Some recipes begin with a family tradition. Others begin with a favorite dessert. This recipe for chocolate marshmallow cookies began with a pint of ice cream.
My kids have always loved Ben & Jerry’s® Phish Food® ice cream. Whenever we’d bring home a pint, it seemed to disappear almost immediately. Between the rich chocolate ice cream, gooey marshmallow swirls, chewy caramel, and little chocolate fish, it quickly became one of their favorite treats.
As I watched them polish off yet another pint, I found myself wondering…
“Could I turn all of those incredible flavors into one giant bakery-style cookie?”
That simple question sent me straight into the kitchen.
What followed were plenty of test batches, lots of willing taste testers (my family certainly didn’t complain about that!), and little adjustments here and there until everything came together exactly the way I had imagined.
The result is one of the most fun bakery-style cookies I’ve ever created.
Rich chocolate marshmallow cookies with a soft, chewy center, stuffed with gooey marshmallow and buttery caramel, then finished with marshmallow fluff and a drizzle of caramel on top.
They’re wonderfully over the top.
They’re delightfully messy.
And around our house, they disappear every bit as quickly as the pint that inspired them.
One of Our Fastest Disappearing Cookies
Whenever I bake these cookies, I know one thing for certain.
If I want one for myself, I’d better grab it early.
The cooling rack never stays full for long.
When I was selling cookies, these quickly became one of the first flavors to sell out. People would ask if I had any left before they even looked at the rest of the cookies.
As a baker, there’s no better compliment than hearing someone ask if there are more.
Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies Are Meant to Be Messy
These aren’t the kind of cookies you eat while trying to keep your fingers perfectly clean.
The marshmallow stretches with every bite.
The caramel slowly drips down the sides.
The chocolate melts into everything.
You’ll probably need a napkin.
And maybe a second cookie.
Sometimes the messiest desserts are the ones everyone remembers.
The Finishing Touch
One of my favorite ways to decorate these chocolate marshmallow cookies is by making tiny chocolate fish with a small silicone mold. It’s a fun little nod to the ice cream that inspired the recipe and always gets a smile.
Don’t have a fish mold?
No worries at all.
Simply sprinkle a few milk chocolate chips over the marshmallow fluff instead. They look beautiful and taste just as delicious.
Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies with Caramel
Ingredients
- 3 cups packed brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1 cup melted margarine
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 4 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 to 7 cups leveled all purpose flour (add more if needed)
- 3 cups dark chocolate chips
- 24 to 27 large marshmallows
- 24 to 27 soft caramels (homemade or store bought)
- Marshmallow fluff
- Caramel topping (homemade or store bought)
Directions to Bake Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies with Caramel
Preheat your oven to 325°F to 350°F, depending on your altitude and how your oven bakes.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter, melted margarine, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Gradually add the baking soda, salt, cocoa powder, and flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. If the dough feels too dry, add milk one tablespoon at a time until it is soft and no longer sticky to the touch.
Using a large 4 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop two portions of dough together to create one 5 ounce cookie. Gently flatten the dough and place one caramel and one large marshmallow in the center.
Carefully wrap the dough around the filling, sealing it completely while leaving a very small vent opening at the top.
Top with several dark chocolate chips.
Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, depending on your oven, cookie size, and altitude.
Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, top each one with marshmallow fluff and drizzle generously with caramel sauce.
If desired, decorate with tiny homemade chocolate fish made using a silicone mold. If you don’t have one, simply sprinkle milk chocolate chips on top instead.
This recipe makes approximately 3 dozen large bakery-style cookies or 6 dozen regular-sized cookies.
Tips for Success
- Homemade caramel is wonderful if you have it, but soft store bought caramels work beautifully too.
- Seal the dough completely around the marshmallow and caramel so the filling stays tucked inside while baking.
- These cookies are intentionally gooey. Let them cool for several minutes before serving so the caramel can settle slightly.
- For regular-sized cookies, skip stuffing the centers. Instead, bake the cookies normally and drizzle marshmallow fluff and caramel over the tops after baking.
- At lower elevations, bake at 350°F. At my elevation, just over 4,000 feet, I bake these at 325°F.
- Every oven is a little different, so don’t hesitate to bake one test cookie first.
Ingredient Weights
If you enjoy baking by weight, these are the measurements I use:
- Brown Sugar: 789 grams
- Granulated Sugar: 189 grams
- Eggs: 253 grams
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: 88 grams
- All Purpose Flour: 1,272 to 1,412 grams
The remaining ingredients are simple enough to measure with standard measuring cups and spoons.
Whether you’re a fan of chocolate caramel marshmallow cookies or simply love trying new bakery-style cookie recipes, I hope these become a favorite in your home.
They’re rich.
They’re gooey.
They’re loaded with chocolate, caramel, and marshmallow in every bite.
Most importantly, they’re the kind of cookie that brings everyone into the kitchen asking,
“Are there any more left?”
I hope your family enjoys them just as much as mine always has.
Love Chocolate and Marshmallow?
If chocolate and marshmallow is a combination you can’t resist, you might also love my Hot Chocolate Cookies. They’re another rich chocolate cookie loaded with marshmallows, but instead of caramel, they’re inspired by one of our family’s favorite cold-weather drinks.
Additional Tips & Tricks
For even more baking tips, troubleshooting advice, and everything I’ve learned after years of creating bakery-style cookies, be sure to read my blog post, Tips for the Perfect Cookie. It’s filled with simple techniques that will help you bake soft, chewy cookies every time.
Explore More Bakery-Style Cookie Recipes
These Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies are just one of the over-the-top cookie combinations I’ve created through the years. You can browse all of my bakery-style cookie recipes for more giant cookies, stuffed cookies, chocolate-loaded favorites, seasonal creations, and plenty of other fun flavor combinations.
These cookies are rich, gooey, messy, and loaded with chocolate, caramel, and marshmallow in every bite. But my favorite part is still watching everyone come into the kitchen asking, “Are there any more left?”
I hope your family enjoys them just as much as mine always has.
Making every house feel a little more like home.
