These chocolate peanut butter marshmallow cookies have a delicious chocolate drop cookie base with a peanut butter frosting on top. Surprise! There's a marshmallow hidden inside.
You can't resist a soft, brownie-like drop cookie base, with a peanut butter frosting that covers a soft, surprise marshmallow.
These peanut butter chocolate cookies are bakery-worthy, but you can make them in your own kitchen. I'd even say they'd compete with a Crumbl Cookies style cookie! Plus the kids can help make them, and they aren't too big!
They are a simple drop cookie that doesn't require rolling or cookie cutters. The special peanut butter frosting hides the squishy marshmallow filling, and complements the chocolate brownie cookie beneath!
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What Are Marshmallow Surprise Cookies?
I grew up on my mom's classic Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise Cookies. And if you haven't made those, you're in for a treat. The soft, brownie-like cookie gets par-baked, then topped with half a marshmallow, then baked again. Once cooled the marshmallow-topped cookies are covered in peanut butter frosting–hiding the marshmallow.
Biting into the chocolate peanut butter cookie reveals the marshmallow surprise, and it's so gooey and delicious!
I've created a few variations like my Chocolate Valentine's Cookies, and some Peppermint Hot Chocolate Cookies that have peppermint candies sprinkled on top for great flavor.
These marshmallow surprise cookies combine the classic flavors of chocolate and peanut butter, plus the sweet, gooey goodness of marshmallow!
The texture of the cookie is like a Crumbl Cookie, but deliciously flavorful, and not too big. It's a standard size cookie, and the batch makes just over 2 dozen.
How To Make Peanut Butter Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies
Making these cookies is great fun, especially if you get kids involved. They'll love helping you prepare the ingredients, and the older kids can place the marshmallow on the par-baked cookies. (The baking sheet is hot out of the oven, so use caution)
Make the Chocolate Cookie Dough
Use the classic creaming method to make this cookie dough. First, sift the dry ingredients in a bowl and set them aside. Cream the butter and sugar using a stand mixer, or a hand mixer, until light and creamy, then add the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients.
Use a cookie scoop to portion out some of the dough, then drop it on a baking sheet. I think these cookies come out perfectly when I use a 1 ½ to 2 tablespoon (#40) cookie scoop. Make sure to leave room on each side of the cookie to spread out while baking.
Bake, Then Bake Again
Put the cookies in the oven for about 8 minutes, or until they're firm on top. While the cookies are baking, cut all of the marshmallows in half. After the 8 minutes are up, place a marshmallow half on each cookie.
Bake for just 2 minutes more, or until the marshmallow is soft and slightly puffy. Do not leave them in the oven any longer or the marshmallows will completely melt.
Let the cookies cool completely, then frost with about one tablespoon of frosting each.
Chocolate Marshmallow Cookie Ingredients
I use simple ingredients for this marshmallow cookie recipe. You'll find all of them easily at the grocery store, and may even have them in your pantry or baking cupboard already!
Grab the peanuts from your snack drawer. They are simply for garnish on top, so if you don't have peanuts to put on top, feel free to leave them off, or garnish the cookies with sprinkles, shaved chocolate, or something else.
Here are the simple ingredients you'll need to make these chocolate peanut butter cookies.
- all-purpose flour
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- baking soda
- fine salt
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- egg
- whole milk
- vanilla extract
- marshmallows
- confectioner's sugar
- smooth peanut butter
- crushed peanuts
FAQs For Peanut Butter Marshmallow Cookies
Mini marshmallows will not work for this recipe. Use standard sized marshmallows, cut them in half, and use half on each cookie.
I like to use Cup4Cup brand gluten-free all-purpose flour in my recipes. These cookies work well with that flour. These cookies have not been tested with other GF flours.
If you're not a huge peanut butter fan, you can make these cookies with chocolate frosting, like in my Classic Surprise Cookies recipe.
Or use a different nut or seed butter like cashew or almond butter, or sesame seed butter. The texture will be slightly different.
More Drop Cookie Favorites
- Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies
- Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
- Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chipless Cookies
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📖 Recipe
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Marshmallow Surprise Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 14 Marshmallows (cut in half crosswise)
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1 cup smooth peanut butter (Jif or Skippy recommended)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- Crushed peanuts
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Heat oven to 375ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment; set aside.
- In a bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed and mix in egg, milk and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, ½ cup at a time, until combined; scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Use a 1¾ inch cookie scoop (#40 size) to drop 1½ tablespoons dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are just set, 8 minutes.
- Remove and immediately press a marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Bake again until marshmallows begin to melt, 2 minutes more. Let cool completely on baking sheets on wire racks.
For the peanut butter frosting:
- Mix together the peanut butter and melted butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer. Add the confectioners' sugar and salt and mix until completely combined. Add the milk and beat until a smooth frosting forms. Beat until fluffy and smooth, about 30 seconds. Smooth with a spatula.
- Spread about 1 tablespoon frosting on top of each cookie to cover marshmallow. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Store any remaining frosting in a container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
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