These thick and chewy gluten free potato chip cookies are buttery, salty, and sweet, with a bit of crunch from lightly crisp edges and, of course, crushed potato chips. Your new favorite cookie!
What are these cookies?
Have you ever had potato chip cookies? They're not a “Thing” like chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, or shortbread cookies are. But they're a delight…
Since they're not a classic cookie style, there must be a million different ways to make them. Some seem to be more like perfectly crumbly shortbread cookies or delicate butter cookies.
Why you'll love this gluten free potato chip cookies recipe
These sweet and salty gluten free potato chip cookies are thick and chewy. The amazing texture of the potato chips, with the sink-your-teeth-into-them texture are what make this the best potato chip cookie recipe.
They're modeled loosely on oatmeal cookies in concept. I think of the crushed salted potato chips mixed into the cookie dough like I do oats in oatmeal cookies.
The potato chips add crisp texture, like oats add chewiness to oatmeal cookies. But the potato chips add a salty-fried note, and they shatter when you bite into the pieces.
Rolling the outside of the cookie dough in even more chip pieces makes them all the more beautiful outside. Plus, it adds some extra crisp crunch to every bite.
I like these cookies best with white chocolate chips added to the dough, because they add more mellow sweetness. Plus, they're blonde, so they blend in beautifully.
But if you're anti-white-chocolate, use another flavor of chip. I think peanut butter or even butterscotch chips would be nice.
What type of potato chips work best?
We buy lots (and lots) of miniature bags of Lay's potato chips for our kids' school lunches. They, like everything else, have an expiration date, and our bags were approaching their freshness date.
I don't put a lot of stock in most food expiration dates. My nose knows, and I trust it. But my kids were extremely dramatic about their “expired” chips, and they were perfect for potato chip cookies.
You really can use any sort of classic thin-and-crispy “plain” salted potato chip in this recipe (think: original style potato chips). Lay's is a standard plain chip, but Utz or your favorite classic brand of plain chips would work equally well.
Avoid anything with extra flavors (there are so many flavors out there now!). Similarly, avoid anything with ridges, since they're cut much thicker and won't fold into the cookie dough like the thin ones will.
More potato chip cookies ingredient notes
- Gluten free flour blend – Remember that you must bake with a blend of gluten free flours that, together, perform similar to a wheat-based all purpose flour. Here, I use Better Batter since it's perfectly balanced to create a tender cookie that holds its shape.
- Baking soda – Baking soda helps these cookies to rise, and is activated by the acid in the brown sugar.
- Salt – Salt is an essential ingredient in all cooking and baking, to brighten other flavors and balance sweetness. Here, unless you're using unsalted potato chips, eliminate the 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt called for in the recipe.
- Sugars – We use a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar for a touch of that rich molasses flavor in the brown sugar. Sugar is a sweetener and also a tenderizer, so don't skimp on these ingredients!
- Unsalted butter – We use room temperature unsalted butter for richness, tenderness and structure. Using butter without salt allows us to control the amount of salt in the recipe, especially here assuming you're using salted potato chips.
- Eggs – Eggs add richness and structure to the cookies, and help hold them together. They also add some chewiness.
- Pure vanilla extract – Vanilla adds depth of flavor to these cookies.
- Chocolate chips – I like to use classic semi-sweet chocolate chips in these cookies, for just the right amount of rich chocolate sweetness.
Tips for making the best gluten free potato chip cookies
Make sure your ingredients are “room temperature”
Ingredients that start off refrigerated, like the butter and eggs, must be brought to room temperature before using them. Otherwise, the ingredients won't combine properly, and you might be tempted to add some water to the dough (which will only make your cookies spread too much).
In cold months, “room temperature” butter can actually be quite stiff. It should give to your fingertip, but shouldn't feel greasy, like it's leaking. That's why the microwave isn't a great place to warm butter to room temperature.
Instead, try slicing the butter into cubes, spreading them apart from one another, and letting that sit at room temperature until it reaches the proper consistency.
If you're desperate to give it a jump start, place the chopped butter in the microwave for just 10 to 15 seconds on 50% power. Or pour boiling water into a bowl large enough to cover the butter when inverted, spill the water out, and invert the bowl over the butter. The residual heat will help soften it.
If your eggs are cold, try floating them in warm water for 10 minutes. Don't place them in boiling water, though, or you'll cook them.
