My Favorite Hot Cocoa Cookies
Published 12/9/2019
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Ready for my all time favorite healthy Christmas Cookies? These delicious hot cocoa cookies are made with almond butter, cocoa powder, and coconut sugar making them paleo and gluten free!
The Best Winter Cookie
Today was a great day in the Fit Foodie Kitchen. Why? Because we got to make these healthy hot cocoa cookies! These hot chocolate cookies are my all-time favorite healthy Christmas cookie because.
Guess what? They don’t actually taste healthy! It’s the best when you make a cookie and they’re secretly healthy. Amiright?
I’m a real stickler for nut-butter based cookies and these for sure fit the bill! Made with an almond butter base, coconut sugar (these are refined-sugar free!) an egg, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a little vanilla…these hot cocoa cookies really are the best ever!
Why do I love them? Well…
- They’re dense and delicious.
- These hot cocoa cookies are perfectly sweetened with ONLY coconut sugar!
- They are grain-free meaning they don’t use ANY flour at all!
Step 1: Mix Ingredients
Start with 1 cup of almond butter on the bottom of a medium-sized bowl. Then, add the rest of your ingredients and mix. Sometimes you just need to get messy and use your hands, but a spoon works too! Your dough should feel like classic cookie dough, moist and malleable.
Ingredient Questions
Can I use a different almond butter? Yes, you can use whatever nut butter that you would like! Just be sure that whatever nut butter you use is drippy. This is important because it is one of the main wet ingredients in this recipe!
Do I have to use coconut sugar? No, you don’t have to use coconut sugar. Feel free to substitute the coconut sugar for any granulated sugar like brown sugar!
Can I make these cookies vegan? You can try and make these cookies vegan by using a flax egg in the dough. However, we have not tested this recipe with a flax egg, so let us know how it goes!
Step 2: Scoop, Roll, and Pat
Once you’ve got your hot cocoa cookie batter ready to go, use a cookie scoop to spoon about 2 tablespoons of dough into your hands. Roll your cookie into a ball and then pat it down to form your cookie.
Keep this in mind–> These cookies will not expand THAT much.
Step 3: Bake
Once you’ve got your little cookies on your baking sheet, it’s time to bake! Set your oven to 350ºF and bake your cookies for around 12 minutes.
Here’s a tip–> Make sure to NOT over bake these cookies. Remember that if you leave your cookies on the baking sheet after you remove them from the oven, they continue to bake a bit longer.
If you over bake these hot cocoa cookies, they will crumble. So be careful!
Step 4: Time to Decorate
The option is yours to eat your hot chocolate cookies just the way they are OR you can make a yummy frosting to go on top with a sprinkle of peppermint candies. I mean, think hot cocoa, but in cookie form!
We opted for a homemade buttercream frosting which calls for butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla bean.
Vegan Frosting Option–> Try placing a can of whole fat coconut milk into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Next, place ONLY the hard part of the canned coconut into a bowl and discard the liquid.
Beat the hardened coconut milk on medium/high speed until it is thick and forms peaks. Add to the top of the hot cocoa cookies and eat immediately.
If you are using the vegan frosting option here are a few things to keep in mind–>
- Wait to put the coconut whip cream on the top of these cookies until the cookies are cool. The coconut whip will melt if the cookies are hot.
- Feel free to flavor and sweeten these cookies if you would like! Maple syrup or vanilla bean would both be great additions to this frosting.
- Frost these cookies right before eating if you are using this coconut whip, they will not keep well with the vegan frosting!
Christmas Cookie Recipes
Learn How to Make These Cookies
Hot Cocoa Cookies
Ingredients
Hot Cocoa Cookies
- 1 cup almond butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Optional: Paleo Vanilla Frosting
- 1/2 cup palm shortening
- ~3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 vanilla bean
Optional: Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting
- 1 cup softened butter, unsalted
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, the paste
Instructions
For the Cookies
- First, preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place all ingredients in a large bowl, mix until combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop out around 2 tablespoons of dough into your hands. Roll in the palm of your hands to create a ball, then flatten into a cookie shape. Place on baking sheet. Repeat.
- Bake cookies at 350ºF for about 12-15 minutes. Then, let cool for at least 20 minutes.
For the Frosting (both of them)
- Place all ingredients in a medium-size bowl. Then, using a hand mixer, whip for about 3-5 minutes until it is at desired consistency.
- Transfer frosting into a piping bag and pipe onto cookies using any tip you like! Sprinkle with crushed candy cane (not paleo)!
Tips & Notes
- Nutrition does not include frosting.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi, I just made these for a Christmas cookie exchange party I’m going to. They’re absolutely DELICIOUS, but I’m wondering – how do you store them? Do they need to be refrigerated because of the Palm shortening? I’ve never used this ingredient before today so I’m not really sure how it works lol. Thanks for the recipe! Hoping I win the contest. ?
YAY! So glad you love the cookies 🙂 I would probably refrigerate them if they are going to be left untouched for 2 or more days! GOOD LUCK!!
These look deliciously amazing! Love paleo cookies even more than the “real” thing. Give my sea salt and dark chocolate chunk paleo cookies a shot 🙂
http://www.thepaleopanda.com/heavens-best-paleo-sea-salt-and-chocolate-chunk-cookies/
How exactly does the vanilla bean mix in? I’ve never baked with them before and I’m hand mixing it in with the icing, but it isn’t breaking up or anything. Is it supposed to? Thank you!
I totally should have specified! You have to slice the vanilla bean in half and scrape out the inside! Or you can use vanilla extract!
Lee, I’ve been eyeing the paleo hot cocoa cookies since you posted. I finally made them the other day! So delicious! Thank you!
Yay! I am so glad you loved them 😀
These cookies look epic, Lee! Bring some to me in KC? 🙂 I really do want to show you around the city!
Will you be in town at all over Christmas?! We ill be in Kansas from Sunday-Friday!!! I’d totally drive up to KC from Topeka one day!
perfect… I will try this recipe for Christmas.. thanks
Umm, so… Are there are houses for sale near you? Because I totally want to be your neighbor if it means I get to try these adorable chocolaty cookies!! And yes, my freezer has gained 20 pounds with all of the holiday cookies and brownies I’ve been making. Better it than me! 😉 Pinned!
Right!? I think I’ve split mine 10 10 with the freezer 😛
These sound DELICIOUS! And I would like shove about 3 in my mouth right now 🙂
I ate the last one yesterday 😀
Omg lee!!!! You are a cookie genius!! Best thing is I have all the ingredients!!! Making these asap 🙂
You are gonna love this one Alex!! Report back after you make them PWEASE!
Chocolate chips in the hot cocoa cookies? Yum! I love seeing these blogger meet ups! Such a sense of community! Definitely need to step up my game and start whipping up some cookies for the holiday season!
I wish I lived by all my blogger friends…then I’d have like a billion friends in real life instead of on the internets 😀