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These Hot Chocolate Brownies capture everything you love about hot chocolate – rich chocolate, fluffy marshmallows, and pure comfort – in perfectly sliceable form. They’re the perfect cold-weather treat with a combination of cocoa powder, hot chocolate mix, and sweet marshmallow frosting!
Nikki’s Recipe Rundown
- Taste: Deep chocolate flavor with that classic hot cocoa warmth, topped with sweet marshmallow frosting and rich fudge sauce – it’s everything you love about hot chocolate in brownie form!
- Texture: These soft, fudgy brownies have little pops of marshmallow throughout, and are topped with the fluffiest marshmallow frosting you can imagine, creating a trifecta of satisfying textures.
- Ease: Mix, bake, cool, and frost! If you can make regular brownies, you can definitely make these!
- Pros: Uses mostly pantry staples, comes together in one bowl, and always gets “wows” when you serve them. Plus, they’re perfect for bake sales and holiday cookie plates!
- Considerations: Don’t rush the cooling time – warm brownies and frosting don’t mix! And keep them at room temperature to keep that frosting perfectly fluffy.
- Recipe Repeatability: These will definitely become a go-to in your winter dessert rotation when you’re craving something cozy!
While most brownie recipes stick to basic cocoa powder or melted chocolate, these hot chocolate brownies take a different path by using three kinds of chocolate – unsweetened baking chocolate for richness, cocoa powder for depth, and hot cocoa mix for that familiar hot chocolate taste we all know and love! The freeze-dried marshmallows mixed into the batter aren’t just for fun – they add little bursts of sweetness and that classic hot chocolate flavor in every bite.
The marshmallow frosting takes these brownies from really good to amazing, if you ask me! Instead of regular buttercream, this recipe uses marshmallow fluff mixed with butter and vanilla to create a topping that tastes just like the marshmallows floating on top of your hot chocolate. A drizzle of hot fudge sauce and shaved chocolate on top doesn’t just make these brownies look good – it adds an extra layer of chocolate goodness!
If you love hot chocolate like me and my family, make sure you try my hot chocolate poke cake, too!
Ingredients Needed for Hot Chocolate Brownies
- Salted Butter: Provides richness and balances the flavors. If you don’t have salted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt to the batter.
- Baking Chocolate: Unsweetened baking chocolate adds a deep chocolatey flavor that will get sweetened with sugar and hot cocoa powder!
- Sugar: To sweeten things up!
- Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a depth of flavor. For the best results, use pure vanilla extract.
- Eggs: Eggs help to provide structure and give the brownies some rise in the oven!
- Flour: All-purpose flour works well here.
- Cocoa Powder: For an additional layer of rich chocolate flavor!
- Hot Cocoa Powder: You can use your favorite hot cocoa powder mix here.
- Freeze Dried Mini Marshmallows: The freeze-dried marshmallows will get a bit softer while baking and add that quintessential hot chocolate flavor!
- Salt: To balance out the flavors!
For the Frosting
- Marshmallow Fluff: Marshmallow fluff is the base of the frosting.
- Salted Butter: Softened butter is essential in order to mix everything up! If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt.
- Vanilla Extract: For an added depth of flavor.
- Powdered Sugar: To thicken it up and add some extra sweetness!
How To Make Hot Chocolate Frosted Brownies
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and full recipe instructions!
Step 1 | Prep Dry Ingredients
Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa powder, freeze-dried mini marshmallows, and salt. Set aside.
Step 2 | Make the Batter
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until just melted and remove from the heat. Don’t heat longer than needed.
Add the sugar and vanilla and mix. Add the eggs and mix until combined.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until just barely combined. Don’t over-mix.
Step 3 | Bake
Pour the batter (it will be thick) into the prepared pan and use a spoon to spread evenly. Bake for 20-23 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before continuing.
Step 4 | Frost & Serve
In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the marshmallow fluff, butter, and vanilla extract together. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.
Frost the completely cooled brownies with the frosting.
