Hostess Cupcake Cookies

Chocolate Hostess-inspired cookies topped with swirls of white icing and a layer of cream and ganache.

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Homemade Hostess Cupcake Cookies give a nostalgic twist to a classic treat. Featuring a chocolate cookie base, fluffy marshmallow frosting, smooth ganache, and the iconic swirl on top.

Prep Time30

Cook Time9

Total Time39

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: cookies

Calories: 569kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
1¼ cups light brown sugar packed
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Marshmallow Frosting

1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar sifted
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt
7 ounce jar marshmallow creme marshmallow fluff
1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream start with 1 tablespoon, adding the second tablespoon if need for a more pipeable consistency

Chocolate Ganache

4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking bar chopped approximately ¾ cup
⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Pipeable Icing (for decorative swirl)

¾ cup powdered sugar sifted
3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons heavy cream

Instructions

Cookie Dough

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes or until light and fluffy.
¾ cup unsalted butter, 1¼ cups light brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar
Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract, beating each addition into the butter until fully incorporated. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to ensure all the ingredients are fully incorporated when mixed in.
2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
To a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, dutch processed cocoa powder, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
2⅓ cups all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients just until all the dry ingredients are fully incorporated. The batter will be very thick. Be sure to scrape down the sides, and bottom, of the bowl as needed to ensure the cookie dough batter is smooth and all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Using a large, 2 inch (approximately 3-3 ½ tablespoons) cookie scoop, scoop and place 8 cookie dough balls per prepared baking sheet. Be sure to leave at least 2 inches between each cookie dough ball. Using the palm of your hand, gently flatten each of the cookie dough balls to a 2 - 2 ¼ inch wide disc.
Bake for 9-11 minutes in the center of the oven, until the edges start to crack slightly and the centers look just set. The cookies will continue to firm as they cool. Do not overbake the cookies or they may become too hard as they cool.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before adding the frosting.

Marshmallow Frosting

While the cookies are baking and cooling, make the marshmallow frosting by adding the unsalted butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Cream the butter, on medium-high speed, for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the sifted powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating until all the powdered sugar has been added. Add the vanilla extract and salt to the mixer and increase the speed of the mixer to high, beating for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is very light and fluffy with no lumps.
1 cup unsalted butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
Add the marshmallow creme to the bowl and mix on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes or until fully incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon of the heavy whipping cream and beat on high for an additional 1-2 minutes or until the marshmallow frosting is light and fluffy. If needed you can add the additional 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream to the frosting to create a softer more pipeable consistency.
7 ounce jar marshmallow creme, 1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Transfer the marshmallow frosting to an extra large piping bag, fitted with an extra large round piping tip (tip opening approximately ¾ inch wide), and pipe a swirl on the tops of each of the cooled chocolate cookies. Do not pipe all the way to the edges, leaving a ¼-½ inch border of the edge of the cookie with no frosting. You can use a small offset spatula to carefully smooth the tops of the frosting to ensure a flat surface to spread the ganache and add the piping decoration.

Chocolate Ganache

To a microwave safe bowl add the chopped semi-sweet chocolate bar and heavy whipping cream, being sure to cover all the chopped chocolate with the cream.
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate baking bar, ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
Heat on high for 1 minute, let the warm chocolate rest for 1 minute then stir the melted chocolate and heavy cream until it is a smooth consistency. Stir in the light corn syrup until fully incorporated and the chocolate ganache is smooth and glossy. Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature for 5-10 minutes, until it is no longer warm to the touch and has thickened slightly. It should still be spreadable but not runny. This slight cooling will also ensure it does not melt the marshmallow frosting when spooned on top.
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
Spoon approximately 1 ½ tablespoons of the chocolate ganache to the center of the piped marshmallow topping on the top of a chocolate cookie. Using the back of the spoon, carefully spread the ganache to a smooth and even layer, being sure not to go all the way to the edge of the marshmallow frosting. You want to leave a ¼ inch border of exposed marshmallow frosting to be seen on the top of the cookie. Repeat until all the cookies have been topped with the chocolate ganache.
Allow the ganache topped hostess cupcake cookies to set for 15-20 minutes at room temperature before piping on the decorative swirl.

Pipeable Icing (for decorative swirl)

To a medium bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and powdered sugar, using a handheld mixer at medium speed, for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cup powdered sugar
Add the vanilla extract and heavy whipping cream to the creamed butter and beat again, on medium-high speed, for another 1-2 minutes or until the icing is smooth. If the icing is too thick, add an extra teaspoon of heavy cream. If too thin, mix in an additional 1-2 teaspoons of powdered sugar until it reaches a pipeable consistency.
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons heavy cream
Transfer the decorative icing to a small piping bag, fitted with a small round piping tip (approximately ⅛ inch tip opening), and slowly pipe a decorative swirl onto the top of each chocolate ganache topped hostess cupcake cookie.
Allow the hostess cupcake cookies to sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes or until the chocolate ganache has firmed and set before plating and serving.

Notes

Storage :

To Store: Store Hostess Cupcake Cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 daysor in the refrigerator for up to 5 days—just note the frosting will firm up when chilled.
To Freeze: Place cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer to an airtight container with parchment between layers. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Tips :

For the best texture in both your cookie dough and frosting, make sure your butter, eggs, and marshmallow crème are at room temperature.
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent cookies from sticking and make cleanup a breeze.
If you don’t have the recommended piping tips (R22L for large, #5 for small), simply snip the piping bag tips to the correct sizes: about ¾ inch for the large tip and ⅛ inch for the small.
Don’t pipe frosting all the way to the edges. Leave a ¼–½ inch border, then use a small offset spatula to smooth the frosting into a flat surface, creating a clean and even base for the ganache.
Allow the ganache to cool until it is no longer warm to the touch and slightly thickened. It should be spreadable but not runny, which will prevent it from melting the marshmallow frosting.

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