Frozen Hot Cocoa Bars
A thick and fudgy chocolate cookie bar infused with actual hot cocoa powder and topped with a luscious hot chocolate mousse. Refreshing and completely satisfying, you can enjoy Frozen Hot Cocoa Bars year round.
Hot Cocoa Cookie Bar Recipe
I can’t get over the fact that Frozen Hot Chocolate is an oxymoron. But even though it sounds wrong, I can guarantee that the flavors are anything but! All of the components of this cookie bar are fantastic. You get a nice fudgy hot chocolate flavored cookie bar and a thick / smooth / creamy hot cocoa mousse with fun little marshmallows on top. It is an indulgent dessert that really isn’t that much effort (feels like another oxymoron, but it’s true!). Whether you’re making these for a hot summer’s day or in the dead of winter, they’re sure to warm you with happiness without making you break a sweat.
If you’re not looking for a cookie bar recipe today, I also have a Frozen Hot Cocoa Cookie recipe (it’s a Crumbl dupe and it’s incredibly delicious too!).
Ingredients
*You can find instructions and exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Hot Cocoa Cookie Dough
- Salted butter, softened – I like to use salted butter, but you can sub in unsalted butter if that’s your preference. I would just add an extra pinch of salt to the dough.
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Corn syrup – The corn syrup will help the cookie bar be rich, thick, and chewy.
- Vanilla extract – This provides the best flavor base for these cookie bars.
- All-purpose flour
- Dutch processed cocoa – You can also use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Hot cocoa mix powder only – You will actually use the powder you would make hot cocoa with.
- Corn starch – The corn starch helps keep the cookie bars ultra soft.
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Milk chocolate chips – Use your favorite! I used Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips.
Hot Cocoa Mousse + Toppings
- Heavy whipping cream – You need whipping cream to get the mousse texture.
- Powdered sugar
- Hot cocoa mix powder only
- Dutch processed cocoa
- Mini marshmallows – I used regular mini marshmallows, not dehydrated marshmallows.
How to Make Hot Cocoa Bars
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a 9×13 pan by spraying with a non-stick spray or lining with parchment (let some hang over the side for easy removal!). Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light in color and fluffy in texture. This will take about 2 minutes.
- Scrape down the sides and add in the eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, corn starch, baking soda and salt. Mix until your chocolate cookie dough forms. The dough will be soft.
- Add in the chocolate chips and fold in until incorporated.
- Press the dough into the 9×13 pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-17 minutes. The cookie bars should puff up and the edges will begin to crackle.
- Pull the bars out of the oven and set down forcefully to allow the expanded air to deflate. This will create a very fudgy bar texture. Allow the cookie bars to cool completely.
- Once cool, make the hot cocoa mousse. Add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken.
- Reduce the speed and gradually add the powdered sugar, hot cocoa mix, and cocoa powder.
- Once incorporated, increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form. The mousse is ready when it holds its shape.
- Spread the mousse onto the top of the cookie bars and then top with mini marshmallows.
- Chill until ready to cut and serve. Enjoy!
How should I store frozen hot chocolate bars?
Once cooled and frosted, store your cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days!
Can I freeze these cookie bars?
Yes! You can freeze these cookies with or without the mousse for up to 3 months! If freezing with mousse, place all cooled cookies onto a cookie sheet. Place the entire cookie sheet into the freezer and ‘flash freeze’ until they start to harden slightly and the frosting is set. Move the cookies to a ziptop bag or airtight container, with parchment between layers of cookies.
Karli’s Kitchen Faves
Here are a few of my favorite kitchen tools that I used to make this recipe!
- Kitchenaid Mixer – I really love this thing. It’s not necessary for making good cookies, but I love the size of the bowl and the power. A Hand Mixer is also an excellent option for when you don’t want to mix things by hand.
- You don’t have to use parchment paper to line your 9×13. But if you do, leave extra hanging over the sides to make it easy-peasy to get the cookie bars out of the pan without sticking.
- Offset spatula – I love using an offset spatula to frost the cookie bars because it’s so much easier to get the perfect swirl on top without getting extra frosting on the side of your hand.
- Spatula – I love these silicone spatulas for scraping down the sides of the mixer and transferring the dough to the pan.
- 9×13 pan – This is one of my fave pans for making cookie bars.
Hot Chocolate Faves
Frozen Hot Cocoa Bars
A thick and fudgy chocolate cookie bar infused with actual hot cocoa powder and topped with a luscious hot chocolate mousse. Refreshing and completely satisfying, you can enjoy Frozen Hot Cocoa Bars year round.
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Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 216kcal
Ingredients
Hot Cocoa Cookie Dough
- 1 cup (222g) salted butter, softened
- 1 cup (246g) brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (76g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (380g) all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (80g) dutch processed cocoa
- 1/3 cup (46g) hot cocoa mix, powder only
- 3 tsp corn starch
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (150g) milk chocolate chips
Hot Cocoa Mousse + Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup (80g) powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup (105g) hot cocoa mix powder only
- 1 1/2 Tbsp dutch processed cocoa
- mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and prepare a 9×13 pan by spraying with a non-stick spray or lining with parchment (let some hang over the side for easy removal!). Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugars until light in color and fluffy in texture. This will take about 2 minutes.1 cup (222g) salted butter, softened, 1 cup (246g) brown sugar, 1/3 cup (76g) granulated sugar
- Scrape down the sides and add in the eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, hot cocoa mix, corn starch, baking soda and salt. Mix until your chocolate cookie dough forms. The dough will be soft.2 1/2 cups (380g) all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup (80g) dutch processed cocoa, 1/3 cup (46g) hot cocoa mix, powder only, 3 tsp corn starch, 1 1/2 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp salt
- Add in the chocolate chips and fold in until incorporated.3/4 cup (150g) milk chocolate chips
- Press the dough into the 9×13 pan and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-17 minutes. The cookie bars should puff up and the edges will begin to crackle.
- Pull the bars out of the oven and set down forcefully to allow the expanded air to deflate. This will create a very fudgy bar texture. Allow the cookie bars to cool completely.
- Once cool, make the hot cocoa mousse. Add the heavy whipping cream to the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on medium-high speed until it begins to thicken.1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy whipping cream
- Reduce the speed and gradually add the powdered sugar, hot cocoa mix, and cocoa powder.3/4 cup (80g) powdered sugar, 3/4 cup (105g) hot cocoa mix powder only, 1 1/2 Tbsp dutch processed cocoa
- Once incorporated, increase the speed to high and whip until stiff peaks form. The mousse is ready when it holds its shape.
- Spread the mousse onto the top of the cookie bars and then top with mini marshmallows.mini marshmallows
- Chill until ready to cut and serve. Enjoy!
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Nutrition
Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 237IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
These are absolutely delicious! I made these yesterday for a co-workers birthday and they were a big hit with everyone! I followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfectly. Thank you!