December 11, 2020
Desserts

Easy Keto Hot Cocoa Cookies

Keto Hot Cocoa Cookies on a plate with a brown placemat underneath.

This recipe is for the hot cocoa lovers out there! Indulge on a sugar free (keto friendly) marshmallow filled, chocolate almond flour cookies, topped with a low carb chocolate drizzle and peppermint candy this holiday season. It’s a simple, delicious keto chocolate Christmas cookie recipe the whole family can get behind!

Baking season is in full force and this recipe was truly a labor of love and I couldn’t be happier or more excited to share. I tested this recipe six times to get it just right (marshmallows can make things tricky sometimes) and finally settled on making this hot chocolate inspired cookie similar to my popular Keto Peanut Butter Blossoms.

The thumbprint style design makes for the perfect snuggly little spot for a low carb sugar free marshmallow to melt right into! All you need is one little pot and one little bowl, a little mixing, baking, and big appetite to dive in!

Grab all the helpful keto baking tips and techniques offered in the post below, read more about possible substitutions, nutrition info, and how to have a fool proof baking experience. Let’s go!

“School” Supplies:

Measuring Cups/ Spoons
Small Pot
Whisk
Mixing Bowl
Rubber Spatula
Cookie Scoop
Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper

“Class” Notes:

Let’s break down all you need to know about these easy, low carb, gluten free marshmallow hot cocoa cookie recipe (because how incredible does that sound?).

The Ingredients:

These cookies have a rich chocolate flavor, chocolate chips with a keto marshmallow on top. While they are perfect just like this, I went the extra extra mile with some sprinkles and peppermint candy too. Here are some helpful tips on the wet and dry ingredients used to make this recipe.

Keto hot cocoa cookie ingredients in bowls on a table.

Almond Flour – Use a fine almond flour for the base of this cookie (use in place of a classic all purpose flour). Coconut flour can be used as a substitute but you need to use 1/3 the amount listed for the almond flour
Allulose (Low Carb Sweetener) – Allulose is different from an erythritol or monk fruit based sweetener. I like it for its abilities to react similarly to regular granulated sugar. It also doesn’t have any weird aftertastes and goes over well with the non-keto crowd. You can sub with other sweeteners but it could impact the taste.
Cocoa Powder – Use any cocoa powder of your choice, I prefer a higher quality one personally for taste!
Keto Marshmallows – Allulose strikes again! While I bought mine from the Max Mallow brand (because it’s easier) you can also try this recipe from my friend Martina over at the Keto Diet App. I cut mine in half (basically my own mini marshmallows) so they down spill over the cookie at the end of baking. Keep reading for more tips on this below.

Low Carb Chocolate Chips – These don’t make or break the recipe, but I like how it compliments the overall cookie and hot cocoa vibe I was going for. I like this Choc Zero brand or even use a super dark chocolate to cut down on sugar if desired.
Vanilla – This helps amplify the cocoa flavor, add a little in to help it all out.
Butter – Melted butter is your friend here and help add fat and texture to the cookie.
Egg – Eggs act as a binding agent, kind of like the glue to a cookie recipe.
Baking Powder – This is a leavening agent that allows the cookies to rise.
Xanthan gum – This is another binding agent that helps give the cookie a slightly chewier texture
Salt – For flavor!

Keto Baking Tips:

Melt the butter first in a pot on medium low heat, whisk in the baking powder and low carb sweetener to incorporate everything together. This helps remove grittiness in the sweetener and clumps in the cocoa powder.

Melted butter, cocoa, and sweetener in a pot.

Let the heated butter and cocoa mixture cool completely to a luke warm temperature so the egg doesn’t curdle or cook. Whisk in the egg and vanilla until the cocoa mixture turns thicker and glossy.
Always mix your dry ingredients together first before adding the wet ingredients to fully incorporate the leavening agent and binding agent (aka baking powder and the xanthan gum).

Let the dough chill about 15 minutes in the fridge to make it less sticky to roll out.
Always fully preheat your oven prior to baking.
While it helps to indent the cookies prior to baking with a thumbprint, I like to use the bottom of a rounded teaspoon to make it a little more prominent so the marshmallow has the perfect place to nestle itself in.

A spoon pressing into the center of a partially baked keto hot cocoa cookie.

Cook the marshmallows the last 3 minutes of baking. Use a blow torch (safely) if you want the signature toasted look on your marshmallows.

Decorating:

If you want to add some fun festive melted chocolate and toppings to your hot cocoa style cookies it’s best to use the right ingredients. When it comes to melting low carb chocolate, microwave in a bowl with a little coconut oil on half power for 30 second intervals,

Stir frequently and don’t overheat or you will burn the chocolate. Place it into a piping back or plastic bag and snip the corner edge off and drizzle the chocolate over the top of each cookie. Before the chocolate sets, add some crushed sugar free peppermint candy pieces or some sugar free sprinkles if desired for the final effect.

Keto Hot Cocoa Cookies on a plate and one being held in a hand.

Serve your cookies up with some actual low carb hot cocoa or pair it with a fun festive cocktail like this smoked horchata eggnog cocktail for a fun adult beverage.