We are thrilled to introduce our new food/recipe contributor, Sue Malat! Sue is a health coach and the owner of Elev8 Your Plate. She leads cooking classes for kids and adults, teaching recipes that focus on simple, healthy and balanced meals. In her weeknight Zoom classes for kids, she teaches kids to cook dinner (and dessert!) that families can eat that night – kids have a fun, educational class AND dinner is all ready by the time they are done!
Here is one of Sue’s favorite desserts to make with kids
Hot Cocoa Cookies
Package of ready-to-bake sugar cookie dough or your own homemade sugar cookie dough
½ cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp of cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips
Small pretzel twists or mini candy canes
½ cup mini marshmallows or marshmallow bits (like the ones in the hot cocoa
packets)
Alternative or additional toppings may include – rainbow sprinkles or
colorful sugar, or mini M&Ms
1/3 cup of additional chocolate chips, melted to “glue” on the pretzels/candy canes. You can also using icing as your “glue”
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll cookie dough into balls and place in a greased mini muffin tin. Bake for 12-15 minutes.
The centers will puff up and settle as they cool. Let them cool for 2-3 minutes. If the centers haven’t settled much, you can press the centers down with the back of a measuring spoon very, very, VERY gently to create more of a well. Don’t make it too deep or your cups will crack.
Once cookie cups are completely cool, remove from muffin tin. Break the loops off the pretzel or candy canes. Dip the ends into the melted chocolate on the ends of the loops.
Attach them to the side of the cookie cups. Allow them to rest for 10 minutes so the handles can set.
Heat heavy cream in a glass measuring cup in the microwave until steaming hot, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the cocoa powder. Add the chocolate chips. Stir and let it sit for 3-4 minutes. Stir to finish melting. You should have a thick, pourable liquid.
Fill cups with chocolate mixture. Top with mini marshmallows and/or another piece of
candy cane or rainbow sprinkles or holiday candy.
Serve immediately for a soft center or
allow chocolate to set for a more firm texture. Enjoy!