If you’ve ever lived in Colorado (or spent more than 15 minutes here), you know the weather is an absolute lunatic. One minute, you’re basking in a glorious 70-degree day, thinking, Wow, is it spring already? and the next, Mother Nature sucker punches you with a blizzard and a wind chill of negative 12. It’s like she found a little too much joy in spinning the weather wheel of doom.

We all do our best to ride this weather roller coaster without losing our lunch—figuratively speaking, of course. (Although, let’s be honest, I’ve seen some aggressive drivers on I-25 who probably are losing their lunch, and not just from motion sickness.) But in my house, we have a very specific coping mechanism: hot chocolate.

The Sacred Ritual of Hot Chocolate

In our little family, hot chocolate isn’t just a beverage—it’s a lifestyle. Every morning, while I sip my coffee like the exhausted human I am, Ivy’s dad asks me to make him a cup of hot chocolate. At first, I thought he was joking. Like, “Oh sure, let me just whip up a warm cup of childhood nostalgia while I’m still half-asleep.” But no. He was serious. And now, it’s our thing. I make my coffee, he gets his hot chocolate, and we face the chaos of the day together.

But since February is basically Peak Hot Chocolate Season™, I got to thinking: Why stop at just drinking hot chocolate when we could eat it, too? (This is the kind of critical thinking they should teach in schools.) So, I present to you…

Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallow Centers

These cookies are like a hug for your soul. They’ve got rich, chocolatey goodness on the outside, a gooey marshmallow center, and the perfect amount of sweetness to make you forget that it’s currently colder than Mars outside. Bonus: They pair beautifully with an actual cup of hot chocolate. Because, obviously.

What You’ll Need

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup brown sugar (because we believe in depth of flavor, people)

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ cup whole milk

Marshmallow Magic:

• 12 large marshmallows, cut in half

• ¼ cup granulated sugar (for rolling—trust me, it’s worth it)

How to Make the Magic Happen

Preheat & Prep:

1. Set your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, just lightly grease the sheet. Or live dangerously and go without—who am I to judge?
2. Whisk the Dry Stuff:
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This step makes you feel like you’re on a cooking show, so enjoy it.
4. Mix the Wet Stuff:
5. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until it’s fluffy and dreams of becoming cookie dough. Then, add in the egg and vanilla extract, beating until combined.
6. Combine Like a Pro:
7. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk into the wet ingredients, mixing just until everything is combined. Try not to overmix—nobody likes a tough cookie (except maybe emotionally).

Scoop & Roll:

1. Scoop out tablespoon-sized balls of dough and press the marshmallow into middle and seal it up in your cookie.   Then, because we’re extra, roll each dough ball in granulated sugar. This gives them a slightly crisp outer texture, which is just chef’s kiss.
2. Place the cookie dough balls on your prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until they're just set around the edges and you see some yummy marshmallow peaking out.
3. Now for the hard part.  Let them cool completely on the pan before you dig in.  I know you want them now, but let them set up.  You'll thank me.  Once they're cool, dunk them in milk, hot cocoa (because why not double down) or coffee and tell yourself you can do anything with enough chocolate.

Why You Need These in Your Life

• They taste like winter happiness. Imagine drinking hot chocolate, but in cookie form, with a bonus marshmallow surprise.

• They’re a weather survival tool. When the temperature drops faster than my motivation to fold laundry, these cookies will keep you going.

• They make you look fancy. Bring these to a party, and suddenly you’re “that person who bakes impressive things.”

Final Thoughts (Because I Can’t Help Myself)

Look, we can’t control the chaos that is Colorado weather. It’s going to be 70 degrees one day and a full-on snowpocalypse the next, and no amount of yelling at the sky will change that. But what we can do is embrace the madness with a hot chocolate cookie in hand.

So next time Mother Nature pulls one of her classic bait-and-switch moves, take a deep breath, make a batch of these cookies, and remember: at least you’re not dealing with Florida humidity.