Heat and More Heat

• Chili powder and salt alone may suit your taste, but if you add more ingredients to the blend, you'll have greater depth of flavor and a more interesting chip. Smoked paprika adds smokiness; cayenne adds more heat; and garlic powder adds both flavor and tang. With a premade taco seasoning blend, you may want to add chili powder or cayenne for more heat. Or make your own taco seasoning by adding cumin and coriander to the chili powder and salt.

Ready-to-Go Seasonings

• Premade salad seasoning or dip blends provide a mix of spices that you can sprinkle onto the chips with either a light or heavy hand, depending on your preference for strongly flavored chips or lightly seasoned ones. Experiment with a variety of seasonings, from classic ranch blends to Italian, honey mustard, dried guacamole or garlic and herb. Add cayenne pepper, chili powder or smoked paprika to the mixes for even more flavor.

Ethnic Taco Chips

• Use the spices from your favorite ethnic cuisine to create a new chip. Buy prepared dry spice blends or make your own; add salt to each mixture. For a spicy Middle Eastern chip, try sumac, which is made from deep red to purple berries, which has a citrus-like and tangy, almost hot, flavor. Pair it with chili powder, coriander and thyme. For Indian chips, use cardamom, chili powder and curry powder.

Chips for Dessert

• Sugar is the prime ingredient when you season chips for dessert. Use brown or white sugar and add a pinch of salt to bring out the flavors of other spices. All you need for dessert chips is cinnamon, but as always, you can kick up the heat with a little chili powder. Other spices frequently used in desserts are cardamom or pumpkin pie spice blends. Serve the chips with plain or flavored honey or chocolate sauce for dipping.