That's right - there are chocolate chip cookies inside! These couldn't be more fun to make, especially with kids in the kitchen. Your little helpers will love assembling these pie pops, and don't forget to go all out with the colorful sanding sugar. For extra credit, make extra chocolate chip cookies to nosh on from leftover cookie dough.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F. In a medium bowl, cream butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together until fully combined.
2. Mix in egg and vanilla extract.
3. Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.
4. Use a cookie cutter to cut 5 3-inch circles from each crust.
5. Roll out the dough scraps and cut out another 2 circles for 12 circles total. Use a fall leaf cookie cutter (up to 3 inches wide) to cut 6 fall leaves from the remaining dough.
6. Drop balls of cookie dough, approximately 2 tablespoons each, into the centers of 6 circles.
7. Press lollipop sticks onto each ball of cookie dough, then use your fingers to spread the dough over the tops of the sticks.
8. Top with remaining dough circles and use a fork to crimp the edges closed.
9. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the dough and one side of each leaf with egg yolk.
10. Dip the brushed side of each leaf into a bowl of sanding sugar. Place the leaves, sanding-sugar sides up, on top of the pie pops.
11. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pops are nicely browned.
12. Place on a cooling rack until cool enough to eat.

Nellie's Notes

There will be lots of cookie dough left over. Store it in the refrigerator for up to five days and bake small scoops of it on a baking sheet at 350F for 8 minutes or until golden whenever you're in the mood for oven-fresh chocolate chip cookies!