You know the expression, “As American as apple pie?” Well, it’s silly. Lots of countries have apple pie, or at least something like it.

But chocolate chip cookies, on the other hand…now that’s a real all-American dessert, born and baked in the USA. They were invented in Massachusetts in 1938, and they’ve been a staple at American parties ever since.

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This makes chocolate chip cookies the perfect dessert for your Fourth of July picnic. And to make them look really All-American, here’s a little trick I learned: substitute red and blue M&Ms for half the chocolate chips. This turns an everyday dessert into a red-white-and-blue patriotic treat. (The cookie itself can count as the white part.)

The great thing about this trick is that you can adapt it to work for any holiday. Use red and green M&Ms, and you have Christmas chocolate chip cookies. Get a bag in pastel colors, and they’re perfect for Easter. Use orange and black ones, and they’re a spooky treat for Halloween.

So no matter what time of year it is, you can celebrate in style with the most American dessert of all.

4th of July Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup red white and blue M&Ms

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Start by mixing together sugars, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Once combined, mix into cookie mixture about 1/2 cup at a time. Stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms.

Place rounded, heaping tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet.

Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are light brown. Centers will be soft. Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before moving them to a cookie rack to completely cool.