super salty peanut butter potato chip cookies
I am a bit of a salt fiend–adding pinches to my morning smoothies and granola bowls, and being that person who always asks for the salt shaker when dining out (sorry, oops). But salt does such magical things to food, especially sweets, enlivening even the simplest of flavors to something so sensational. These little cookie bites are wacky, irreverent, and so freakin delicious. The potato chips add a spectacular unidentifiable saltiness and slight crunch to the sweetness of the dates and peanut butter, perking up the flavors into something sensational. They are also perfect to make during the hottest days of summer, when you crave something sweet but turning on your oven seems waaaay out of the question.
• 1 cup raw cashew pieces
• 2 cups potato chips (I love the Jackson's Honest brand)
• 1/2 cup natural, creamy, salted peanut butter
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla
• 1 cup large, soft medjool dates (about 10)
• 3.5 oz. dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces
• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• Sea salt and crushed potato chips, for sprinkling
In a food processor, pulse the cashew pieces, potato chips, peanut butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and dates until mixture holds its shape when pressed together with your fingers. There will be some smaller cashew chunks left, but mixture should be well incorporated and resemble cookie dough. I scraped down the sides and bottom of the processor with a spatula a few times during the mixing process to make things incorporate a bit better.
Shape dough into small flat discs, about 1.5" wide and .5" thick. Place on a cookie sheet or large platter, and freeze for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and coconut oil, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Set aside.
After an hour, remove cookies from the freezer. Drizzle with with melted chocolate using a small spoon (or piping bag), and sprinkle with the sea salt and crushed potato chips. Refrigerate or freeze until chocolate is firm, and store in fridge or freezer. Cookies can be left out at room temperature for a bit, but will soften up as they sit.
