Take Those Store-Bought Cookies To Bakery Level With These Easy Tricks

If you're planning a holiday party this year — or any kind of dinner party — then you may find it a little overwhelming to bake a dessert from scratch, on top of the entrees and appetizers. One easy fix for this problem is to buy cookies from the store — and then elevate them with some simple tricks. To find out the best tips for upgrading store-bought cookies, Daily Meal spoke with an expert: Jerrelle Guy, artist, cookbook author of "Black Girl Baking: Wholesome Recipes Inspired by a Soulful Upbringing," and recipe developer of Chocolate for Basil.

One of the best ways to take those cookies to the next level is to dip them in chocolate — sugar cookies make for a great, relatively plain base, but chocolate chip cookies can also be used here for something extra chocolatey. Whatever type of cookie you decide on, Guy has plenty of tips to make sure that this process goes smoothly. Firstly, use candy melts instead of chocolate chips for melting to avoid having to temper the chocolate. Guy says, "They're specifically made with added oils and stabilizers so they melt easily and set quickly at room temperature, giving a nice solid finish — no tempering required."

Additionally, freezing the cookies — especially if they're delicate — will prevent them from falling apart during the dipping process. After using a fork or tongs to dip the chocolate, give the cookie a gentle shake to get rid of the excess chocolate and prevent any globs from forming. When it comes to storing them, Guy notes that stacking cookies is not ideal, but if you have to, be sure to set parchment paper between each cookie. Guy adds, "They'll generally last at least a week if stored in a cool, dry place" when stored in an airtight container. 

Dipping the cookies in chocolate is not the only way to elevate store-bought cookies to the next level. Guy suggests, "For crunch, try nuts or seeds like chopped almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts, sesame, or chia seeds, or try dried fruit like crumbled freeze-dried strawberries, or chopped orange peels to give a pop of color and contrasting flavor." Any of these crunch options will work either with or without the dipped chocolate, so you can mix and match — pair some of these toppings with the chocolate-coated cookies and some without. There are also chocolate-covered candied orange peels that will add a fruity element, more sweetness, and extra chocolate.

You can choose which crunchy topping is best based on the type of cookie. As mentioned above, sugar cookies are the easiest base to work with because they go with everything — including all the toppers listed above. But if you're working with, say, chocolate chip cookies, then you may not want to use any of those toppings besides the nuts to avoid making it too overcomplicated flavor-wise.

Then, there are specific options for if you want to make the cookies holiday-themed. Guy recommends crushed candy canes or mini red and green M&Ms. You could use food coloring to dye frosting either red or green, then spread that festive frosting over sugar cookies — and this idea can be paired with the crushed candy canes or M&Ms.

There's also the option of making a cookie sandwich, complete with a sweet filling — Guy suggests marshmallow fluff, cream cheese frosting, nut butter, or chocolate hazelnut spread. If you're looking for suggestions, a chocolate hazelnut spread would taste delicious between two chocolate chip cookies. Or, try marshmallow fluff between two chocolate-dipped sugar cookies.

Guy also suggests making a simple glaze with powdered sugar and milk to give the cookies "an extra gloss." The glaze would work well paired with some of the simpler toppings, such as sprinkles or M&Ms so that you can really see the gloss and taste the sweetness of the glaze.

Finally, Guy has one more idea to make those store-bought cookies stand out — although this one works best with store-bought cookie dough rather than premade cookies. She says, "Before or after baking you can roll the edges of cookies in different crushed toppings or flavored sugars...Just roll the whole thing through pre-crushed toppings, pressing it into the dough, and then slice the cookies, and bake."