These decadent chocolate cookies hit all the flavor profiles in one bite. Sweet marshmallow chocolate chunks, gooey marshmallow bits, and salty almonds combine to make this rocky road treat.
Sweet and Salty Rocky Road Cookies
Rocky Road is a classic ice cream flavor. Chocolate, marshmallow, and almonds (or other nuts) combine with a chocolate base to create rocky road. The mix-ins allow each flavor profile to hit in every bite. The nuts are salty, the marshmallows are sweet, and the chocolate cookie base provides a great base.
To take these cookies up another flavor, I like to toast the almonds before adding them to the cookie dough. By toasting them, it enhances the nutty flavor and makes the flavor rich and deep. It also makes the nuts crunchier, giving more texture to the cookies. You can skip this step, but I wouldn't recommend it.
Looking for more cookie ideas? Check out my peach cobbler cookies and lemon crinkle cookies for more delicious bites.
Why I Love This Rocky Road Cookie Recipe
- Quick and Simple - No chilling is required, meaning these cookies come together quickly.
- All The Flavor - The cookies are salty, sweet, and gooey from the blend of mix-ins.
- Chocolate on Chocolate - These cookies are an overload of chocolate in the best way possible.
Ingredients Needed To Make Rocky Road Cookies
See below for all the details on what you'll need to make the full recipe.
- Sliced Almonds - Toast them for a more intense flavor.
- Marshmallows - Use the mini marshmallows.
- Chocolate chips - Any type of chocolate chip will work in this recipe.
- Espresso powder - A small pinch enhances the chocolate flavor.
- Cocoa powder - Gives the cookies their chocolate base.
Directions For How To Make Rocky Road Cookies
- Prepare.
Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set to the side.
- Toast the almond.
Toast the sliced almonds in a small non-stick pan until they have a distinct smell and are golden.
- Measure the dry ingredients.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Set to the side.
- Mix wet ingredients.
Cream the butter with the sugar. Add in the eggs, followed by the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix the cookie dough.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until fully combined. Add in the chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and toasted almonds. Fold them in evenly in the dough.
- Bake the cookies
Using a cookie dough scoop, scoop the balls of cookie dough onto the prepared pan. If desired, top the cookie dough with extra toppings before adding it to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes.
Serving Suggestions
These cookies are a great treat on their own. If you want to take them up a level, turn them into ice cream sandwiches and stuff your favorite kind of ice cream or more rocky road ice cream in the middle of two cookies.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can make the rocky road cookie ahead of time if needed. Make the cookies and store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days. The cookies can also be made and frozen in dough balls. Scoop the batter and place it in an airtight container. When ready to bake, put them on a baking sheet right in the oven. Since they were frozen, they may take a few more minutes to bake.
The cookies can also be baked and frozen. Rocky Road cookies can be kept in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Tips and Variations
- Nuts about Nuts - If almonds aren't your thing, feel free to add in your favorite type of nut. Go with peanuts, pecans, or walnuts.
- Topping Overload - If you want to go overboard with toppings in a good way, add more of the mix-ins to the top of the cookie dough balls before baking them.
- Cook Time - These cookies bake up fast, in about 10 minutes. It is better to underbake them in the oven and then let them finish baking while they cool on the hot pan outside the oven, so keep a watchful eye.
FAQs
Rocky Road cookies consist of a chocolate base cookie with toasted nuts, marshmallows, and chocolate chunks mixed in.
Almonds are the nut most commonly found in Rocky Road. Other nuts, such as peanuts or walnuts, work as a substitute if you do not like almonds.
If you find the marshmallows making your cookies goopy, try spreading them out more in the batter. Overloading the cookies with marshmallows will make them very gooey.
Rocky Road Cookies
Equipment
- cookie sheet
- cookie scoop
- stand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup toasted almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and prepare a baking sheet with parchment. Set to the side.
- Toast the almonds in a small, non-stick pan. Toast the almonds until they are fragrant and golden brown. Set them to the side.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Set to the side.
- In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the sugar with the butter until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed, then add in the egg and egg yolk, followed by the vanilla.
- Mix in the chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and toasted almonds. Fold them in using the mixer or with a rubber spatula.
- Scoop the cookie dough into balls using a cookie dough scooper. Top the cookie dough balls with extra toppings if desired. Bake the cookies in the oven for 10 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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