mini Marshmallows: To top the cookies with mini marshmallows, firmly press 2 to 3 marshmallows on the top of each cookie dough scoop before baking. Bake as directed.
Nutrition Information
I want to make these to take along to family gathering Christmas Fay evening. Can I bake them tomorrow or Friday? Will the marshmallows be ok?
Or should I bake them Christmas Day?
Hello PJ. Because this recipe uses marshmallows, we suggest baking them and serving them the same day if your able to for the best results.
Loved the rich chocolate flavor. I made them a little smaller. Will definitely add twice the Chili powder maybe a bit of cayenne. I was expecting more heat from the chili. Will make again for sure.
Great recipe! These cookies are so chocolatey and rich. I doubled the recipe and added a quarter teaspoon of cayenne. It was a great way to use up some leftover marshmallows from the summer.
Personal preference is it could use a little more spice to please my Aztec ancestors, but absolutely delicious and easy to follow recipe!!!
These sound fantastic! Two questions though: 1. Do they freeze well after they are baked? 2. Instead of rolling them into balls, can they be rolled in the plastic wrap, chilled and then sliced to bake? Thanks!
Hi Betsy! They should freeze week, and we haven’t tried that method of shaping them but that should work also! The cookie may come out a little more flat/not as domed but it should be fine!
Dough is very sticky and hard to work with. I rubbed olive oil on my hands and was then able to roll the dough into balls. It still sticks to the spoon and plastic wrap. I made them twice. They are very good!
I’ve made these cookies so many times, I can’t count – A family favourite! I add a half-teaspoon of cayenne for an extra kick, and bits of white chocolate on top before heading into the oven.
I just made these. Like JUST. Absolutely wonderful! I’ll definitely be making these often.
These were fantastic! I was afraid of the chili powder, so I put only half, but then I wanted more. So I while the cookies were baking I mixed together more cinnamon & chili powder with sugar, and sprinkled the cookies before putting the marshmallows on top. They turned out great, but next time, I’ll just follow the recipe! I can’t wait til my grandchildren taste these! Thanks for the recipe!
These are a big hit jn my family
I just made these & they are outstanding! Easy to follow recipe, delicious treat! I subbed 1:1 gluten free flour for the regular & it went very well. I’ve used your dinner recipes but this is my first time using your dessert ones. Thank you very much for sharing! I’ll be sharing this recipe with my friends.
Amazing recipe! Family loved the cookies!
Can you freeze these?
Hi Jason, yes you can!
I feel I did something wrong, they turned out a bit crisp but they are great for my school dessert get together.
Oh no! I’m sorry they didn’t turn out so well but I’m glad they were still tasty and edible!
I have only regular sized marshmallows, not mini marshmallows. Would it be too much if I put one regular rather than the three minis?
Hello PJ! I think they would be OK! Just watch them when melting and browning the marshmallow with the broiler since you’re using one large one. Hope this helps!
I just made these and they are the best cookies I’ve ever had! My husband (who is not a dessert person) agrees. I love the intense, complex flavor which pairs beautiful with the toasted marshmallows! I substituted the flour with 1/2 cup one-to-one gluten free flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/4 cup tigernut flour and 1 tbsp potato starch. They are perfect!!
Wow, I’m so happy to hear that you loved them! Thanks for letting me know what you substituted the flours with – I’ve never used tigernut flour before!
These cookies are delicious! I made two batches; one exactly how stated and the second batch I tweaked the spices to include cayenne and chipotle chili powder. Both ways are fantastic! Ooey gooey chocolate deliciousness! Hoping they are a hit for the Christmas cookie exchange.
I’m so glad you liked them! I love that you added cayenne and chipotle – I’m sure it give it a nice little kick!
What a fun recipe. Family made this and loved them. Note: You may want to edit steps 7 & 8. Directions about the marshmallows are a bit jumbled. It’s not too hard to decode, but some folks need all the help they can get! Happy Holidays!
Hi Kenneth, thanks for the heads up! I edited the instructions and they should make more sense now. You’re a life saver. 🙂 And happy holidays! I’m so glad you and your family liked them!
These look beautiful! Chocolate is good for the soul 🙂
Thank you so much!
These cookies are simply wonderful. They’re beautiful and look completely delicious.
Thank you so much, Jessie 🙂
Great recipe! I will make them for the holidays.
Thank you! And happy holidays 🙂