Don't chill the cookie dough
Unlike our gluten free chocolate chip cookies, and most of our thick and chewy cookies, these cookies don't call for being chilled before baking. When we're trying to prevent cookie dough from spreading, it's often important to chill the shaped dough a bit first.
But this recipe calls for making, shaping, and baking the dough while it's at room temperature. When you chill the cookie dough, the cookies don't spread enough.
When baked in a hot (375°F) oven at room temperature, they spread just enough. And they develop that beautiful crackled top.
Crushing your potato chips for making cookies
For the perfect crushed chips for baking, your potato chips should look like they do when you accidentally drop them on the floor a few times: irregular shards of chips, but not ground to dust. You don't want your chips to disappear into the cookies, but you don't want them to prevent you from mixing and rolling the cookie dough.
If you're using chips that come in relatively small bags, like lunch size snacks, you can literally just drop them on the floor (or the countertop from a relatively high height) a bunch of times. Then, take any larger pieces and break them by hand. I don't recommend using a food processor or taking a rolling pin to a big bag of potato chips, or too many of your chips will be dust.
How to store gf potato chip cookies
Once baked and cooled, the cookies are best when stored at room temperature and eaten the day of baking or within 3 days. After that, the potato chips may become stale as they absorb moisture from the cookies.
Can I freeze potato chip cookies dough?
No, you don't want to make and store the raw dough ahead of time, as the potato chips will get soft and soggy before they're even baked.
Can I freeze baked potato chip cookies?
Yes, you can freeze the cookies once they're completely cool in an airtight, freezer-safe container. The chips may soften a bit, but the cookies will still be delicious.
Chocolate chip potato chip cookies: substitutions
Dairy free, gluten free potato chip cookies
The main source of dairy in these cookies is the butter. I think vegan butter would replace it well. My favorite brands are Miyoko's Kitchen and Melt.
If you're dairy-free, avoid using white chocolate chips in these cookies—unless you can find a dairy-free white chocolate chip.
Be sure your semi-sweet chocolate chips are safely dairy-free, if that's important to you. Dark chocolate chips would also balance the salty-sweetness really well.
Egg free, gluten free potato chip cookies
There are two eggs in this recipe. You might be able to replace each of them with a “chia egg.” For each, place 1 tablespoon ground white chia seeds and 1 tablespoon lukewarm water in a bowl, mix, and allow to gel.
More potato chip cookie mix-in ideas
In place of some or all of the chocolate chips in these cookies try some of these mix-ins:
- Toffee pieces, like chopped HEATH bars
- Chopped raw pecans, almonds, or walnuts
- Peanut butter or white chocolate chips (or a combination)
FAQs
Are potato chips gluten free?
Yes, most potato chips are gluten free. Always check labels, though, since there may be gluten-containing additives, especially when they're flavored, like barbecue potato chips which may have added barley malt, which contains gluten.
Are Lay's potato chips gluten free?
Yes! Plain Lay's brand plain potato chips are gluten free. So are Utz and Cape Cod brand plain potato chips gluten free. For this recipe, make sure you're using plain potato chips that break easily or they'll poke out of your cookies.
Why make cookies made with potato chips?
Putting potato chips in your chocolate chip cookies seems kind of crazy… until you try the salty/savory flavor and textured chew of plain potato chips added to the comforting depth of flavor of a classic chocolate chip cookie.
Should these potato chip cookies be chewy or crispy?
These potato chip cookies are ever so slightly crisp on the outside, but mostly thick and delightfully chewy all the way through.
Gluten Free Potato Chip Cookies Recipe | A Sweet and Salty Treat
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (315 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click thru for appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt (See Recipe Notes)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (164 g) packed light brown sugar
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 7 ounces plain salted potato chips crushed (plus more as necessary) (See Recipe Notes)
- 6 ounces chocolate chips (semi-sweet white, or a combination)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Add the brown sugar and mix again, breaking up any lumps.
- Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla, and mix to combine. Press the back of the mixing spoon into the wetter ingredients to moisten the dry ingredients.
- Add 6 ounces of the crushed potato chips, and mix until they’re evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough. It should be thick and smooth.
- Add the chips you prefer, and mix again until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Scoop the dough by portions about 2 tablespoonsful onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the pieces about 1 1/2-inches apart from one another.
