Hey, guess what? March 14 is National Potato Chip Day.
I kid you not. Did you know there’s a day for just about every food you can think of? How about this: National Bicarbonate of Soda Day, Dec. 30. (Which just happens to be my son’s birthday. I’ll let all of you mothers draw your own conclusions.)
My own birthday, July 21, is National Ice Cream Day, AND National Junk Food Day. From the sublime, to the ridiculous.
August 21 is National Spumoni Day. Who knew? Probably spumoni makers everywhere, that’s who. And looking forward to next month, here’s one you won’t want to miss: National Cheeseball Day, April 17.
Are you a vegan? Celebrate the International Banana Festival on Sept. 21. And Eat Your Vegetables Day, June 17.
What does this tell us? There are some people out there with lots of time on their hands. There are government agencies charged with approving, say, National Penuche Fudge Day. There are Web sites devoted to detailing the daily, weekly, and monthly food days we should all note.
And it’s fun to lighten up and laugh. In fact, my Web teammates are looking at me quizzically because I’ve been sitting here at the computer chuckling for the past 15 minutes.
Let me leave you with one more thought: March 14 is also National Pi Day.
Think about it… you’ll figure it out.
And while you’re cogitating on Pi, get busy whipping up a batch of these Potato Chip Cookies.
First, select your chips. Despite it being National Potato Chip Day, I didn’t think that was enough of an occasion to completely abandon my diet. So I went with the reduced-fat chips. I know, I know, cookies will add the calories anyway; but it doesn’t hurt to make small improvements along the way.
Measure out a scant 3 ounces potato chips, which is about 4 cups.
Put them in a bag…
…and very gently break them into smaller pieces. By no means are you trying to pulverize the chips; just break them up a bit.
Next, the cookie dough. This recipe calls for shortening, which means I reach for my adjustable measuring cup. Slide the inner piece to the desired measurement, pack in the shortening…
…and push it into the measuring bowl. Easy, accurate measuring, with very little cleanup.
Add brown and white sugar, salt, baking powder, and vanilla.
Beat till smooth, and add 1 large egg.
Beat till smooth again.
In go the oats and flour.
Beat till smooth, then add the potato chips.
As you gently stir the chips in, they’ll break some more; that’s why you didn’t want to break them up too much to begin with.
Use an overfilled teaspoon cookie scoop (or use a spoon) to deposit chestnut-sized balls of dough onto a parchment-lined or lightly greased baking sheet.
It’s easy with the scoop. Truly, cookie scoops are the cookie baker’s best friend in the kitchen.
Leave about 1 1/2” between the cookies.
If you like the sweet/salt combo, sprinkle the tiniest little bit of salt atop each one.
Here they are, ready to go into the oven.
And here they are after 12 minutes of baking. See the piece of potato chip?
Happy National Potato Chip Day!
Buy vs. Bake
If you can find potato chip cookies for sale anywhere, I’ll gladly figure out the buy vs. bake comparison!
Read, rate, and review (please) our recipe for Potato Chip Cookies.
March 13th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
I’d never have thought!
- N
And now I’m thinking barbecue chips would be sweet/SPICY/salty… PJH
March 13th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
Hmmm…. Have to think about this one… Made the cheesecake for tomorrow night…
March 13th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
NO WAY! i have been thinking of making these recently! i’ll have to try out your recipe. Thanks for posting this!
March 13th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
No joke cookie scoops are amazing. I loudly proclaimed my undying love for mine right before Christmas much to the amusement of my friends. After the last batch that night I might have announced I was marrying my cookie scoop.
March 14th, 2009 at 7:33 am
Wow these look good. The Immaculate Baking Company makes (or made) the Route 11 Potato Chip Cookie. Nothing short of amazing!!
Yeah, Amber, they include roasted almonds, too. YUM. I’d use them for a buy vs. bake comparison, but their Web site won’t let me see how much they cost! Must not like the Firefox/MacBook combo… PJH
March 14th, 2009 at 9:10 am
I’m not sure how long potato chip cookies have been around, but I have a recipe in my old Farm Journal Cookies book, and my neighbor’s mom and her two aunts (all in their mid-90s and still going strong) were discussing potato chip cookies one day, and it seemed to me they had a very, very old recipe. I guess I’ll research a bit, and see when the first potato chip came out. Thanks for reminding me of these, PJ.
March 14th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Living in the nerdy household I live in we recognize National Pi Day each year. I even made fabric postcards and sent them out to select friends and family members!
