These Rocky Road Cookies hit that mix of chocolatey, chewy, and crunchy in one bite. They also lean into the old-school rocky road flavor that you do not see as often anymore at the ice cream shop. I had a lot of requests for these on TikTok over the last two years, and I was honestly slow to make them because I am usually not drawn to chocolate-based cookies. A lot of double chocolate cookies feel heavy, dry, or too rich after a bite or two. When I test a recipe like that, I want the final cookie to win over people like me too. This one did exactly that.
What to expect from these Rocky Road Cookies
These are thick bakery-style chocolate cookies with enough contrast to keep them from tasting flat or too heavy. The black cocoa gives them a darker cookies-and-cream style chocolate note, while the regular cocoa keeps the flavor familiar. Sliced almonds add crunch, the chocolate chips keep the centers soft, and the marshmallow fluff on top gives each cookie that classic rocky road finish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter (227g)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (100g)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67g)
- 2 eggs, room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp black cocoa powder (18g)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
- 1 tsp espresso powder *optional* (2g)
- 2 1/2 cups APF (313g)
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch (4g)
- 1 tsp baking soda (5g)
- 1/2 tsp salt (3g)
- 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips (170g)
- 1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows, frozen (45g)
- 2/3 cup sliced almonds (60g)
- Semi sweet chocolate chunks & marshmallow fluff for topping dough balls
- Flaky sea salt *optional*
Instructions
- Whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars until light & fluffy. Incorporate eggs, vanilla and cocoa powder.
- Fold in dry ingredients followed by almonds, chocolate chips and marshmallows.
- Measure out 4.5 oz (127g) dough balls. Flatten into discs and add chocolate chunks on top. Chill 1 hour covered in the fridge.
- Bake cookies on 350F for 9-10 minutes. Pull cookies out of oven & top with about a tablespoon of marshmallow fluff. Bake another 2-3 minutes (not too long or the fluff will melt off the cookie). ***I recommend baking 1-2 test cookies first so you can practice doing this and seeing what works best with your oven. Sprinkle cookies with optional flaky sea salt after baking. Measurements in grams are included for the best results.
Tips for Success
- Freeze the mini marshmallows before mixing them into the dough. That helps keep them from disappearing into the cookie as quickly in the oven.
- Stick with the 4.5 ounce dough ball size if you want the same thick bakery-style look shown here. Smaller cookies will bake faster and spread differently.
- Do not skip the chill time. Cold dough holds its shape better and gives the centers time to stay soft while the edges set.
- Bake one or two test cookies first, especially before adding the marshmallow fluff topping to the full tray. It is the easiest way to judge timing in your oven.
Rocky Road Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk together dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Cream butter and sugars until light & fluffy. Incorporate eggs, vanilla and cocoa powder evenly until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Fold in flour followed by almonds, chocolate chips and marshmallows. Do not over-mix.
- Measure out 4.5 oz dough balls. Dough will be slightly sticky. Flatten into discs and add chocolate chunks on top. Chill 1 hour covered in the fridge.
- Bake cookies on 350F for 9-10 minutes. Pull cookies out of oven & top with about a tablespoon of marshmallow fluff. Bake another 2-3 minutes (not too long or the fluff will melt off the cookie) ***I recommend baking 1-2 test cookies first so you can practice doing this and seeing what works best with your oven. Sprinkle cookies with optional flaky sea salt after baking.
Video
@bubbas_daughter Rocky Road Cookie recipe 🍫🍪 #rockyroadcookies #doublechocolatechunkcookie #browniecookies #cookierecipes #bakerystylecookies Recipe: 1 cup cold unsalted butter 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs, room temp 2 tsp vanilla 3 tbsp black cocoa powder 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tsp espresso powder *optional* 2 1/2 cups APF 1/2 tbsp cornstarch 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cup mini marshmallows, frozen 2/3 cup sliced almonds Semi sweet chocolate chunks & marshmallow fluff for topping dough balls Flaky sea salt *optional* 1.) Cream butter and sugars until light & fluffy. Incorporate eggs, vanilla and cocoa powder. 2.) Fold in flour followed by almonds, chocolate chips and marshmallows. 3.) Measure out 4.5 oz dough balls. Flatten into discs and add chocolate chunks on top. Chill 1 hour covered in the fridge. 4.) Bake cookies on 350F for 9-10 minutes. Pull cookies out of oven & top with about a tablespoon of marshmallow fluff. Bake another 2-3 minutes (not too long or the fluff will melt off the cookie) ***I recommend baking 1-2 test cookies first so you can practice doing this and seeing what works best with your oven. Sprinkle cookies with optional flaky sea salt after baking.
♬ naughty girl sped up – swxell
Storage and Make-Ahead Notes
Once cooled, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. If you want to hold them longer, freeze the baked cookies in a well-wrapped container and thaw at room temperature. You can also portion the dough balls ahead, chill or freeze them, and bake from cold so the cookies keep their thick shape.
Ingredient Notes and Easy Swaps
If you leave out the espresso powder, the cookies will still taste chocolatey. It just adds a little depth. The sliced almonds are part of the classic rocky road profile, but if you need to skip them you can leave them out and expect a slightly softer cookie with less crunch. Black cocoa gives these cookies their very dark color and a deeper flavor. If you use only regular cocoa, the cookies will look lighter and taste a bit more like a standard chocolate cookie.
Rocky Road Cookie FAQ
Why do the mini marshmallows need to be frozen?
Frozen marshmallows are easier to fold into the dough and less likely to melt away too quickly while the cookies bake.
Why does the dough need to chill?
Chilling helps control spread and keeps the cookies thick. It also makes it easier to bake a gooey center without overbaking the edges.
Why bake a test cookie first?
The marshmallow fluff topping can behave differently from oven to oven. A test cookie helps you dial in the timing before baking the full batch.
