Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cake Mix Cookies
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Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cookies start with a cake mix, baked to perfection, topped with a delicious marshmallow center, drizzled with chocolate, and a sprinkling of crushed peppermint candy canes. This is the perfect cookie to dunk into a mug of hot chocolate, to take to holiday cookie exchanges, or to give as gifts.
Whenever I can take a baking shortcut, I do, and with these Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cookies, using a cake mix as the base makes me so happy. They are super easy to make and look festive with the crushed candy canes on top of the melted marshmallow topping. That chocolate drizzle makes them perfect. Peppermint is always perfect for the holiday season, especially in cookie form!
These chocolate peppermint cookies are a twist on my hot chocolate cookies and they are frequently asked for throughout the holiday season and for good reason. They are delicious and fun to also dunk intoa cup of hot chocolate or a cold glass of milk. Santa will love them, too! The cookies are a perfect way to start Christmas Cookies Week!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy to make with a cake mix base.
- Soft and chewy cookies!
- Gooey marshmallow center!
- These Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cookies are made with a handful of ingredients you most likely have in the pantry.
- They will get you in the holiday spirit, guaranteed!
Christmas Cookies Week
I love this week in the food blogger world. It’s all about Christmas Cookies and that means new recipes from not only me but also my foodie friends that are joining in the event. This year the event is hosted by the lovely Jolene, from Jolene’s Recipe Journal. Follow the #ChristmasCookiesWeek hashtag to see all the recipes. At the end of my posts this week, you will also get the recipes that we’ve linked for the day.
Here’s What I am Sharing
- Today: Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cake Mix Cookies
- Wednesday: Christmas Fruitcake Biscotti
- Friday: Orange Cardamon Snickerdoodle Cookies
Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cookies
This recipe uses a few shortcuts and items from your pantry that may be readily available. I love using cake mixes as the base for cookies, so when I saw the chocolate fudge cake mix in my pantry I was armed and ready to make these. The cake mix cookie batter also uses a package of hot chocolate mix which deepens the chocolate flavor.
Once the hot cocoa cookies were just about baked, I topped them with a marshmallow, and back in the oven they went for a moment. Then using a piping bag, or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped, drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies and top with the crushed candy canes pieces. Delicious cookies that are easy and yummy, done!
Why Use a Cake Mix to Make Cookies
The best thing about using a cake mix is that the dry ingredients like the flour, leavener, sugar, and flavor are already mixed for you. All you have to do is to add the eggs, oil, and the hot cocoa mix. Once baked, top with the marshmallow, melted chocolate, and peppermint candy bits.
Cake mix cookies come out of the oven soft, chewy and deliciously moist every time. Oh, and no mixer is needed unless you really want to use one. A wooden spoon or whisk works well. Such an easy cookie recipe!
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- large bowl
- wooden spoon
- cookie scoop
- silicone baking mat or parchment paper
- baking sheet
- piping bag
- ziplock baggie
Ingredients
- 13.25 oz box chocolate fudge cake mix
- 2 tbsp (1 packet) hot cocoa mix
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 12 marshmallows, cut in half
- ⅓ cup chopped baking chocolate, melted
- 2-3 candy canes, crushed
Steps to Make Hot Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, hot cocoa mix, eggs, and oil to a large bowl, and stir until a dough forms. No mixer is needed, I used a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients.
Step 3
Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to drop cookie dough onto a baking sheet, 2-3 inches apart.
Step 4
Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 7 minutes.
Step 5
While the cookies are baking, cut the marshmallows in half. Also, add the candy canes to a ziplock bag, and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush them. Set aside for now.
Step 6
After the cookies have baked for 7 minutes, remove them from the oven, and place one-half of a marshmallow in the center. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional one minute. Remove from the oven.
Step 7
Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl (check the package for directions) and then transfer to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped. Drizzle chocolate over the center of each cookie. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over the melted chocolate.
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- If you don’t have a chocolate fudge cake mix, a Devils Food Cake mix one works great.
- No candy canes? Use crushed peppermint candies.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container or freeze for up to a month.
- Take these cookies to your holiday cookie exchange, and Christmas parties, and give them as gifts to friends, neighbors, and teachers.
- Not a fan of peppermint? Try topping the cookies with holiday sprinkles.
- Add white chocolate chips to the cookie dough
Hot Cocoa Candy Cane Cake Mix Cookies
Equipment
- measuring cups and spoons
- large mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- Cookie Scoop
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
- ziplock bag
Ingredients
- 1 box (13.25 ounces) chocolate fudge cake mix
- 1 packet (or 2 tablespoons) hot chocolate mix
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 12 marshmallows, cut in half
- ⅓ cup chopped baking chocolate, melted
- 2 – 3 candy canes, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cake mix, hot cocoa mix, eggs, and oil to a large bowl, and stir until a dough forms. No mixer is needed, I used a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients.
- Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop to drop cookie dough onto a baking sheet, 2-3 inches apart.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 7 minutes.
- While the cookies are baking, cut the marshmallows in half. Also, add the candy canes to a ziplock bag, and use a rolling pin or meat mallet to crush them. Set aside for now.
- After the cookies have baked for 7 minutes, remove them from the oven, and place one-half of a marshmallow in the center. Return to the oven, and bake for an additional one minute. Remove from the oven.
- Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl (check the package for directions) and then transfer to a piping bag or a ziplock bag with the corner snipped. Drizzle chocolate over the center of each cookie. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over the melted chocolate.
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Blogghetti” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
More Cake Mix Cookie Recipes to Try
- Double Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Neapolitan Cake Mix Cookies
- Red, White, and Blue Cookie Cake (change out the patriotic sprinkles for holiday ones)
#ChristmasCookies from my Blogger Friends
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Enjoy!
I have everything I need for these cookies. Can’t wait to try them. Thanks Lisa.
Yum! I love a cake mix cookie recipe. One less step needed. Plus, they’re always so soft! Definitely a bonus.
These are so perfect for Christmas and the cake mix and hot chocolate mix together sounds wonderful.
These are so pretty! Love that they have hot cocoa and candy cane flavor. Plus starting with a cake mix? Genius!
My niece loves to bake but sometimes doesn’t have the patience for a complicated recipe so I love that these start with a cake mix!
YUM! These are the perfect ones to bake this season. I would love a couple of these right now.