Creative Chocolate Chip Cookie Ideas

Chocolate chip cookies... just mentioning them can stir memories of childhood, and holidays with the family.

This simple little dessert is a great creation in itself, but sometimes you just want that little extra "something". Be it a holiday party (Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, etc.), or just wanting to do something nice for the season, chocolate chip cookies can be made extra special through a variety of ways.

Making simple changes such as adding M&M's, nuts, caramel or peanut butter can take this sweet little treat to new heights!

With the cold weather upon us it is the perfect time to preheat the oven and have a go at some of these creative, and oh-so-delicious ideas!

There are a number of toppings you can put on or in chocolate chip cookies to kick them up a notch. You can buy Wilton and Duff decorating kits that would normally be used on cakes and use them on cookies.

Colored Sugar – Such a vibrant way to make your cookies look the best they can look. Once you have prepared your chocolate chip cookie dough and shaped it how you desire, sprinkle some of your favorite color onto the cookie to get a tasty, colorful version of the chocolate chip cookie.

Icing – Icing isn't just for cakes anymore! You can add a few drops of food coloring to fluffy white frosting to create a holiday topping for your chocolate chip cookies. Go even farther by sprinkling colored sugar, nuts or sprinkles on top of the icing.

Sprinkles – Like with colored sugar, you can make your cookies extra festive with an assortment of different types of sprinkles.

The red and green sugar and sprinkle sets by Wilton are great for Christmas cookies! I buy one (or two) every year so I have stock to use throughout the year for themed cookies! Actually, every holiday I grab a few of the colors they have for sale so that I have a variety in stock on my shelves. You never know when you might want heart sprinkles, or pumpkins!

The holidays are a great time to break out the cookie sheets and start baking. Family functions, company parties, and there is always a kid or two around to help out in the festive baking.

Best of all? It's the time when you feel the less guilt if you are watching your waistline.

This is also a great time to include the children in your family. You can come up with holiday projects where you teach them the joys of baking and the fun and creative ways they can style their cookies for the holiday. Santa will appreciate their efforts for sure!

Christmas – There are many winter desserts out there, but you can take chocolate chip cookies and give them a 'tis the season makeover. Add Holiday M&M's to your cookie dough before you put them in the oven for a colorful surprise. After cookies cool, coat them in snowy white icing and use colored M&M's and sprinkle confetti to create snowman faces.

Thanksgiving – Use cream cheese icing to coat your chocolate chip cookies and layer crumbled pecans and chocolate chunks over the top of them for a savory treat for the whole family.

Halloween – Drop a couple drops of red and yellow food coloring into vanilla icing, spread over your chocolate chip cookies. Follow the icing up with some black sprinkles and/or liquid icing to create pumpkin faces. Do the same with other colors for ghosts and witches!

Valentines – Use cookie cutters to make your chocolate chip cookies heart shaped and use light red food coloring to mix with white icing for a lovely shade of pink. Layer the pink icing over your hearts and decorate with an assortment of sugars, sprinkles or even layer another heart over them to make a heart sandwich cookie.

You can use many of these ideas for various holidays to satisfy the sweet tooth of just about anyone. The possibilities are endless.

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