Shaun is not really a dessert kinda guy. He would happily pass up dessert in favor of more main course or a side of Fritos any day. Sometimes this doesn't go over so well with me, since I love dessert. No wait...did you get that? I LOVE dessert!
Sometimes when we are out to dinner, I want to ask the waiter if he/she can just please bring a bowl of chips and dip fo him so that I don't feel so badly about myself for devouring eating dessert alone. Please? No, you don't do that? Oh...ok then.
Though I don't consider myself a huge sweet eater (I would never, for example, sit and eat chocolate candy unless it's Easter), I do love me some dessert at the end of the evening. Clearly when I was planning the menu for Shaun's party, dessert was going to be had, whether the birthday boy approved or not. So when I came across these potato chip cookies on My Baking Addiction, I nearly jumped for joy. What, you don't do that when you find a good recipe? Oh.
Anyhow, these cookies combined the light sweetness of shortbread with the saltiness of potato chips...perfect for my salt-loving husband, no? These cookies were the surprise hit of the night.
The potato chips were actually undetected, but they added a light crispness to the cookie. To balance the potato chipness, I added my favorite chocolate glaze.
And once the glaze was in place, it was clear that just a hint more of salt was necessary to really take this cookie to the next level. So a tiny sprinkling of sea salt got 'er done. I've found a new cookie staple in my life. The entire tray was gone before the night's end. You'll understand why. Just give them a try.
Potato Chip Cookies + Salted Chocolate Glaze
*Adapted from My Baking Addition
Makes about 24+ cookies
For the cookies:
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C potato chips, crushed
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 C all-purpose flour
confectioners' sugar, for dusting
For the chocolate glaze:
1 C confectioners' sugar
1/2 C semisweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp butter
2+ tbsp boiling water
kosher or sea salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper (makes clean up a snap!). In a mixer (stand or hand), cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add crushed potato chips and mix on low speed until combined. Note: To crush the chips, I wrapped them in plastic wrap and just crushed them with my hands. Mix in the vanilla, followed by the flour. Completely combine, but don't overmix. Scoop dough into 1-inch balls and flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in confectioners sugar. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes or untill just lightly browned on the bottoms. Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the glaze, melt the chocolate (I used the microwave, at 15 second intervals. It cooks quickly so be sure not to burn it). Melt the butter and whisk together with the sugar and hot water. If the mixture is too thick, add another splash of water to thin out into drizzleable consistency. Get your drizzle on over the cookies. Sprinkle just a touch of sea salt or kosher salt over the top. Try to save your finished tray of cookies for your guests.
So there you have it. One of the simplest cookies ever, but ones that will disappear immediately because they are so darn delicious! Hope you enjoy!
So there you have it. The tale of my new favorite cookie that I will surely be making again and again. What do you think? Have you ever added some unusual ingredients to your cookies? Do you and your significant other share the same sweet vs. savory debacle that Shaun and I do?