Sometimes you just want a no-nonsense cookie. Easy to make, easier to eat and that satisfies that sweet and salty combination of tastes. This is it my friends. I found it in my archives, completely hidden amongst other recipes that weren’t cookie related. Glad I did coz they are delicious and so easy to do. These are slightly adapted Border Grill Cookies named after the restaurant owned by the Chef’s Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milligan.
My notes on the recipe indicate I used one of my favorite brands of potato chips for this – Lays. They are thin, salty (a bit too salty for me these days) but ideal for this cookie. I used to make those Compost cookies years ago with pretzels, chocolate, chips and other add-ins way back when but this one is so much simpler and like the chips, so addictive.
This cookie has no eggs in it and this provides a shortbread texture to the cookie, some bite and some chew – so good! I did leave out a chocolate drizzle which the original recipe called for, as well as changed the nuts from pecan to unsalted peanuts. My notes indicate I’ve always left out the chocolate drizzle, but hey – chocolate and salt – there’s a reason they do it! I just always wanted to keep it a simple, no fuss cookie.
Make these on this lovely Victoria Day weekend! Wear a mask, stay safe and as always – enjoy!
Ingredients
225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
100g (½ cup) sugar
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
¾ tsp. kosher salt
300g (2 cups) flour
½ cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts (a good handful)
½ cup crushed plain potato chips (a good handful or two)
Instructions
Heat oven to 350f and line 2 baking trays with parchment
Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add the vanilla and salt and beat until mixed
Add the flour, chopped peanuts and crushed chips – fold this into the butter mixture – have faith, it comes together, just keep folding
Roll dough into 1″ (or whatever size you like) balls and place onto the baking sheet
Flatten the dough using either your hands or the buttered bottom of a glass – there should be about 1” space around the flattened cookie, it won’t expand much
Bake until cookies are golden brown at edges, 10 – 12 minutes – do the nudge test, the cookie should move on the baking sheet when gently nudged
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
Well Why Not! (tips and suggestions)
Substitute Miss. Vickie’s jalapeno chips for the regular cookie – mmm (way back when I used the Old Dutch brand – powerfully flavored with cheddar)
Use any nut you like, even pumpkin seeds will work
Chop up pretzels
Keep the add-ins to two items so you can taste them – if you want to use more than 2 add-ins, it is your cookie, just don’t call them Border Grill cookies
