Potato Chip Cookies are exactly what they sound like: a simple sugar cookie “seasoned” with a handful of crushed potato chips. I have no personal nostalgia for these cookies; I first encountered them in a church cookbook from the mid-90s. The recipe’s author was a homemaker from my grandmother’s generation, and this seems like a recipe born of necessity or convenience, or maybe even curiosity. My grandmother had a few cookie recipes that involved corn flakes or Wheaties, so adding potato chips doesn’t seem all that far-fetched.
It turns out they have a wide following on the internet – Paula Deen even gets in on the action – but I frankly don’t see what all the fuss is about. I mean, they make a decent sugar cookie, but once you get past the novelty that’s all they are. And if you think this might be fun for a potluck or party, let me recreate the experience for you:
“Would you like a cookie?”
“Sure. Hey, there’s something different about these cookies.”
“They’ve got potato chips in them.”
“You don’t say.”
[moves on with life]
Now it could be that I’m spoiled. There’s a neighborhood ice cream parlor that serves a sundae topped with crushed salt and pepper Kettle Chips. It’s a sweet and savory flavor bomb that’s worth every calorie. I was kind of hoping to get the same vibe here, but it never really materializes. The potato chips fade into the background. They don’t add any texture, except for the bigger pieces which are just soggy. And you’ll find more saltiness in a decent chocolate chip cookie, even if you cut the sugar in half. Potato Chip Cookies are a fun novelty, and probably an eye-catching title amongst a sea of oatmeal cookie recipes, but I’ve got better things to do with my time.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter (at room temperature)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 3/4 - 2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup crushed potato chips (Lays or similar, avoid ridged chips)
Instructions
- Cream butter, vanilla, and sugar. Stir in flour a little bit at a time, then mix in potato chips. You may need to get in there with floured hands to get the dough to come together.
- Drop in large spoonfuls onto parchment paper. Flatten with a fork, as with peanut butter cookies. Bake about 10 minutes at 350 F until edges are browned. Let cool on baking tray for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Notes
This recipe seems to work best with a thinly sliced traditional potato chip, like Lay’s classic chips. Be sure to pulverize them until they are completely turned to dust, otherwise you’ll be left with big soggy chunks of chip in your cookie.