Air Fryer Marshmallow Swirl Cookies

I make Air Fryer Marshmallow Swirl Cookies when I want something chocolatey and only a few cookies, without firing up the whole oven. The air fryer turns out a small batch of dark, fudgy, cocoa-rich cookies with gooey melted marshmallow swirled right through them.

The marshmallow is the part that takes a little judgment. After years of baking with it, I know how to keep that swirl visible instead of letting it melt away into nothing, and that’s what these cookies get right.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s a small batch of eight cookies, so there’s no sheet pan to fill, and you’re not stuck with a big batch going stale on the counter.
• The cocoa dough bakes up fudgy and brownie-like, not cakey or dry.
• The marshmallow swirl stays visible because you fold it in at the very end rather than beating it through the dough.
• There’s no oven to heat, and each batch bakes in only 8 minutes.
• Made with gelatin-free marshmallows, it stays a true vegetarian cookie, which is the whole point on this site.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.

• Unsweetened cocoa powder. This is where all the chocolate comes from, so there’s no melting chocolate to fuss with. You’ll use 3/4 cup, and sifting it matters, because cocoa clumps. If you like this kind of cocoa-forward air fryer cookie, my Air Fryer Double Chocolate Chip Cookies run on the same idea with chocolate chips folded in.
• Marshmallows. Most standard marshmallows are set with gelatin, which isn’t vegetarian, so look for gelatin-free marshmallows (sold as vegan marshmallows, like Dandies) to keep this a true vegetarian cookie. You melt most of the 2 cups and hold a little back for the tops.
• Unsalted butter, at room temperature. You need a full cup, and it has to be soft, or it won’t cream properly with the sugar.
• Granulated sugar. The 1 1/2 cups creams into the butter to build structure and give the edges that slight fudgy chew.
• Eggs, at room temperature. Cold eggs can seize the creamed butter and leave you with a split, grainy dough.

How to Make Air Fryer Marshmallow Swirl Cookies

A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.

Prepare the Ingredients

Pull the butter and eggs out at least 30 minutes before you start. Cold butter won’t cream, and cold eggs can split the dough, so this short wait is worth building in. These have a few more steps than a plain drop cookie like my Air Fryer Peanut Butter Cookies, mostly because of the marshmallow, so it’s worth reading through once first.

Line the Air Fryer Basket

Line the basket with parchment and set it aside. One air-fryer thing to watch: loose parchment can lift in the airflow toward the heating element, so weight it down with the dough before the fan gets going, or use perforated sheets cut to fit.

Sift the Dry Ingredients

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Sifting breaks up the cocoa clumps that otherwise leave dry pockets through the dough.

Cream the Butter and Sugar

Cream the butter with the sugar for about 4 minutes, until it’s pale and fluffy. Don’t rush this part. Pale and fluffy is the visual cue that you’ve beaten in enough air for a tender cookie.

Add the Eggs and Vanilla

Beat in the eggs and vanilla until fully combined, scraping down the bowl so nothing hides at the bottom.

Mix In the Dry Ingredients

Add the sifted dry mix and fold it in with a spatula just until it comes together. A few passes is all you want, because overmixing develops the flour and toughens the cookies.

If you’d rather have a sugar-dusted fudgy cookie with no marshmallow at all, my Air Fryer Chocolate Crinkle Cookies use an oil-based cocoa dough instead.

Melt the Marshmallows

Melt the marshmallows in a small pot over low heat until smooth, and set some aside now for the tops. Low and slow is the point here, because high heat scorches marshmallow fast.

Swirl, Scoop, and Top

Add about a quarter of the melted marshmallow to the dough and fold just two or three times, until you see a swirl and no more. Scoop with an ice cream scoop onto the lined basket, then press a little of the reserved marshmallow onto each one. Work the rest of the dough the same way, so every cookie keeps its ribbons.

Air Fry the Cookies

Air fry at 350°F (180°C) for 8 minutes. Most baskets only hold four or five of these at a time, so cook them in rounds rather than crowding them, keeping each batch to the same 8 minutes.

Let them cool on a rack before you move them, because the marshmallow tops come out molten and tear if you lift them too soon. For a lighter, fruity air fryer cookie, my Air Fryer Strawberry Cookies bake faster in about five minutes per batch.

Recipe Notes and Expert Tips

• Keep the swirl; don’t blend it. Two or three folds are enough once the marshmallow goes in. Mix it any more, and it disappears into the dough, and you lose the marbling.
• Hold back marshmallow for the tops. It’s tempting to melt all of it into the dough, but the piece you press on top is what gives each cookie its toasted, pillowy finish.
• Stay at 350°F (180°C). The air fryer browns from the top, and marshmallow goes from golden to burnt quickly, so 8 minutes at that temperature is about as high as you want to push it.
• Cool before you move them. Give the cookies a couple of minutes on the rack. The marshmallow sets as it cools, and a hot cookie tears when you lift it.

Recipe Variations

• Fold half a cup of chocolate chips into the dough with the dry ingredients. I haven’t tested that version here, but the chips won’t change the bake time.
• For a peppermint version, add a quarter teaspoon of peppermint extract with the vanilla for a candy-cane, hot-cocoa feel. It’s an untested tweak, though peppermint and chocolate rarely go wrong together.
• Do it with mini marshmallows. Swap the regular marshmallows for minis, which melt a little faster and fold through more evenly. Neither size changes the bake, so it’s a safe swap, even if it’s untested here.

How to Store Leftovers

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep them out of direct heat and sunlight so the marshmallow doesn’t turn sticky or slump out of shape.

These freeze well. Flash-freeze the cooled cookies in a single layer on a tray for about an hour, then move them to a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

If you’re taking them somewhere, let them cool completely first so the tops set, then layer them flat with parchment between so the swirled tops stay intact.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Marshmallow Swirl Cookies

A cold glass of milk is the obvious partner, and it’s hard to beat here. The rich cocoa plays against something cool and creamy, and a warm cookie with cold milk is the whole point.

If you’re putting out a dessert spread, these sit well next to a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, a pot of hot chocolate, or a plate of strawberries and sliced banana for something lighter against all that chocolate.

FAQs

More Air Fryer Cookies to Make Next

If these are your kind of air fryer cookie, here’s where I’d go next.

• Air Fryer Biscoff Sandwich Cookies. When I want to turn cookies into a bit of a project, I make these and sandwich them with a Biscoff filling.
• Air Fryer Crumbl Red Velvet White Chip Cookies. These are the big, cakey, showy ones I bring out when I want something that looks like a bakery cookie.
• Air Fryer Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. For a chewier cookie that feels a little more wholesome, this is the one, though the dough needs an hour in the fridge first.
• Air Fryer White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. These are the ones I make when I’m in the mood for something rich and nutty rather than chocolatey.