Smiley Face Fries (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Bring the smiles back to mealtime with these homemade Smiley Face Fries! This baked 3-ingredient recipe requires no oil and is gluten-free, vegan, and allergy-free! Copycat McCain Smiles are a nostalgic delight for adults and endless fun for kids and picky eaters! Enjoy these delicious, healthy potato smiley fries as a creative and easy side dish the whole family will love!
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 20 mins
- Yield: 18 1x
- Category: Side
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 Cups Instant Potato Flakes
- 1 TB Potato Starch (or Arrowroot)
- 2 Tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
- 1 1/2 Cups Hot Water
Optional Spices (to taste):
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the potato flakes, starch, egg replacer, and optional spices, and stir together.
- Pour the hot water into the bowl and mix well to combine and form a stiff and smooth potato dough.
- Roll the dough out on a flat surface between two Silpats or parchment paper dusted with extra starch. Roll out the mashed potato dough to about 1/4 inch thickness.
- Use the rim of a small drinking glass to cut out about 18 circles (you'll need to re-roll the dough as needed. The number of circles will vary by the size of the glass you use.).
- For each potato face, use the rounded edge of a spoon to make the smile and the tip of a straw or chopstick to make the two eyes.
- Bake the prepared potato smiley face fries on a lined baking sheet in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove the fries from the oven and serve right away or transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before freezing.
Notes
- Freezing: Bake a batch as instructed, but allow them to cool completely on a wire rack to prevent sogginess. Once they've cooled completely, freeze them flat on a baking sheet until solid, before adding them to a freezer-safe storage bag or airtight container. For best quality, use them within 6-8 months.
- Reheating: You can reheat the frozen smile fries in the oven or toaster oven at 400°F for about 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until warm and crisp. If you are reheating refrigerated leftover fries, you can pop them in the oven for about 4-5 minutes until crisp again. If you're short on time, the microwave always works in a pinch.
- Air Frying: You can make frozen smiles in the air fryer by preheating your air fryer to 400° and air fryer the frozen fries for 5-8 minutes, on each side. Give them room to breathe so the moisture from the frozen fries doesn't end up steaming them.
- You can use 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of extra starch if you choose to not use the egg replacer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6 Fries
