With a crispy exterior and soft, pillowy interior, these Homemade Smiley Potatoes are sure to bring you back to the days of your childhood school cafeteria! Make them in under an hour with just 7 simple ingredients. Then, dip them in all your favorite sauces!
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Why You'll Love These Homemade Smiley Potatoes
- Only 7 pantry ingredients! These potato smiles only use 7 basic ingredients, like breadcrumbs, cornstarch, and seasonings. Nothing complicated here! For other simple potato recipes, try these air fryer fingerling potatoes or instant pot potatoes.
- Made in under an hour! Make this childhood classic recipe in under an hour. Pair it with your favorite dipping sauce for the best flavor.
- So nostalgic! It was always a special day when the school cafeteria served smiley potatoes, so this recipe is truly a nostalgic one! It's also kid friendly and pairs well with nearly any protein.
- Baked, instead of fried! This homemade version is baked, not fried, for a healthier take on the childhood favorite. They're also made with all natural ingredients, just like these homemade dinosaur chicken nuggets!
Ingredients
A few notes about the ingredients:
- Russet Potatoes: Russet potatoes are the perfect choice for this recipe because their starchiness and fluffiness provide the best texture for the dough. I don't recommend using any other kind of potato.
- Breadcrumbs: Use plain breadcrumbs for this recipe. Panko or coarser breadcrumbs won't mix into the mashed potatoes as well.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch helps in binding the potatoes, while keeping them light and fluffy. You can use potato starch too.
- Seasonings: I like to keep the seasonings simple with just garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. However, you can add any seasonings you like for an extra pop of flavor.
⭐️ See recipe card below for descriptions and quantities of each ingredient. Then, watch this brief tutorial on Instagram!
Instructions
- Step 1: Add potatoes to a large pot. Fill the pot with water until the water covers the potatoes. Set on the stove over medium heat. Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Step 2: While you wait for the potatoes to cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Step 3: Drain the potatoes. Add potatoes to a potato ricer and press over a large mixing bowl.
- Step 4: Add breadcrumbs, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to the potatoes. Mix until it forms a dough.
- Step 5: Roll the dough until it’s ½ to ¾-inch thick. Cut out circles with a 2½-inch round cookie cutter. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting out circles with the remaining dough. Transfer circles to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one.
- Step 6: Use a drinking straw to poke 2 holes in each circle for the eyes. Then, use a spoon to create a mouth in each circle.
- Step 7: Use a drinking straw to poke 2 holes in each circle for the eyes. Then, use a spoon to create a mouth in each circle, as well.
- Step 8: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden on all sides. Dip in your favorite sauces, like ketchup, BBQ sauce, or honey mustard.
⭐️ Tip: Use a narrower spoon for a "happier" smile shape.
Substitutions and Alterations
- Seasonings - Experiment with different flavor combinations to elevate these smiley potatoes. Use italian seasonings and parmesan cheese or cumin and chili powder for a different take on the traditional smiley potato flavor profile.
How to Store Homemade Smiley Potatoes
To store: Store smiley potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 5 days.
To freeze: Freeze in a zip top bag or freezer safe container up to 6 months.
To reheat: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for about 10 minutes (refrigerated) or 15 minutes (frozen), or until the potatoes are lightly crispy again and warmed through.
Top tip!
Make sure to drain the potatoes well! If there is additional water in the dough, it will become too sticky to roll out or the potatoes will lose their shape as they cook.
Well-drained potatoes with the proper amount of breadcrumbs and cornstarch will result in fluffy dough that sticks together when rolled.
Recipe FAQs
Use even, light pressure when rolling the dough! Roll slowly and carefully so you don't rip the dough or cause it to crack.
This dough is made differently than cookie or bread dough, so it's more delicate. Handle with care and it should easily roll for you. No need for flour, as the dough isn't very sticky.
Dehydrated potatoes, potato starch, oils, and additional preservatives are typically found in the store-bought version of smiley potatoes.
However, in this recipe, you use fresh potatoes, breadcrumbs, cornstarch, and seasonings for a healthier, more natural version!
Related Recipes
Looking for more nostalgic recipes? Try these:
Share your cooking with me! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Leave a comment with a rating at the bottom of this page!
Homemade Smiley Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cooking spray or oil for brushing
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a large pot. Fill the pot with water until the water covers the potatoes. Set on the stove over medium heat. Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Drain the potatoes. Add potatoes to a potato ricer and press over a large mixing bowl. (You can also mash the potatoes with a potato masher if you don’t have a ricer.)
- Add breadcrumbs, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt to the potatoes. Mix until it forms a dough.
- Roll the dough until it’s ½ to ¾-inch thick. Cut out circles with a 2½-inch round cookie cutter. Re-roll the scraps and continue cutting out circles with the remaining dough. (I was able to cut out about 48 circles) Transfer circles to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each one.
- Use a drinking straw to poke 2 holes in each circle for the eyes. Then, use a spoon to create a mouth in each circle.
- Spray each smiley potato with cooking spray, or use a brush to brush oil over each one.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly golden on all sides. Dip in your favorite sauces, like ketchup, BBQ sauce, or honey mustard.
Notes
- Drain the potatoes well. Excess water will make the dough too sticky, causing the smileys to lose their shape while they bake.
- Roll the dough slowly and carefully to avoid cracking. Apply light pressure.
- Make sure the dough is at least a ½-inch thick when rolling. Thicker dough will allow for a lighter, fluffier interior, while the outside remains crispy.
- Use a narrow spoon for a happier smile shape
Nutrition
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