Life
It's National Chocolate Chip Day! Here Are 11 Ways to Celebrate That Don’t Involve Cookies
Look, we love chocolate chip cookies. We’ll have them warm and gooey, fresh out of the oven. We’ll even eat them at midnight, right from the fridge. But today, on this most wonderful of holidays, we think outside the dough. We dream big. Hold nothing back — because it’s National Chocolate Chip Day, and we’re doing it justice.
Once you liberate them, chocolate chips are magical. They’ll do you proud in brownies and pancakes, breads and popcorn. They’ll be your late-night snack, your all-purpose dessert, your loyal friend. And okay, if you really need to have a cookie, we won’t blame you.
Image: How Sweet Eats
Cinnamon Brioche Muffins
Some people like their muffins super healthy with flax seed and oats and wheat germ. We are not those people. And thankfully, the folks at Half Baked Harvest get us. These muffins are made with leftover brioche and studded with chocolate chips.
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Chocolate Bread
There’s nothing wrong with chocolate on chocolate — and we think you’ll agree when you try this airy, cocoa-rich bread from My Baking Addiction.
Image: My Baking Addiction
Maple Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Granola
Trust us — the “granola” part makes the whole thing healthy. Thanks, Averie Cooks!
Image: Averie Cooks
Pancakes
Chocolate chips and pancakes were meant to be. Do it like A Better Happier St. Sebastian and drizzle it all in maple syrup for maximum effect.
Image: A Better Happier St. Sebastian
Marzipan Bread
This almondy marzipan bread from My Name Is Yeh stars a lesser known (but equally delicious) cousin of chocolate chips: cacao nibs. These are actually bits of cacao bean, so you can count on them to pack a punch.
Image: My Name Is Yeh
Bouchons
Made famous by Thomas Keller, bouchons are essentially brownies in the shape of a wine cork. Though cocoa powder gives the batter its rich taste, studs of half-melted chocolate chips lend these confections some extra bite. Thanks, Kirbie’s Cravings!
Image: Kirbie’s Cravings
Skillet Cookie
Okay, you caught us. We lied. This deep dish cookie from Pinch of Yum is still, well, a cookie pretending to be a cake. But it’s also delicious, so we think you’ll forgive us.
Image: Pinch of Yum
Oatmeal Parfaits
And while we’re still (ahem) fudging the cookie situation, we’re going to use the raw dough in the most decadent parfait you have ever seen, courtesy of Half Baked Harvest.
Image: Half Baked Harvest
Peanut Butter Cups
Oh, and we’re going to put that cookie dough inside our peanut butter cups, too. How Sweet Eats is either completely insane or a total genius.
Image: How Sweet Eats
Banana Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Banana and chocolate chip are a dynamic duo — and when you bake them together into a cupcake, topped off with peanut buttercream? You might have die of happiness. Adventures in Cooking has the recipe.
Image: Adventures in Cooking
Bourbon Caramel Corn
When all is said and done and you’ve finished your baking, kick back with some caramel-drizzled, cacao nib-filled popcorn. Because you deserve it. Thanks, Bojon Gourmet!
Image: The Bojon Gourmet
