I was a bit sad that my Foodie Penpal this month was a reader so I didn’t really get to read about her reaction to the goods I sent her. Sure, she sent me a very sweet thank you, but it’s just not the same as reading a public thank you full of pictures and happy food consumption. My penpal loved both sweet and salty things and was especially fond of potato chips. She bragged a bit about how she could eat anything because she worked out so much. So I took her bragging as a challenge and decided to make her the most sinful, salty treat I could think of—Potato Chip Cookies.

One of my old coworkers brought a batch of potato chip cookies into the office one day. Her mom made them during the holidays and while I begged and pleaded, there was no way she was willing to share the recipe. The cookies were amazing. Rich and buttery, coated inside and out with crunchy potato chips leading to a sweet and salty finish. I knew they were probably pretty unhealthy. I mean really, butter cookies plus potato chips are a pretty lethal combination. But they were just so good. When I made the batch for my penpal, I saved a few for my husband and me. While they were easily good enough to eat by the dozen, we tried to ration ourselves to two a day.

The cookies my coworker’s mother made where also coated in powdered sugar. I’m not a huge sugar fan (I generally cut the sugar in most any recipe) and also felt the powdered sugar took a bit away from the crunchy salty effect. I have to admit my cookies weren’t quite as good as the ones my coworker’s mother made. They were a little extra crumbly and not as buttery (perhaps a bit less calories?). There are a lot of potato chip cookie recipes online that surprisingly differ a lot, so I adapted my recipe to incorporate a few different recipes. Maybe one day I can trade a recipe worthy of the real potato chip cookies, but for now these are a pretty good substitute.

Potato Chip Cookies (Adapted from Paula Deen) Makes about 3 dozen

• 1 c (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 1/2 c flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 c coarsely crushed potato chips, plus (optional) extra for topping

Preheat oven to 300°F. In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Slowly blend flour and vanilla. Add crushed potato chips and blend by hand until just mixed.

Drop by rounded teaspoon, 2 inches apart onto parchment lined cookie sheet.  Using a fork or hand, flatten each cookie slightly.  Press top of cookies with additional crushed potato chips, if desired. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until light brown around the edges.  Remove to wire rack to cool.

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