Drizzle with hot fudge sauce and a sprinkle of shaved chocolate for garnish.
Cut into squares and serve fresh.
Recipe Tips For Brownies using Hot Chocolate Mix
- Don’t overheat the chocolate! I recommend keeping a close eye on the chocolate and butter as they melt – overheating can make the chocolate grainy!
- Don’t over-mix. Mix the batter until ingredients are just combined to ensure chewy, not tough, brownies.
- Let the melted chocolate cool a bit before adding the eggs! If you add the eggs in too quickly, they can start to cook and become scrambled in the mixture.
- Make sure to let the brownies cool completely before frosting to prevent the topping from melting.
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Variations and Substitutions
- Mint: Add a bit of peppermint extract for a mint hot chocolate version of these marshmallow brownies!
- Chocolate: Swap the regular cocoa powder for dark cocoa powder for a deeper chocolate flavor. You can also mix in chocolate chips for extra chocolate pockets!
- Gluten-Free: If you need gluten-free hot chocolate brownies, use a 1 to 1 gluten-free all-purpose flour instead.
Hot Chocolate Mix Brownie FAQs
Nope! If you prefer, you can skip the frosting on top and serve as is.
It’s important to use freeze-dried marshmallows instead of regular ones here. They will maintain their structure in the batter and provide concentrated flavor without excess moisture or a goopy texture!
Cocoa powder is unsweetened, so it has no added sugar, whereas hot cocoa mix has cocoa powder in it but also has some additional ingredients like sugar and powdered milk.
Storage
Storage: Keep these brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Don’t refrigerate them, as this will harden the frosting.
Freeze: You can freeze the brownies if they are unfrosted! Let them cool and freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
What to Serve with Hot Chocolate Brownies
These hot cocoa brownies are perfect for serving on their own since they have the brownie layer topped with marshmallow frosting and a drizzle of hot fudge! But you can definitely serve them with accompaniments such as a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a hot cup of coffee!
For an extra indulgent treat, try pairing them with a cup of gingerbread hot chocolate!
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Hot Chocolate Brownies with Marshmallow Frosting
Ingredients
- ½ cup flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons hot chocolate powder
- ⅓ cup freeze-dried mini marshmallows
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup salted butter, see note
- 4 ounces baking chocolate, unsweetened, chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
For the Frosting
- 1 cup marshmallow fluff
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
For the Topping
- ¼ cup hot fudge sauce
- shaved chocolate, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line an 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa powder, freeze-dried mini marshmallows, and salt. Set aside.1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons hot chocolate powder, 1/3 cup freeze-dried mini marshmallows, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the chopped chocolate. Stir until just melted, then remove from the heat. Don’t heat longer than needed.1/2 cup salted butter, 4 ounces baking chocolate
- Add the sugar and vanilla and mix. Add the eggs and mix until combined.1 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Pour the melted chocolate mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until just barely combined. Don’t over mix.
- Pour the batter (it will be thick) into the prepared pan and use a spoon to spread evenly. Bake for 20-23 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before continuing.
For the Frosting
- In a medium mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the marshmallow fluff, butter, and vanilla extract together.1 cup marshmallow fluff, 1/2 cup salted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.1 cup powdered sugar
- Frost the completely cooled brownies with the frosting.
- Drizzle with hot fudge sauce and a sprinkle of shaved chocolate, for garnish.1/4 cup hot fudge sauce, shaved chocolate
- Cut into squares and serve fresh.
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Notes
- If you use unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon extra salt to the brownie batter.
- Make sure you don’t overmix once the dry ingredients are added, or your brownies will be tough instead of chewy.
- If you don’t want to add the dry marshmallows to the batter, you can leave them out. It just adds a bit more of a hot chocolate taste to them, but this recipe will work without them.
- Don’t place the brownies in the fridge after being frosted, or the frosting will get hard. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For the easiest cutting, make sure to line your baking pan with parchment.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
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