Hot Chocolate Cookies

Imagine a rich cocoa cookie that melts in your mouth like the silkiest hot chocolate. Now make it: These hot chocolate cookies capture all the flavor of your favorite winter beverage, complete with a swirl of marshmallow and chunks of creamy milk chocolate.

Two key ingredients distinguish these from other chocolate cookies. The first is milk powder, which imparts a lactic tang and makes them extra tender. The second is a whisper of cinnamon, the often-overlooked ingredient in a box of Nesquik.

Tips for the best hot chocolate cookies:

• Keep it room temperature. This cookie dough bakes up best at room temperature, but you can still make it ahead. Let it rest up to 30 minutes after mixing or refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then bring to room temperature before continuing (the marshmallow fluff will slide off cold dough).
• How to choose chocolate. We love high-quality milk chocolate for the chunks in these cookies; they offer richness and a creamy flavor reminiscent of hot cocoa. Look for bars with a cacao content between 35-45% (traditional milk chocolate bars range around 25% chocolate). For bolder chocolate flavor, you can substitute semi- or bittersweet chocolate.
• Don’t sweat the swirl. There is no such thing as perfection with the marshmallow swirl; each cookie will look different, and that’s okay!
• Round ’em up. We can’t all be perfect and these cookies may emerge from the oven a little misshapen. Grab a ring cutter or a glass and put it into orbit around the edge of the cookies to hone their shape.
• Beware of layering. The marshmallow makes the tops of these cookies somewhat sticky, so try to avoid stacking them lest you mar all your beautiful swirls.