Preheat the oven to 350.

Using a stand or a hand mixer, cream together butter, granulated sugar, and pudding mix.

Add eggs one at a time, beating between additions.

Mix in vanilla.

Mix in flour a bit at a time, and then add in the baking powder, salt, and milk. Blend together until dough is fully mixed.

Add a few drops of green food coloring (if desired) to the dough if you want to make it a more vibrant shade of green.

Fold in 2 c chocolate chips into the dough.

Scoop dough onto large non-stick cookie sheet (make sure the cookie sheet you're using has a bit of a rim) and try to spread the dough evenly across the pan using your hands or a spatula. Don't worry about getting the dough all the way to the edge of the pan - it will expand as it bakes.

Sprinkle powdered sugar evenly across the dough. Use the measuring cup to pat it into the dough.

Sprinkle the M&Ms on top of the dough, and again, use the measuring cup to gently press the M&Ms into the dough.

Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the dough is slightly golden on the edges and a little bit on top. (You don't want to over-bake the dough, but you also don't want it too under-cooked because you'll have difficulties cutting out the cookies into the tree shapes)

Remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes before cutting out the tree shapes.

Once the pan has cooled for a few minutes, use your Christmas tree-shaped cookie cutter and begin cutting the tree shapes out of the dough and placing the cookies onto a cooling rack. Try to cut the shapes as close together as possible in order to get the most out of the baked cookie dough.

Once you've cut out as many tree shapes as you can, allow them to cool down to room temperature on the cooling rack.

After the cookies are cool, microwave the remaining chocolate chips (1/3 c) in a microwave safe bowl for 45 seconds. Stir, and heat again for another 45 seconds. If chips aren't fully melted, do this process one more time. Make SURE to stir between microwave sessions.

Gently begin to dip the tree trunk portion of each cooking into the melted chocolate chips and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.

After you've dipped each tree trunk in the melted chocolate, place the baking sheet with the cookies in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes to allow the chocolate to harden and set.

In the meantime, melt the yellow candy melts the same way you melted the chocolate chips - 45 seconds in the microwave, stir, 45 more seconds, stir, and if necessary, 45 more seconds in the microwave.

Scoop out melted yellow candy into star candy molds to create the stars. Once you've filled all of the star candy molds you're wanting to make, place the candy mold in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to allow the candy to harden. Once it hardens, the candy stars should pop right out of the mold.

Use the leftover melted candy from the bowl and place a small dot (a little larger than pea-size) onto the top of the tree, and then place a candy star on top. Do this for each cookie tree.

You're finished! Now place all of the cookies on a festive platter or plate and serve!