14. Potato Chip Cookies - St. Patrick's Day Retrospective

Okay, guys, here's the deal. I hate to admit it, but the Irish don't have a rich history when it comes to developing their own cookies. Or, for that matter, sweets. Or, actually, for that matter, food. Thanks to the feckin' Brits' control over Ireland and, specifically, their land distribution practices, the Irish had to rely on the potato for sustenance since that crop was one of the few that (usually) grew well in their meager land allotments.  So, it was all tato all the time, which, as you can imagine did not inspire much diversity in cuisine. And, of course, the shit really hit the fan when a destructive fungus caused a blight in potato production. 

So, I wanted to make potato cookies on St. Patrick's Day as a reminder in some ways of how far Irish cooking has evolved in just over 100 years. The island is now home to some of the best restaurants in the world led by game-changing chefs who are using local ingredients to make elegant innovations of Irish classics as well as some who are doing their part to preserve tradition by churning out elevated versions of Irish staples.

Most of the recipes I found (and there weren't many) that used regular ol' potatoes didn't interest me. HOWEVER, when I stumbled upon a plethora of potato chip cookie recipes, then I really got excited.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 cup butter

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup chocolate chips

• 1 cup butterscotch chips

• 1 cup crushed potato chips

• additional crushed potato chips for coating

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Using a hand-held mixer, cream butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add in eggs, one at a time until thoroughly combined. Add vanilla extract and beat until well-blended.

4. Gradually add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients, beating well.

5. Using a spatula or large spoon, mix in chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and crushed potato chips.

6. Form dough into balls roughly 1 inch in diameter. Coat balls in crushed potato chips and place on baking sheets, evenly spaced.

7. Bake 10-12 or until desired firmness. (I like a gooey cookie.)

#13. Chocolate Mint Sandwich Cookies

St. Patrick's Day is fast approaching and as a woman of second-generation Irish descent it is my cultural duty to consume as many green things as possible in the days approaching March 17th. Tinging cookies simply with some food coloring is a cheap trick, but one, I think, made more forgivable if the the source of the flavor of your baked goods is naturally green.  Like mint!

This is why I give zero fucks about coaxing an emerald hue out of the frosting for these cookies via a few drops of McCormick food coloring. 

And for all the omadhauns who will cry foul at this post for its lack of 'authenticity' when it comes to a 'real' Irish cookie, look for my #14 post.

Ingredients (Cookies)

• 1 cup  flour

• 1/4 cup baking cocoa

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients (Frosting)

• 4 cups powdered sugar

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1 tsp mint extract

• 4 tbs milk

Save some for the sandwiches!!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Set aside

3. In a separate (larger bowl), cream butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with hand-held mixer. Add egg and vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.

4. Gradually add dry ingredient mixture until thoroughly incorporated.

5. Drop equal-size scoops of dough evenly apart on sheets. Using an ice cream scoop really helps! Place in oven and bake approximately 17 minutes until surface is a bit wrinkly and cookies are only slightly soft to touch.

6. Transfer cookies from sheets to cooling racks. Cool thoroughly. If not, you will be very sorry.

7. In a medium bowl, beat 2 cups of powdered sugar with butter until creamy. Add salt and mint extract until thoroughly combined.

8. Add remaining (2 cups) of powdered sugar and milk, mixing well.

9. When your cookies have cooled sufficiently, place approximately 1 tablespoon of frosting on underside of one cookie. Top with another cookie. It's really not that hard.

10. Repeat for as many cookie sandwiches you desire. Consume any excess frosting as a 'snack' to tide you over before a cheeseburger dinner.