Rocky Road Cookies: A Beginner-Friendly Delight for All Ages
Got a sweet tooth and a craving for something extra special? These Rocky Road Cookies are the perfect solution. Packed with gooey marshmallows, rich chocolate chips, and crunchy almonds, each bite is a delightful mix of textures and flavors. What makes these cookies even better is how simple they are to make. No need for fancy equipment, no chilling time required—just a few ingredients and a couple of easy steps. If you’re new to baking, this recipe is a great way to dive in. The best part? You’ll have a batch of warm, mouthwatering cookies in just 22 minutes. So, whether you’re treating yourself or sharing with friends and family, these Rocky Road Cookies are sure to become a favorite!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 22 cookies 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ cup butter (1 stick), melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar (packed)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup halved mini marshmallows
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Before you start mixing your ingredients, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven heats up, line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This ensures that your cookies won’t stick to the pan, and it makes cleanup much easier.
- Melt the Butter: In a large, microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter for about 40 seconds, or until it’s mostly melted. It’s okay if the butter isn’t completely melted—just give it a whisk to make it smooth and fully melted. This step eliminates the need to soften butter beforehand, making the recipe even quicker.
- Mix the Sugars: Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the melted butter. Use a whisk to combine the sugars with the butter until the mixture is smooth and well-blended. Make sure the brown sugar is packed when measuring to get the correct sweetness.
- Add the Egg and Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract and the egg. Whisk everything together until it’s completely mixed and smooth. The egg helps bind the ingredients and gives the cookies their chewy texture.
- Incorporate the Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the mixture. Stir until everything is just combined—be careful not to overmix. Overmixing can make the cookies tough, so mix until the dough just comes together.
- Add the Fun Ingredients: Once the dough is ready, fold in the chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and sliced almonds. These ingredients are the heart of the Rocky Road Cookie, giving it a unique texture and flavor. Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Scoop the Dough: Using a medium-sized cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons of dough), place the dough on the prepared baking sheets. Space the dough balls about 2 inches apart to give them room to spread as they bake. If you don’t have a cookie scoop, you can use a tablespoon to scoop the dough.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 7-10 minutes. The cookies will be puffy and slightly underbaked in the middle. This is key to getting that soft, chewy texture. Once they are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Don’t Overmix: One of the most common mistakes when baking cookies is overmixing the dough. Overmixing causes the cookies to become dense and tough. Stir until the dough is just combined, and stop there.
- Cookie Doneness: These cookies should be slightly underbaked when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to set as they cool, and that slight softness in the middle is what gives them their chewy texture. If you like firmer cookies, you can bake them for a minute or two longer.
- Troubleshooting Cookie Texture: If your cookie dough is too sticky to handle, you can add a little extra flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the right consistency. If it feels too dry or crumbly, try adding a teaspoon of milk or water to moisten it up.
- Cookie Spacing: Make sure to leave enough space between each dough ball. While these cookies don’t spread as much as some other types of cookies, they still need a little room to bake evenly.
- Cooling: After baking, let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. This helps them firm up without falling apart.