Potato Chip Toffee

This potato chip toffee with chocolate is the perfect blend of sweet and salty! Best of all? It's SO easy to make and great for gifting.

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 7

Total Time 22

Servings

Calories 430

Author Dorothy Bigelow

Ingredients

4 cups lightly crushed potato chips we preferred Lays classic to wavy types (178g)
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar (220g)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
2 cups milk chocolate chips or semi-sweet

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and line a 10 x 15” jelly roll or rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper (leave enough to go up the edges).
Lightly crush your potato chips by placing them in a plastic storage bag and gently hitting them with the back of a measuring cup. Measure out 4 cups.
Spread the chips out evenly over the prepared sheet pan, leaving 1 inch of margin around the edges. Set aside.
Add the butter and brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, until the butter is melted.
Cook the butter and brown sugar together until it comes to a boil and blends into a smooth sauce (prior to this point the butter stays separate from the brown sugar). Do not allow the mixture to boil for longer than 30 seconds.
Remove from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Pour the toffee mixture evenly over the potato chip layer; they do not need to be completely covered, just aim to distribute it evenly.
Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until the toffee bubbles up and covers the potato chips.
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly on top.
Return the baking dish to the oven for 2-3 minutes, just until the chocolate chips begin to melt (they will change color, but you won’t see them actually melt into a puddle).
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a silicone spatula or spoon to spread the hot chocolate into a smooth, melted layer.
Allow to cool at room temperature for 1-2 hours, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 4-8 hours (or overnight).
Once chilled into a single solid layer, remove it from the refrigerator and use a sharp knife to divide the larger sheet into smaller pieces.
Serve and enjoy, or transfer to an airtight container for storage.

Notes

Storing: Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 7-10 days, storing layers between sheets of parchment or waxed paper. If desired, you can freeze them for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe bag.

What chips should I use? We tested a few different types, including various brands of wavy chips (like Lays and Ruffles), and were surprised by the clear winner: Lay's classic (AKA smooth chips). I thought the wavy chips would win because of their texture, but we had a unanimous winner with Lay's. All of them tasted pretty great, so you can use whatever you have on hand.

What chocolate should I use? Again, we tested various combinations, and I was once again surprised by the winner: milk chocolate. Semi-sweet is a great all-purpose chocolate and thought that would melt best and pair with the salty chips the best, but the milk chocolate provided contrast and smoothness that made for an extra delicious result.

Nutrition