And here we go ya’ll. Day two of my 2024 Countdown to St. Patrick’s Day! What I’ve got on deck for you today is Tayto Chocolate Chip Cookies! So I’m sure you’re thinking “how is this different from the average, run of the mill chocolate chip?” as well as “what is a Tayto?”. These scrumptious little chocolate chips are different from any other you might have come across because they have a surprise ingredient. Yup there is a bag of Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps (potato chips) crumbled up in them. Light and chocolatey, with an extra bit of crunch from the savory crumbled crisps, these particularly Irish chocolate chip cookies are quite crave worthy!
The iconic Tayto Crisps have been a favorite in Ireland for generations. Their original crisp factory was founded in 1954 in Dublin by a man known as Joe “Spud” Murphy. He is credited with having invented the worlds very first seasoned crisp, and yes Cheese & Onion was their first flavor variety on offer. Indeed, Tayto’s Cheese & Onion crisps are reported to be the number one snack that expats miss the most after moving abroad.
Believe me, I have eaten a fair few packets of these crisps in my day. I gotta say, I love potatoes, in pretty much all of their incarnations. Crisped, baked, fried, mashed…you get it. I particularly love french fries (chips in Ireland). In fact, I’m told that one of my first words was “fry fry”, clearly a testament to my enduring love. And yes, I prefer my french fries to be thick cut. Not those skinny McDonalds variety, but more like proper Irish Chips. I swear to you the potatoes in Ireland simply taste better than any available in the States – sorry Idaho! On our most recent visit, the Husband and I were delighted with the chips we ordered at The Porterhouse in Temple Bar. Crisp on the outside with a gorgeous soft center, splashed with lashings of malt vinegar and salt, they were absolute perfection!
But I digress. Let me get back to today’s cookies featuring Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps! I found this recipe in Graham Herterich’s book Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists. I love this cookbook.
Visually it is gorgeous, but it doesn’t rely on looks alone. This book is chock full of fantastic recipes. Graham Herterich, better known in Ireland as the Cupcake Bloke, initially trained as a chef and then went on to open The Bakery in Rialto Dublin. In this, his first cookbook, he offers a traditional recipe followed by a modern twist on that recipe. Last year I shared his Malted Coffee Chocolate & Pecan Brack.
And also my take on his Irish Jambons.
Tayto Chocolate Chip Cookies are his modern twist on regular chocolate chips. Now I must admit, although I love Tayto’s and I do enjoy a good chocolate chip cookie, I was not sure how I would feel about mixing a cheese & onion flavor into a cookie. But hey, you never know, so I went for it and liked them much better than I thought I would. The cookie was very light and airy, but with a wonderful crispy texture from the crumbled crisps. And while I could taste the onion flavor a bit, it was not at all overpowering and gave the cookie a less sweet and more savory profile. Cheese & Onion crisps in a chocolate chip cookie definitely works! Who knew? Apparently Graham Herterich.
Tayto Chocolate Chip Cookies
recipe from: Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists by Graham Herterich
Ingredients:
- 160 grams butter, softened
- 80 grams light brown sugar
- 80 grams caster (superfine) sugar
- 1 medium egg, beaten
- 1 Tablespoon milk
- 225 grams all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (bread soda)
- 200 grams chocolate chips ( I used a blend of milk and dark chocolate chips, just as Graham Herterich recommended, but you do you.)
- 1 bag of roughly crushed Tayto Cheese & Onion crisps ( potato chips if you are from the states. If you can’t get Tayto, you could substitute in your favorite brand)
Directions:
Cream the butter and sugars together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and set on medium. Keep mixing until they are pale in color and light and fluffy, about 5 – 6 minutes.
Add the egg and milk and continue mixing for approximately 30 seconds. Add the flour and baking soda a mix for another 30 seconds.
Add the chocolate chips and mix until they are just evenly incorporated.
Add the crushed potato chips.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Scoop cookies using a medium sized cookie scoop – approximately 2 Tablespoons, placing the dough right next to each other. Flatten the dough slightly. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours. Allowing the dough to to sit for 24 hours lets the starch and proteins in the flour begin to break down, which leads to a more even bake. I should mention here that Graham’s recipe calls for making really large cookies. He advises that you divide the dough in 12 portions. These are some monster cookies. If this sounds like the cookie you’d like to make, do as he advocates. Place six of these big boys on each baking tray and bake for the 15 – 18 minutes recommended.
On baking day, preheat the oven to 320 degrees F (160 degrees C fan) and turn on the convection fan. Line two baking trays with parchment. Divide the dough balls equally among the trays.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 -18 minutes. The cookies should be slightly brown and the edges and still soft in the center.
Allow to cool on the baking tray for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
Links for Helpful Kitchen Tools & Ingredients for Tayto Chocolate Chip Cookies:
*Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase*
Kitchen Aid Artisan Stand Mixer
Oxo Good Grips Stainless Steel Food Scale
OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop
Tayto Cheese and Onion Crisps (Chips)- A national institution in Ireland!
Bake: Traditional Irish Baking with Modern Twists by Graham Herterich – It does not appear that this book is available on Amazon, but you can get it here or when you go and visit Ireland. I love this cookbook! Visually it is gorgeous, but it doesn’t rely on looks alone. This book is chock full of fantastic recipes. Graham Herterich, better known in Ireland as the Cupcake Bloke, initially trained as a chef and then went on to open The Bakery in Rialto Dublin. In this, his first cookbook, he offers a traditional recipe followed by a modern twist on that recipe. It also contains a brief history of Irish baking as well as a guide to baking essentials and lesser known ingredients.
Travel Planning Guide:
Getting there: Icelandair! We love Icelandair and have always had great experience with them. Icelandair flies to Dublin, Ireland. Take advantage of their Stopover program on your next flight to Europe.
Car Rental: New Way Car Hire – Love the all-inclusive pricing on these cars as well as the Dublin Airport pickup!
Accommodation: Number 31 – This luxurious hotel is half traditional Georgian townhouse and half modernist mews which are connected by a charming courtyard. The Georgian townhouse half is where we have always chosen to stay and we love the mildly eccentric jazz age flamboyance. The location of this decadent hideaway is also superb. It is steps from St. Stephen’s Green in the heart of the city. We would not dream of stying any where else and cannot wait to visit again!
Restaurants/ Cafés/ Bakeries/ Pubs:
Bar 1661 – Voted Ireland’s Bar of the Year in 2022! My favorite cocktail bar full stop! Not just in Ireland, but everywhere! Folks, if you are visiting Dublin and you like cocktails at all, this is an absolute must!!! The ambiance is in point, not to mention the historical significance as well as the absolute enthusiasm everyone there has for crafting exceptional cocktails! I will say, make sure you book a reservation. You do not want to miss this!
The Porterhouse -This large airy brewpub offers a wide selection of ales, lagers and stouts. It has a fun, folksy atmosphere and often you can catch some live music. They serve some tasty pub grub as well and some of the best chips I’ve had in Dublin.
Attractions:
Dublin Castle – 13 Century castle. Today Irish Govenment and Conference Center.
Grafton Street – One of the principal shopping streets in the city center. Mostly pedestrianised and lined with many cafes, shops and street performers.
Temple Bar- Busy riverside neighborhood with many pubs, restaurants and quirky boutiques.
Guinness Storehouse – Learn about the history of Ireland’s most iconic beer over seven floors. Enjoy 360 degree views of the city from the Gravity Bar!
Lea & Jay 
Chocolate chip cookies AND potato chips? OK, I’m in!