- Roll each piece of dough into a round between clean palms, and press into a disk about 1/2-inch thick.
- Place 1 ounce of the remaining crushed potato chips into a shallow bowl or container, and press each disk of dough into the chips on both sides, pressing evenly to help the potato chips adhere. Replace them on the baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until they’re golden brown on the edges and just set all the way to the center. They should not glisten, even in the center.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes or until firm before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once baked and cooled, the cookies can be frozen for longer storage, but they’re best at room temperature, the day of baking or withing a few days. Don’t make and store the raw dough, though, as the potato chips will get soft and soggy.
Notes
Gluten Free Potato Chip Cookies Recipe | A Sweet and Salty Treat
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (315 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click thru for appropriate blends)
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt (See Recipe Notes)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (164 g) packed light brown sugar
- 12 tablespoons (168 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 7 ounces plain salted potato chips crushed (plus more as necessary) (See Recipe Notes)
- 6 ounces chocolate chips (semi-sweet white, or a combination)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line rimmed baking sheets with unbleached parchment paper and set them aside.
- In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well.
- Add the brown sugar and mix again, breaking up any lumps.
- Add the butter, eggs, and vanilla, and mix to combine. Press the back of the mixing spoon into the wetter ingredients to moisten the dry ingredients.
- Add 6 ounces of the crushed potato chips, and mix until they’re evenly distributed throughout the cookie dough. It should be thick and smooth.
- Add the chips you prefer, and mix again until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Scoop the dough by portions about 2 tablespoonsful onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the pieces about 1 1/2-inches apart from one another.
- Roll each piece of dough into a round between clean palms, and press into a disk about 1/2-inch thick.
- Place 1 ounce of the remaining crushed potato chips into a shallow bowl or container, and press each disk of dough into the chips on both sides, pressing evenly to help the potato chips adhere. Replace them on the baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheets, one at a time, in the center of the preheated oven and bake for about 12 minutes or until they’re golden brown on the edges and just set all the way to the center. They should not glisten, even in the center.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes or until firm before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once baked and cooled, the cookies can be frozen for longer storage, but they’re best at room temperature, the day of baking or withing a few days. Don’t make and store the raw dough, though, as the potato chips will get soft and soggy.
Deborah Lee Glaser says
Does Better Batter contain the xanthan gum? I don’t even know what that is. Never cooked or baked anything non gluten before but our church is having a cookie exchange and there are a few women who need to eat gluten free and I want some cookies that they can eat. Thanks. Debbie
Nicole Hunn says
Yes, it does, Debbie. You can find it in the ingredients list. I recommend you have a look at my beginner’s guide to baking gluten free before you start! It’s lovely of you to want to include everyone.
Janet Lord says
Excellent cookies, everyone loved them, I had to hide them or there would not be any for tomorrow. I used one flax egg and one aquafaba egg. The batter was really dry and would not incorporate the potato chips and white chips so I broke down and put one real egg in. I baked them but they did not flatten out at all, were more like little balls, which were excellent. I love the crunch when biting into them. Thanks for the recipe.
Nicole Hunn says
So glad you enjoyed them Janet! Egg replacement is really a challenge without a great substitute, I’m afraid.
Tracey says
These were a big hit in our family! I definitely say “were” because they went fast ;-) Saw the recipe pop up, then made it that same day, and I’m delighted to have this new addition to our favorites!
Nicole Hunn says
I’m so happy to hear that, Tracey! I think my family feels the same way, especially my husband! Thanks so much for letting me know.
Brenda says
12T168g butter
Who measures like that
Not exact, but about 2/3c.
Chips 7-8 oz. I had a partial bag left and was excited to try this recipe. They only weighed 5 oz. Bout a large bag – 7 oz.
Will try it today!
Nicole Hunn says
Brenda, I measure like that because butter is marked into tablespoons. Plus, precision is essential in successful baking. And I always aim to provide information in the way that is most readily understood by most people. You don’t have to be rude, even if you’re not most people.
Mark Leneweaver says
The ingredients list light brown sugar, but it isn’t used in the directions??? Am I missing something?
Nicole Hunn says
You’re 100% right, Mark! So sorry. It goes in before the butter, and you have to mix it in separately so you can break up the lumps. It’s fixed now!