American Classics
20130411-247932-potato-chip-cookies.jpg

[Photograph: Alexandra Penfold]

One of the best things about adding potato chips to cookies is that they can work in a lot of different contexts. Case in point, this recipe which is adapted from Coolhaus founder and CEO, Natasha Case's recipe for Butterscotch Potato Chip Cookies that appears in New York à la Cart: Recipes and Stories from the Big Apple's Best Food Trucks, the cookbook I co-authored. I wanted to bring some cookies to a book signing event (and promised some friends that were attending that I would). The trouble was I didn't check my butterscotch chip stash in advance. Hours before I was due at the bookstore I discovered I had maybe a tablespoon of butterscotch chips. Uh, oh!

Fortunately my freezer is always stocked with chocolate chips. I tweaked a few other variables, like browning the butter and adjusting the sugar. Butterscotch, milk chocolate, and peanut butter chips would all work well in the context of this recipe. Play with it according to your own taste!

Note: To get the most crunch factor from the potato chips, these cookies are best fresh.

About the author: Alexandra Penfold is mild-mannered literary agent by day, food ninja by night. Never one to skip dessert she's the Brownie half of Blondie & Brownie, a Midtown Lunch contributor, and co-author of the book New York à la Cart: Recipes and Stories from the Big Apple's Best Food Trucks. You can follow her on Twitter at @blondiebrownie.

Every recipe we publish is tested, tasted, and Serious Eats-approved by our staff. Never miss a recipe again by following @SeriousRecipes on Twitter!

About This Recipe

Yield: Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 1/2 hours
Special equipment: electric stand mixer, two large baking sheets, parchment paper
This recipe appears in: American Classics: Potato Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 1/3 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup (about 6 1/2 ounces) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces) sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 2 cups chocolate chips
  • 1 cup crushed kettle-style potato chips

Procedures

  1. Move oven rack to middle position and preheat the oven to 325°F. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

  2. In a medium saucepan add butter and melt it over medium heat, swirling it in the pan occasionally until it begins to brown. Be sure to keep a close eye on the butter because it can burn quickly. Remove butter from heat and transfer it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add brown sugar and white sugar and mix on low speed until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.

  3. Add the egg, yolk, vanilla extract, and milk, mixing until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture, and mix on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Stir in chocolate chips.

  4. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough, spacing them about 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart on the pan—you should be able to fit one dozen cookies per pan. Press down on dough balls to flatten, then lightly press 1 or 2 teaspoons of crushed potato chips on top of the cookie dough. Bake until edges are golden brown, 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the pan for 5 to 10 minutes then move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container up to 3 days. (See note above)