Rocky Road Cookies

These gooey Rocky Road Cookies are everything you love about the classic candy bar in warm, melty cookie form. Each bite is packed with rich chocolate, soft marshmallows, and crunchy nuts, creating the perfect mix of textures and flavors. They’re fun, indulgent, and guaranteed to disappear fast, whether you’re baking for the holidays, a party, or just a cozy night in with the family.

Easy Rocky Road Cookies Recipe

Cookies aren’t reserved only for the holidays at our house, they’re basically a year-round sport. Honestly, who can resist a freshly baked cookie? The warm aroma from the oven, the melty centers, that first soft bite…it’s the dessert equivalent of pure comfort food. Whether it’s a lazy weekend, a celebration, or just a “because we can” weekend baking moment, cookies always seem to find their way into our dessert rotation.

These Rocky Road Cookies are the kind that instantly win you over. Inspired by the classic candy, they’re loaded with rich chocolate, gooey marshmallows, and crunchy nuts baked right into every bite. The combination of textures in these chewy chocolate cookies makes them completely irresistible. They bake up thick and fudgy, almost brownie-like, with a pocket of marshmallow that toasts just enough in the oven to make them gooey. Whether you serve them warm with a glass of milk or tuck them into a cookie tray for the holidays, this is one recipe that guaranteed smiles every time.

Checkout this quick list of ingredients you’ll need to make Rocky Road Cookies: (Scroll down for the full printable recipe card.)

Flour – All purpose flour forms the base of the cookie dough.
Leavening – Baking soda and salt give lift to the cookies while baking.
Cocoa – Cocoa powder gives the dough a chocolaty flavor.
Sugar – Light brown sugar for sweetness.
Butter – Salted or unsalted butter, melted. Allow it to cool slightly so it won’t change the texture of the eggs.
Whole Eggs – Two large eggs stabilize the cookie dough.
Flavoring – Vanilla extract adds creamy floral notes.
Nuts – Chopped almonds re classic in rocky road desserts. I used unsalted whole almonds and chopped them myself.
Chocolate Chips – Semi-sweet chocolate chips are best!
Marshmallows – 12 large marshmallows, cut in half. Cutting the large marshmallows in half makes them the perfect size for the top of each cookie! You can use a whole marshmallow, but they tend to melt out of the cookie while baking.
Optional – Extra chopped almonds and mini chocolate chips for dipping the cookies prior to baking.

How to Make the BEST Rocky Road Cookies Recipe

Heat Oven and Prepare the Pan – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine Butter and Sugar – Mix the butter and sugar on a medium speed, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat just until combined.
Sift the Dry Ingredients – Use a whisk to sift the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt.
Combine – Add the Flour Mixture to the wet ingredients gradually.
Add Mix-Ins – Stir in the chopped almonds and chocolate chips by hand.
Divide the Cookie Dough – Divide the dough into one tablespoon portions. Flatten and add a marshmallow half to each cookie. Bring the sides up around the marshmallow.
Oven – Transfer cookies to the prepared pan and into the oven. Bake per the recipe until the tops of the marshmallows are lightly golden brown and the cookies have a crackly appearance (cookies will be soft but will firm once cooled slightly).
Serve – Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and enjoy.

Kitchen Equipment for Chocolate Cookies

Stand mixer or hand mixer.
Measuring cups and spoons.
Large bowl, medium bowl.
Knife and cutting board.
Large baking pans or cookie sheet.
Wire rack.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Nuts – Swap almonds for any nut of your choice! (peanuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.)
Sugar – You can use 1/2 white sugar and 1/2 light brown sugar for these easy cookies.
Flour – When baking, it’s important to measure accurately. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level using a knife. If you use too much flour, the cookies can be dry.
Marshmallow Fluff – You can even use marshmallow fluff by making an indent in each cookie and putting tablespoon of fluff on each cookie, although the marshmallow fluff does not have the same pull as regular marshmallows, and it’s more prone to escaping while baking.
Mini Marshmallows – I love the look of the big toasted marshmallow, but you can also use mini marshmallows and place them on top of the cookies. Use a shot glass or spoon to make a well in the center of each ball of dough. Use about 3 marshmallows per cookie.
Texture – The cookies will be very soft in the oven, but will firm up more as they cool. I like to slightly under bake these cookies to keep them gooey.
Chocolate Chips – You can use dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips or even a combination of chocolate whips, including white chocolate.
Extra Almonds and Mini Chocolate Chips – Extra chopped almonds and mini chocolate chips (optional) makes the cookies so cute and gives them that gourmet look. Afterall, melty chocolate chips are always a winning choice.

Storage and Leftovers

Leftovers – Store baked Rocky Road Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Cookie Dough – Store cookie dough in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Freezing Cookie Dough – Store cookie dough in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

More Cookie Recipes to Make

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chip Cookies melt in your mouth.
Fruit Pizza Sugar Cookies are a delicious option for game day, picnics and snacking.
Peanut Butter Cookies never last long in the cookie jar.
Carrot Cake Pudding Cookies are iced with cream cheese frosting.
These jumbo Cowboy Cookies are the epitome of go big or go home!
White Chocolate Cherry Pudding Cookies are irresistible.
Snickerdoodle Cookies are another cookie that everyone seems to love.
We never tire of the classic flavor of these Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.
Pistachio Cookies from CakeWhiz.

Thanks for visiting come back soon!

Disclosure ~ If a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Helpful Kitchen Items: