Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups with Triple Chocolate Mousse

• Cookies:
• 8 tablespoons butter, soft
• 1/ 2 cup sugar
• 1/ 3 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/ 2 teaspoon chocolate extract
• 1 1/ 2 cups flour
• 1/ 4 cup +3 Tbsp hot chocolate mix
• 1 1/ 2 tablespoons dutch processed cocoa powder
• 1/ 8 cup instant vanilla creamer
• 1/ 2 teaspoon salt
• 3/ 4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• Mousse:
• 1 3.4 oz instant white chocolate pudding mix
• 3/ 4 cup instant hot chocolate mix
• 3 tablespoons melted and cooled dark chocolate
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Topping:
• 1/ 2 cup dark chocolate chips melted
• 3 tablespoons Kissy Face Candy Cane Dust
• marshmallow bites
• chocolate curls

Recipe and photo by Lori on her blog The Kitchen Whisperer

Hot Chocolate Cookie Cups with Triple Hot Chocolate Mousse

Cookie Cups:

Heat oven to 350F, rack in the middle. Cream butter and sugars until smooth. ~4-5 minutes. Next, beat in egg and Chocolate Extract until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, hot chocolate mix, cocoa, creamer mix, salt and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients a little at a time, making sure all is incorporated. Add in whipping cream and mix just until blended.
Taking your Nordic Ware Cookies & Cream Pan , spray the wells and the tops of the pan with a baking spray that has flour in it. Pinch off a tsp at a time and push that into a well until it is 3/4th’s full. If you go 2/3rd’s that fine as well. You just don’t want to overfill these. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 13-15 minutes or until the cookies are set and just slightly firm. Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the cookie cups to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Place another cooling rack on top of the pan and holding both the top rack and pan itself, flip them over. Gently tap the cooling rack and pan against the counter and slowly lift the pan off of the cooling rack. The cookie cups should easily slide out. Allow to cool completely. Place the cookie cups on a pan lined with parchment paper and pop into the freezer for 30 minutes. This makes it easier to dip the cups in the chocolate and set up faster.

Decorate the Cookie Cups:

Set up your work station by placing the melted chocolate in a small bowl. Place the Kissy Face Candy Cane Dust in another. Remove the Cookie Cups from the freezer and dip the rim of the cup (or go bold and go half way down!) into the melted chocolate holding it upside down so the chocolate drips off. Once the chocolate is no longer dripping, set the chocolate coated cups in the candy cane dust and coat the rim. Turn right side up and allow to set and repeat until all cookie cups are coated.

Triple Hot Chocolate Mousse:

Place a medium-large bowl (I use metal) with beaters in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill it. When ready to make the mouse, remove the bowl and beaters from the fridge. In the bowl add in the white chocolate pudding mix, hot chocolate, milk and cream. Starting your beaters off on low, slowly blend the mixture together about 1-2 minutes. Slowly increase the beaters to medium high and start to whip. As the mixture starts to thicken up add in 1 Tbl at a time of the soft dark chocolate incorporating before adding in the next. The mixture will be thick and fluffy in about 5-6 minutes. Place the mousse into a piping bag fitting with a medium tip. Pipe the mouse into each prepared up going about 1/2” above the rim. Eat immediately (garnish with Marshmallow Bits and chocolate curls first) or to set the mousse completely (the mousse will be thick but I find it is best when it’s been chilled), place the cups into a covered container in the fridge for an hour. When ready to serve, garnish with Marshmallow Bits and chocolate curls. Enjoy!