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    Home » Recipes » Everyday Desserts

    Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Modified: Mar 4, '24 · Published: Jun 2, '14 · By: Beth Klosterboer · Commission earned on paid or sponsored links.

    Jump to Recipe

    Put a huge smile on everybody's face by giving them these Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are impossibly soft and chewy and will surely turn any frown upside down.

    Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies

    It's hard not to smile when faced with a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies, especially when they are smiling back at you.

    Something about these Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies, just melts my heart.

    Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies by HungryHappenings.com

     

    I brought them to a family dinner along with some other desserts, and they were the first things to get gobbled up, which wasn't a surprise as I used the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever made from Cook's Illustrated.

    There are lots of variations of chocolate chip cookies from thin and crispy to ooey gooey and I can't say I'd complain about eating any of them, but I really prefer these bakery style cookies. They are nice and thick, gooey on the inside, especially when hot out of the oven, have crispy edges, and a really wonderful buttery flavor with hints of caramel.

    Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies

    My family would have been perfectly content with plain cookies and I'm sure they all would have enjoyed eating them, but I do think that these smiley face chocolate chip cookies might have just helped to elevate the mood in the room.

    I made really large cookies and used Jumbo ¾ inch Candy Eyes, you can make your cookies any size and use smaller eyes, if you prefer, but having one big cookie for dessert is filling and fun.

    Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookies

    5 from 2 votes
    Print
    Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies
    Prep Time
    15 mins
    Cook Time
    16 mins
    Total Time
    31 mins
     

    Take a delicious chocolate chip cookie to the next level and add a cute smile to it!

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: chocolate chip cookie, smiling cookie
    Servings: 16
    Author: Beth Klosterboer
    Ingredients
    • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
    • 1 cup packed brown sugar
    • ½ cup granulated sugar white sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 egg yolk
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 2 ⅛ cup all purpose flour unbleached is best
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
    • 36 Jumbo Candy Eyes
    • 4 ounces dark confectionery coating melted
    Instructions
    1. Cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium speed for about a minute until well blended. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
    2. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together then incorporate it into the wet ingredients.
    3. Fold chocolate chips into the batter.
    4. Scoop out 16-18 cookies, about ¼ cup of dough for each. Place cookies on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
    5. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    6. Bake cookies one tray at a time, for 12-16 minutes. The cookies should begin to set around the edges, be light golden brown, yet still be soft in the center.
    7. Allow cookies to cool completely.
    8. Attach two candy eyes to each cookie using melted confectionery coating. Pour remaining coating into a squeeze bottle or small zip top bag. Pipe smiles onto cookies. Let candy coating harden.

    How to make Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies

    recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

    Cream butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and beat until fully incorporated. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together then incorporate it into the wet ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips.

    Scoop out 16-18, ¼ cup size dough balls. Place dough balls on parchment paper lined baking sheets. Refrigerate for an hour. By doing this you get nice thick cookies that wont spread too much.

    Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Bake cookies one tray at a time, for 12-16 minutes. The cookies should begin to set around the edges, be light golden brown, yet still be soft in the center.

    Allow cookies to cool completely.

    Decorated Smiley Face Chocolate Chip Cookies

    Attach two candy eyes to each cookie using melted confectionery coating. Pour remaining coating into a squeeze bottle or small zip top bag. Pipe smiles onto cookies. Let candy coating harden.

    These really aren't much more work than plain cookies, and they look so adorably cute.

    Items used to create this project are available on Amazon.com (commission earned for sales)

    Wilton Candy Eyeballs, Grea...Shop on AmazonWhite And Black ½-Inch Ca...Shop on AmazonSqueezit Mold Painter Plast...Shop on Amazon

    More Happy Smiling Desserts
    from Hungry Happenings

    Smiley Face Lollipops

    Smiley Face Cakester Pops

    Smiley Face Chocolate Heart Box

     Chocolate Heart Boxes

    Slumber Party Snacks

    Sleeping Bag Wraps

     

    Daisy Cheesecake

    Daisy Cheesecake

    Butterfly Fruit Pizza

    Butterfly Fruit Pizza

    White Chocolate Sunshine Lollipops

    Sunshine Lollipops

    White Chocolate Snowman Cupcake Wrappers

    White Chocolate Cupcake Wrappers

    Twinkie Bumble Bees

    Snack Cake Stingers

     

    If you liked this Kid's Recipe, then you need to check out these other fascinating recipes that your little ones will love!