Thank you for pointing out National Potato Chip Day. Who knew!? I’ve seen recipes for cookies with potato chips but have never felt moved to make them. The salty sweet combo does sound good though!
Now I’m going to look up what national food day falls on my birthday.
March 14th, 2009 at 11:10 am
Oh my gosh…almost fell out of my chair when I saw this cookie! I have a very similar recipe that has been in my husband’s family forever. His grandma, who died at age 93 in 1994 (so you can see how far back this recipe goes in the family) had made this cookie it seems like forever. Our kids, too, always loved them and Grandma always had a cookie jar full of them when we visited. I got the recipe from her a long time ago and used to make them all the time. We just called them “Grandma Connell Cookies”. Her recipe did not have oatmeal in it though. Oh how the memories came flooding back when I saw this recipe!
March 14th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
I’ve made this cookie – with a different recipe – and I must say it’s one of the best cookies I’ve eaten. The hint of crunch and salt from the chips makes it oh-so-good! Betcha can’t eat just one!!
March 14th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
I’ve had these before and loved ‘em! Now you’re gonna think
I’m nuts…wanted to come up with something “different” for
St. Patrick’s Day…now I’ve got it! Add a bit of green food coloring and temporarily call them ” Paddy’s Potato Cookies”!
Absolutely! I hope the green doesn’t just turn them muddy brown… Maybe you could add some chips to our St. Pat’s Pistachio Cookies, which are indeed a lovely shade of pale green without food coloring (thanks to pistachio pudding mix) – Have fun! PJH
March 14th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I guess we need a pie recipe that uses potato chips as an ingredient to really celebrate today!
Hmmm… How about a dense chocolate pie with a mixture of salted almonds and crushed potato chips as a top garnish, right under the whipped cream? I think I could go for that! PJH
March 14th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I’m surprised you weren’t talking about Pi (π) Day (π=3.14; today is 3/14). Maybe we need a recipe for potato chip pie?
Laura, we were talking about Pi Day – see the introductory paragraphs. And potato chip pie – see preceding comments…Great minds think alike! PJH
March 14th, 2009 at 5:05 pm
Wow, what an interesting, cool idea! *makes note*
March 15th, 2009 at 7:48 am
That’s good information. I knew it was Pi Day, and it’s also my birthday, but Potato Chip Day adds a whole new dimension …
Happy birthday, Elizabeth! Hope you had a great piece of cake- PJH
March 15th, 2009 at 9:02 am
Speaking of pie….when can we expect that recipe for winter peach and apricot pie you mentioned back in November, maybe?? I have some canned peaches I don’t know what to do with other than crisp.
Alissa, currently scheduled for April 17. I just made another version Friday (with raspberries), and am finishing up photos… In fact, enjoyed a piece for breakfast this morning. HOW DECADENT! Thanks for asking – PJH
March 15th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Yes, I was slow – I hit submit before seeing the prior comments.
Keep up the awesome recipes!
March 15th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
Not sure if this is still the case, but as of a few years ago they were making great potato chip cookies at Collis Cafe at Dartmouth College, across the river from you guys. Don’t remember how much they charge, though.
(By the way, while I was a student I used to work at a company in the little office building right next to the King Arthur order fulfillment center, and we’d all fantasize about quitting en masse and getting jobs at KA for the employee discount. I always like it when you post photos from out your windows; it takes me back.)
March 16th, 2009 at 10:17 am
I just learned a week or two ago that my birthday is National Chocolate Day (Oct 28th). Therefore, I decree it is fate that I love chocolate so much!
Now, after writing my love story in the blog, PJ comes along and tells me my anniversary is a BANANA festival! ? ! Fate is playing tricks now!
As far as potato chips go, when I was little we walked to school, past the Tri-Sum Potato Chip factory. My mother used to buy bags of crumbs for a penny there when she was little, right after the Depression. This recipe brings back those memories. Thanks PJ
Then do you love bananas, too, MJ?
PJH
March 26th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Made a batch the other day……yes, they are da bomb!! Forced me to make a second batch….
March 27th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
My husband’s grandmother was known for these cookies. I have yet to try them, but even have more reason to do so – love the step by step photos.
March 30th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Just made a batch and they were wonderful, even though I forgot to salt the tops! Next time I will add some choc chips. Great way to use up the small leftover pieces of chips that I hate to throw away but know they will never really get eaten.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:54 pm
I love potato chips!
really I can’t live without them.
I make chocolate chip potato chip cookies and they are yummy.
So glad to hear about national potato chip day I will be ready to celebrate it next year. Love your blog!