January 27, 2023
Review RecipeRocky Road Cookies

Table of Contents
These chewy rocky road cookies just seem to hit the spot when you’re in the mood for a sweet treat. The cookies have all the flavors of everyone’s favorite treat – rich chocolate, crunchy nuts, and gooey melted marshmallows, but in cookie form to create the ultimate comfort food.

Rocky Road Cookies Ingredients

You’ll need:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 (11.5-ounce) package of semi-sweet chocolate chunks (I used Nestle)
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 1 (4-ounce) package of unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped (I used Baker’s premium baking bar)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (divided into ¾ cup and ¼ cup)
- 12 whole marshmallows, cut in half
- 1½ cups of mini marshmallows (about 5 mini marshmallows per cookie)
- 6 snack-size chocolate bars, each broken into 8 pieces = 48 broken pieces (I used Hershey bars)
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
CANDY BARS: You can substitute almond snack-size candy bars for plain chocolate bars in these easy rocky road cookies. You could even use chopped peanut snack bars, like Mr. Goodbar.
MARSHMALLOWS: You can substitute mini marshmallows for the halved full-size marshmallows in this easy recipe. You will need 3-4 mini marshmallows to replace the halved full-size.
How to Make This Rocky Road Cookies Recipe
STEP ONE: Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk to combine.
STEP TWO: Add the chocolate chunks to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Set it aside.
STEP THREE: Add the butter and chopped baking chocolate to a 1½ to 2-quart saucepan. Heat the butter and baking chocolate over low heat, stirring often until the mixture is completely melted. Allow the mixture to cool. Since the mixture is heated over low heat, it will not be very hot. It should be just above a warm temperature.

STEP FOUR: Using a stand mixer or a large bowl and an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the brown and white sugar, vanilla, and cooled butter mixture for about 1 minute to combine.

STEP FIVE: Lower the mixer speed to low. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.
STEP SIX: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Increase the mixer speed to medium.
STEP SEVEN: Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, add the ¾ cup of chopped walnuts. Mix just until the nuts are well combined.
STEP EIGHT: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheets (Silpat).
STEP NINE: Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop. Scoop out 2 scoops of cookie dough. Roll each into a ball and partially flatten. This will be the top and the bottom. Place 1 of the halved marshmallows in the center of the bottom dough. Place the top dough over the halved marshmallow. Seal the edges and roll into a ball, sealing any cracks as you roll. Place the dough ball on the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat the process, and space the dough balls 2 to 2½ inches apart. Place the dough balls in the freezer for 30 minutes.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
It may seem like an extra step, but it is very important to freeze the filled dough balls. This chill time helps ensure that the marshmallow and chocolate chunks do not ooze out prematurely during the baking process.

STEP TEN: Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the cookies for 11 to 13 minutes. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press the 5 mini marshmallows into the top of the cookies. Press 4 of the broken candy bar pieces around the mini marshmallows. Sprinkle the remaining chopped walnuts over the mini marshmallows and broken chocolate bars.
PRO TIP:
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cookies at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
The cookies may appear bulbous and under-baked, but when the mini marshmallows and broken chocolate bars are pressed into the cookies, they will be the perfect height and size.

STEP ELEVEN: Allow the cookies to rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. The halved marshmallow inside the cookie may have oozed out during the baking/topping process, so it may be a little sticky. Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving.
How To Serve
These chocolate rocky road cookies are such a fun treat. Serve them for an afternoon snack to surprise your little ones, along with a Wendy’s Frosty. They would also make a delicious evening snack with a homemade hot chocolate.
We have plenty of other cookie recipes that we’d love to share with you. Our chocolate kiss cookies and red velvet cookies are particular favorites.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES
Storage
ON THE COUNTER: Store any leftovers of these delicious cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days at room temperature.
IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unbaked stuffed dough balls for up to 2 weeks before baking. Cover with aluminum foil before freezing. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 2 months. Allow the cookies to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

The classic rocky road flavor never goes out of style. Featuring gooey marshmallows, crunchy walnuts, and soft chocolate cookies, there is nothing better than a plate of these decadent cookies.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If you need to keep your desserts nut-free, you can still make these delicious cookies without the walnuts.
The fudgy chocolate cookie recipe can be frozen either as unbaked dough balls or baked cookies.
These tasty cookies are perfectly fine kept out on the counter for up to five days.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Creamsicle Cookies
- Twix Cookies
- Blueberry Cookies
- Italian Cookies
- Salted Nut Roll Bars
- Easy 15-Minute Maple Bars
- Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Rocky Road Cookies
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 11.5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chunks (I used Nestle)
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
- 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped (I used Baker’s premium baking bar)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup chopped walnuts, divided into ¾ cup and ¼ cup
- 12 whole marshmallows, cut in half
- 1½ cups of mini marshmallows, about 5 mini marshmallows per cookie
- 6 snack-size chocolate bars, each broken into 8 pieces = 48 broken pieces (I used Hershey bars)
Instructions
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine.
- Add the chocolate chunks to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Set it aside.
- Add the butter and chopped baking chocolate to a 1½ to 2-quart saucepan. Heat the butter and baking chocolate over low heat, stirring often until the mixture is completely melted. Allow the mixture to cool. (Since the mixture is heated over low heat, it will not be very hot. It should be just above a warm temperature)
- Using a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the sugars, vanilla, and cooled butter mixture for about 1 minute to combine.
- Lower the mixer speed to low. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Increase the mixer speed to medium.
- Once the dry ingredients are incorporated, add the ¾ cup of chopped walnuts. Mix just until the nuts are well combined.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet (Silpat).
- Use a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop. Scoop out 2 scoops of cookie dough. Roll each into a ball and partially flatten (This will be the top and the bottom). Place 1 of the halved marshmallows in the center of the bottom dough. Place the top dough over the halved marshmallow. Seal the edges and roll into a ball, sealing any cracks as you roll. Place the dough ball on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process, and space the dough balls 2 to 2½ inches apart. Place the dough balls in the freezer for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the cookies for 11 to 13 minutes. Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press the 5 mini marshmallows into the top of the cookie. Press 4 of the broken candy bar pieces around the mini marshmallows. Sprinkle the remaining chopped walnuts over the mini marshmallows and broken chocolate bars.
- Allow the cookies to rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack. The halved marshmallow inside the cookie may have oozed out during the baking/topping process, so it may be a little sticky. Allow the cookies to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- It may seem like an extra step, but it is very important to freeze the filled dough balls. This chill time helps ensure that the marshmallow and chocolate chunks do not ooze out prematurely during the baking process.
- Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cookies at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
- The cookies may appear bulbous and under-baked, but when the mini marshmallows and broken chocolate bars are pressed into the cookies, they will be the perfect height and size.
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