    Find over 100 cute and tasty kid's treats that are as much fun to make as they are to eat. Choose from cookies, cupcakes, popsicles, pretzels, and more.

    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Beth Klosterboer
    Beth Klosterboer
    Hi, I'm Beth Klosterboer, a professional chocolatier & baker, cookbook author, and event planner. I love sharing recipes for happy occasions here on Hungry Happenings. I also create easy fudge recipes to share at HowToMakeEasyFudge.com, rice krispie treat recipes at HowToMakeCerealTreats.com, and easy cookie recipes at HowToMakeEasyCookies.com
    Beth Klosterboer
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    1. Jamie says

      December 30, 2023 at 2:12 pm

      My 2yo asked to make "happy face cookies" one day and we found your recipe! The cookies were delicious and we will definitely make them again. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Beth Klosterboer says

        December 30, 2023 at 3:12 pm

        I'm glad you enjoyed the cookies! They always make me happy.

        Reply
    2. Jamie says

      May 01, 2023 at 5:11 pm

      My 2yo asked to make "happy face cookies" today so I went straight to Google for inspiration and we landed on your recipe. The cookies are very fluffy and yummy. We didn't have chocolate chips so we used mini m&m's; other than that, we stayed true to recipe. We didn't have melting chocolate for the face so we improvised with sweeze tube gel frosting. Thanks for the fun and yummy recipe. I have no doubt we will make these again.

      Reply
      • Beth says

        May 02, 2023 at 8:21 pm

        Ah, that is so sweet! I'm so glad you are your little one enjoyed making and eating these cookies. I think your substitutions were great and I'm sure they turned out super cute.

        Reply
    3. David @ExploreFeelGood says

      December 02, 2021 at 5:20 am

      Love it!!
      Keep up the good work Beth 😉
      Hi from France

      Reply
      • Beth says

        December 03, 2021 at 10:55 am

        Thank you so much, David!

        Reply
    4. Anonymous says

      April 27, 2015 at 3:44 pm

      I'm sure these are going to be lovely, but not being based in the USA (I'm in the UK), I can convert Fahrenheit to Centigrade OK, but I've no idea what 'cups' are! Can anyone please supply the measurements in grams? Thanks!

      Reply
      • beth says

        April 29, 2015 at 2:56 am

        Here are the conversions -
        12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened = 170 grams
        1 cup packed brown sugar = 220 grams
        1/2 cup granulated sugar (white sugar) = 100 grams
        1 large egg
        1 egg yolk
        2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract = 8 grams
        2 1/8 cup all purpose flour (unbleached is best) = 272 grams
        1/2 teaspoon salt = 2 grams
        1/2 teaspoon baking soda = 2 grams
        12 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips = 340 grams

        Reply
    5. Mitzi says

      June 10, 2014 at 12:10 am

      ok- this is just the cutest thing ever! I am so buying these jumbo candy eyes. If you have a chance, hop over and share with Motivation Monday, too-thanks
      http://writtenreality.com/motivation-monday-linky-party/

      Reply
    6. Marie says

      June 09, 2014 at 6:05 pm

      Those are too cute and so delicious looking!

      Reply
    7. Jennifer Johnson says

      June 09, 2014 at 12:48 pm

      So cute! Love this

      Reply
    8. Crochet Hooks says

      June 08, 2014 at 1:48 am

      so many happy desserts here 🙂 I would love a smiley face cookie!

      Reply
    9. Cara says

      June 06, 2014 at 4:39 pm

      Well slap me silly, aren't these just so much fun?? I love it! I have a bunch of sugar eyes begging to be chocolate glued to cookies now 🙂

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    Beth Jackson Klosterboer

    Welcome to Hungry Happenings!

    I'm Beth. I've been a professional chocolatier & baker for over 30 years, have written 5 cookbooks, and love creating fun food for holidays and special occasions.

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