these baked halloween smiley fries are the ultimate halloween snack! so delicious, cute, and fun to make.
the inspiration
I love making fun Halloween recipes and I love smiley fries. If you have no idea what smiley fries are they are from the brand McCain and they are actually just called Smiles. They are basically mashed potatoes transformed into a smiley face french fry.
The smiles are so adorable and so delicious. So, when I was thinking about some fun Halloween recipes to make I knew it would be really cute to do Halloween inspired ones!
I absolutely love how these came out and while they are a bit time consuming to make they are so well worth the effort. Could you imagine how much of a hit these would be at a party?!
what are smiley fries?
They are actually called, Smile Fries by the brand McCain. They are those cute, smiley shaped potato fries that are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
They’re made from real potatoes and taste just like regular fries, but way more fun to eat. Perfect for kids (or anyone who likes a playful snack), they add a little extra joy to any meal.
the ingredients
- Yukon Gold Potatoes: the base of our Halloween smiley fries! While you can swap it out for Russet potatoes if you like, the Yukon gold potatoes work really well here. They cook faster and naturally have a creamier and softer texture.
- Breadcrumbs: we will need some breadcrumbs to absorb the liquid. You can use any you like. I used a combination of my homemade seasoned ones. I just take a can of panko, blend it up with seasonings, and then pop back it in the can! Along with a little bit of just regular panko. Because my seasoned panko had paprika it gave the smiley fries a more orange color which did work well here.
- Cornstarch: the cornstarch helps to make the baked Halloween smiley fries crispy.
- Seasonings: I used garlic powder, onion powder, and salt just to give nice flavor to the Halloween smiley fries.
- Spray Oil: as we aren’t deep frying you want to give these a nice spray of spray oil so they get very crispy. If you want to make them oil free you can.
how to make the baked halloween smiley fries
- Peel and cut the potatoes into halves. Steam on high for 20 minutes until fork tender.
- Mash the potatoes with a back of a fork. You can also use a potato ricer.
- Add in breadcrumbs, cornstarch, and seasonings.
- Mix around until it forms a dough.
- Roll out the dough to be about ½ inch to an inch thick. Then use a cookie cutter to cut out fun shapes.
- Use a straw and a spoon to make the faces.
- Spray generously with spray oil.
- Bake at 425°F for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden and crispy.
why do we steam the potatoes?
Steaming the potatoes is very important. When I was making these I was really thinking a lot about making gnocchi. When we prepare potatoes for making gnocchi it is best to cook the potato in the oven or even pop it in the microwave.
Why? Because it adds less water into the potato which means you need less dry ingredients to make the dough. So, it was the same thing here. Steaming will not add in a ton of extra water like boiling the potatoes would.
Steaming the potatoes is very important because if you boil them they will take on more water. We also don’t want to steam them for too long just enough until they are soft to mash.
alternative cooking methods
When I make a recipe like this I much prefer to bake them. It gets everything done quicker and the texture was delicious. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
However, I always like to try to give options. So, if you want to air fry these I think it would come out great. I would follow the same directions for baking but just check them after about 6-8 minutes. Especially, if you know your air fryer tends t0 run hot. If your air fryer only goes up to 400° just use that.
If you would like to deep fry these you definitely can as well. However, I really find the texture of baking them is perfect.
why you’ll love this recipe
This recipe is pure nostalgia for 90s kids who grew up in the US. I still buy Smiles and always like to keep them in my fridge. So, it was really fun to make a Halloween version. Everyone in the family will enjoy them as they are adorable and tasty.
A lot of recipes do say to deep fry them but I love baking them. The result is amazing and we don’t need to deal with the mess of deep frying.
Halloween smiley fries faq
Yes, it contains no nuts or soy. To make it gluten free simply use gluten free breadcrumbs.
You can refrigerate them or store in the freezer. They will last about 3 days in the fridge.
You can pop them back in the oven, air fryer, or microwave.
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Halloween Smiley Fries
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
- Straw
Ingredients
- 4 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and quartered (around 4 cups)
- 1 cup breadcrumbs panko or fine
- ¼ cup cornstarch plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Spray oil
Instructions
- Peel and cut the potatoes into halves. Steam on high for 20 minutes until fork tender.
- Mash the potatoes with a back of a fork. You can also use a potato ricer or fine mesh sieve to really make the potatoes smooth. I personally was okay with there being a few lumps.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (207°C).
- Add in breadcrumbs, cornstarch, and seasonings.
- Mix together with a spatula or spoon until it forms a dough. My breadcrumbs had paprika in it giving the dough an orange color.
- Roll out the dough to be about ½ inch to an inch thick, use cornstarch for dusting as needed.
- Then use a cookie cutter to cut out fun shapes. Transfer to a lined baking sheet. You can use a spatula or knife to help you lift the shapes if needed.
- Use a straw and a spoon to make the faces. I used a metal straw for the eyes and little mouths of the ghosts, the spoon to make the mouths.
- Spray generously with spray oil.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden and crispy. Serve with your favorite dip and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Nutrition facts are based on my gram measurements put into Cronometer. Yours may vary, they are to help you get an idea.
- Please do not repost recipes without my permission. Sharing a direct link is always highly encouraged and appreciated.
- For any questions you may have please refer to the FAQ above the recipe card.
- This recipe makes 25 smiley fries, 5 fries per serving, making 5 servings.
Nutrition
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Hey, I’m Francesca!
Thank you for checking out my recipe! I am happy to have you here and hope you explore more delicious vegan recipes.
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