Description

Indulge in the decadent, chewy, and chocolatey goodness of Levain Bakery’s Rocky Road Cookies. Loaded with semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and crunchy cashews, these cookies deliver a perfect balance of rich cocoa flavor and delightful texture. Baked to perfection at a high temperature, they feature crisp edges and soft, gooey centers that are simply irresistible.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 cup Cold Butter, cut into cubes
1 cup Brown Sugar (can substitute with coconut sugar)
1 cup Granulated Sugar (white sugar preferred)
2 large Eggs (room temperature)
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract (pure vanilla recommended)

Dry Ingredients

1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (sifted to prevent clumps)
1 cup Cake Flour (can substitute with all-purpose flour)
1.5 cups All-Purpose Flour (total flour used is 2.5 cups)
1 teaspoon Cornstarch (can be omitted)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda (ensure freshness)
1/2 teaspoon Salt (sea salt or kosher salt works best)

Mix-ins

2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (can use dark chocolate)
2 cups Mini Marshmallows (do not substitute with regular marshmallows)
1 cup Cashews, chopped (can substitute with pecans or walnuts)

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Instructions

Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 410°F (210°C) to ensure it reaches the high temperature needed for a perfect bake.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large mixing bowl, cream the cold butter cubes with brown sugar and granulated sugar for about 4 minutes until the mixture is light and creamy. This step incorporates air for a tender texture.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Mix in the large eggs and vanilla extract, continuing to blend for another minute to fully combine all wet ingredients.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the unsweetened cocoa powder, cake flour, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually fold this dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Incorporate Mix-ins: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and chopped cashews, ensuring even distribution without overmixing.
Shape the Dough: Portion the dough into large balls weighing approximately 5-6 ounces each, placing them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to prevent sticking.
Add Toppings: Press extra chocolate chips and mini marshmallows onto the top of each dough ball for a visually appealing and flavorful finish.
Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers remain soft and slightly underbaked for a chewy texture.
Cool the Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes. This resting time lets them firm up without losing their softness inside.

Notes

Use cold butter cut into cubes for easier creaming and better texture.
Sifting the cocoa powder prevents lumps and ensures even mixing.
Do not substitute mini marshmallows with regular size marshmallows as it affects texture and baking time.
You can substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour but cake flour gives a lighter texture.
When shaping dough balls, weigh each to ensure uniform baking results.
Chill the dough if the butter softens too much during mixing for easier handling.
The high baking temperature ensures cookies are crispy on the outside and soft inside; do not overbake.