Erin’s Recipe Rundown
Texture: Soft & chewy chocolate cookies with a fluffy marshmallow center and soft ganche.
Taste: Rich, chocolatey goodness paired with a classic marshmallow flavor.
Ease: Easy to make! My kids love to help make these cookies.
Top Tips: Be sure to refrigerate the dough before baking! This hydrates the dough and ensures they don’t spread too much. Also use your fingers to flatten the baked marshmallows — this creates a uniform look and makes it easier to top with melted chocolate!
Recommended GF Flour: Works great with many gluten-free flour blends. Use a high-quality flour that contains xanthan gum. I like King Arthur Flour and Bob’s Red Mill.
Would I make these again? Yes! These are a fun holiday cookie everyone loves! They may even with you your next cookie contest!
xoxo erin
I’ve seen recipes for chocolate marshmallow cookies over the years and knew I had to create my own gluten-free version!
Rather than topping these cookies with melted chocolate or frosting, I like to top them with chocolate ganache. I think the soft richness of the ganache pairs perfectly with the marshmallow!
Take it to your cookie exchanges, holiday parties, and more — it’s a hit for any occasion!
Featured Comment
From Sherrie: “I was looking for something a bit different to make for Christmas cookies this year, and these filled the bill! The combination of the chocolate cookie base and the chewy marshmallow was perfect! I am going to make these every year from now on!”
Table of Contents
- Erin’s Recipe Rundown
- Ingredients You’ll Need
- How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
- Storage/Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions
- Why do you need to refrigerate the dough?
- Can these cookies be made dairy-free?
- Can you use other types of chocolate for the topping?
- More Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are a few notes on some of the key ingredients to make these gluten-free chocolate marshmallow cookies. See the recipe card below for exact measurements.
- Butter: I like to use salted butter for all my baking for better depth of flavor. Make sure butter is at room temperature, otherwise the cookies won’t spread properly.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate: Rather than using chocolate chips, I like to chop a high-quality semi-sweet chocolate bar for the melted chocolate topping. It really takes these cookies to the next level!
- Gluten-Free Flour: These cookies turns out best when you use a high-quality 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. Look for a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum so the cake has the structure it needs. This is my favorite brand.
- Cocoa powder: For best results, use a high-quality cocoa powder such as Guittard or Ghirardeli. This will help create a more rich, complex chocolate flavor.
How to Make Gluten-Free Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Here’s an overview of how to make this recipe. You can jump to the recipe for the full instructions!
- Mix dry ingredients: Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, then set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Use a mixer to cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Add eggs and vanilla to the creamed butter, until well combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix on low until just combined. Refrigerate dough for at least one hour, up to three days. (Stop here if making cookies in advance.)
- Bake cookies: Scoop cookie dough into balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake and hten remove from oven.
- Add marshmallow: Immediately top each cookie with a marshmallow, then return to the oven to bake for 2 more minutes. Remove from oven and use your fingers to flatten the marshmallows slightly.
- Top with the ganache: Add the chocolate to a bowl then heat up the cream and pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Mix until smooth then top the cookies.
Storage/Make-Ahead/Freezing Instructions
- To store: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
- To make ahead: This dough can be made up to three days in advance. Once ready to bake, let dough sit at room temperature for about 10-20 minutes, then scoop into balls and continue following the recipe.
- To freeze: Once the chocolate is set, these cookies can be stored in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to three months.
Why do you need to refrigerate the dough?
Chilling the dough is an essential step for this recipe — don’t skip it! This step hydrates the dough, helps it firm up, and also prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking. It gives you thicker cookies with a perfectly chewy texture!
Can these cookies be made dairy-free?
Yes, these cookies can be made dairy-free by using dairy-free alternatives for the butter and chocolate.
Can you use other types of chocolate for the topping?
Yes! I prefer semi-sweet chocolate, but feel free to use dark, milk, or white chocolate instead. Dark chocolate will add a richer flavor, while milk chocolate will create a sweeter topping.
More Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies
- Gluten-Free Peppermint Frosted Chocolate Cookies
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Mint Cookies
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Gluten-Free Ginger Snaps
- Gluten-Free Thumbprint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
Gluten-Free Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups (250g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour
- 2/3 cup (55g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Other
- 3/4 cup (170g) butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 36 large marshmallows
Ganache
- 8 ounces (226g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until well combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl halfway through.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop the cookie dough into round balls, 1½ tablespoons per ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet, about 3 inches apart, and flatten slightly.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then remove from the oven and immediately top each cookie with a marshmallow.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and use your fingers to flatten the marshmallows a little.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the ganache: Place the semi-sweet chocolate in a bowl. Microwave the heavy cream until simmering, about 1 minute. Pour the hot heavy cream over the chocolate and let sit for 30 seconds. Mix until smooth. If the chocolate still isn’t melted, microwave the ganache for 20-second increments at 50% power, stirring after each increment until completely melted and smooth.
- Spoon melted chocolate over each cooled marshmallow-topped cookie. Enjoy!
Notes
- For dairy-free cookies: Swap butter and chocolate for dairy-free alternatives.
- To store: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days.
- To make ahead: This dough can be made up to three days in advance. Once ready to bake, let dough sit at room temperature for about 10-20 minutes, then scoop into balls and continue following the recipe.
- To freeze: Once the chocolate is set, these cookies can be stored in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to three months.
Can I batch make the dough ahead of time (this weekend), freeze it, then bake next weekend? I am assuming your 3 days in advance refers to refrigerating, but thoughts on freezing for the work week?
Hi Stephanie, yes, the 3 days in advance refers to refrigerating. We haven’t tried freezing the dough, but it should work okay! You can probably bake straight from the freezer and just add a few minutes to the bake time.
Does this recipe use the normal size marshmallows or the jumbo extra large size?
These turned out great! I did things slightly different when it comes to measuring because I doubled the recipe and didn’t have a 1.5Tbsp scoop. I weighed out the dough to about 29g. It made 60 cookies. I did have to increase the bake time after the marshmallows were put on from 2 minutes like suggested to 3 minutes and 30 seconds to ensure they were soft enough to push down. I’m excited to share these with family and friends!
Hi Staci, so glad these turned out well for you! Thanks for sharing!
These are SO good. I’ve made them twice now. I like adding some chocolate chips to the cookie dough too… just because it’s more chocolate haha.
One thing I like about these is they store really well compared to other GF treats and stay soft/chewy.
Yay! Thank you for such kind feedback, Jessica! We’re so happy to hear how much you loved the recipe. Happy baking!
I just made these for my GF/DF daughter. They were great! Thanks so much for the recipe!
I was looking for something a bit different to make for Christmas cookies this year, and these filled the bill! The combination of the chocolate cookie base and the chewy marshmallow was perfect! I am going to make these every year from now on!
This make us so happy, Sherrie! We’re so glad you loved this recipe so much! Thank you for sharing with us.
These cookies were amazing! My family couldn’t tell they were gluten free and now will be a new Christmas cookie!
Aww, we’re so glad the whole family loved the cookies! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us, Katie!
These cookies are so delicious – the marshmallow is so gooey and delicious with the ganache on top. My girls rated these 5 stars, too!
Can I use an egg replacer. ?
Hi Tammy, we haven’t tried these cookies without egg. You could try anegg replacer, like from Bob’s Red Mill, though it may impact texture. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it goes!
Looks delicious, but I live in Canada and can’t find gluten free marshmallows. Any ideas?
Hi Colleen, we’re based in the US so we aren’t familiar with Canadian options. Based on a quick search, Dandies seems to be a brand available in Canada, but hopefully some of our other Canadian readers can share which gluten-free marshmallows they purchase!
For ganache topping, could I use canned full fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream?
Hi Sue, good question! Full fat coconut milk will produce a thinner texture. For a dairy-free swap that’s closer to heavy cream, we would recommend canned coconut cream or dairy-free heavy whipping cream. We hope you enjoy the cookies!