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    Home » Appetizer

    Smiley Fries | Crispy Potato Smiles Recipe

    Published: Sep 14, 2016 · Modified: Jan 16, 2024 by Kushi · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These homemade smiley fries are a crispy and addictive snack recipe prepared using only three ingredients. These fries taste similar to McCain® Smiles. It is best to serve as a time snack or party snack. 

    Smiley Fries  | Crispy Potato Smiles Recipe - Easy tea time snack or party appetizer with potatoes.
    Jump to:
    • Recipe card
    • Smiley face French fries
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-step instructions
    • Chef Tips
    • Air fryer
    • Oven
    • More snack and appetizer recipe
    • User Reviews

    Recipe card

    Smiley Fries | Crispy Potato Smiles Recipe - Easy tea time snack or party appetizer with potatoes.

    Smiley Fries | Crispy Potato Smiles

    Kushi
    These homemade smiley fries are a crispy and addictive snack recipe prepared using only three ingredients. These fries taste similar to McCain® Smiles. It is best to serve as a time snack or party snack. 
    5 from 11 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Resting Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine American, Indian
    Servings 4
    Calories 160 kcal

    Equipment

    • Parchment paper
    • Rolling Pin
    • Cookie cutter

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 Potatoes medium-sized
    • ¼ to ½ cup Rice flour or cornstarch, all-purpose flour, adjust based on moisture content in potatoes.
    • 1 teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
    • Oil for frying

    Instructions
     

    Boil the potatoes

    • Peel the skin of potatoes, cut them into cubes, and wash them.
      3 Potatoes
    • Cook the potatoes in any way desired. I have just sprinkled water, covered it with a lid, and microwaved the potatoes for 5 minutes.
    • Alternatively, cook potato cubes in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or pressure cook it for two whistles.

    Mash the potatoes and make a dough

    • Mash the potato cubes. Add rice flour, little by little, salt, and mix well to form a soft dough. It should be like a playdough and not crumble. (You may have to adjust the flour accordingly based on moisture in potatoes) 
      ¼ to ½ cup Rice flour, 1 teaspoon Salt

    Cut into smileys or any emojis

    • Place a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap on the working surface. You can either sprinkle some flour or grease with oil. I have greased it with oil as I find it much more manageable.
    • Place the dough on it, and now place another parchment paper or plastic sheet on top of the dough.
    • Using a rolling pin, roll it to a desired thickness, about ¼ inch thick. If you want it crispier, roll it thin. (Thick smileys will be chewy, while thinner ones will be crispier)
    • Using a round cutter, cut them into circles.
    • Use a straw to pop out eyes and a spoon to create lips. ( Roll put the scraps into a ball and repeat the process)
    • You can keep this in the freezer for 30 minutes and then fry or store it in a ziplock bag once it becomes hard. Fry as needed.

    Crispy smiley fries

    • Heat oil in a pan for frying on a medium heat. (Oil should reach approx 350 degrees F).
      Oil for frying
    • Once the oil is hot, drop a few smiles and fry them till they become golden and crispy on both sides by flipping them once or twice. Flipping too much may cause it to break during frying. Do not overcrowd the pan.
    • Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process for remaining smiles.
    • Serve with ketchup, mayonnaise, or mustard, and enjoy.

    Notes

    • Flour is used mainly for binding. Depending on the size of the potatoes, you may have to add the fl ur. If it becomes dry, it may break during rolling. 
    • Grease your parchment paper with oil to work smoothly.
    • Do not overcrowd the pan. This will not make your smiles crispy.
    • See that the frying pan is filled halfway through with oil. I have used a 9-inch deep pan.
    • You can use onion powder, garlic powder, pepper powder, or pepper flakes for extra flavor. 
    • Cheese and herbs can also be added while making the dough. 
    • I have rolled it a little thinner than mccain as we love crispy fries. Roll the dough a little thick if you want it crispy on the outside with a chewy texture inside. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 160kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 4gFat: 0.3gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.05gSodium: 591mgPotassium: 680mgFiber: 4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 31mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Smiley face French fries

    • Smiley face French fries are a crispy, deep-fried snack made using potatoes. This frozen snack from the Mccain brand is one of my childhood favorites.
    • Making it at home is fun and super easy. You can serve it as a snack with a cup of coffee or tea, for birthday or dinner parties with sandwiches, chicken nuggets, etc.
    • If you have leftover mashed potatoes, then try this simple recipe.
    • This smiley potato recipe is made using only three ingredients: potato, rice flour, and salt. You can make it flavorful with the addition of herbs, spices, and cheese to the dough.
    • If you are looking for a quick snack for a Super Bowl or football party or Easter, then try this style of emoji fries. You can even bake or air fry them instead of deep frying.

    Check out the list of evening snack recipes and quick and easy recipes with potatoes.

    Ingredients

    Potatoes: Use russet or yukon golden potatoes.
    Rice flour: It is vegan and gluten-free and makes it crispy. You can use corn flour, all-purpose flour, or plain bread crumbs instead. Mainly used for binding.
    Salt: to taste
    Oil: Use neutral oil like vegetable or canola for frying.

    Check out the recipe card for full list of ingredients

    Smiley Fries  | Mccain Potato Smiles Recipe - Best tea-time snack or party snacks & appetizer.

    Step-by-step instructions

    Boil the potatoes

    • Peel the skin of potatoes, cut them into cubes, and wash them.
    • Cook the potatoes in any way desired. I have just sprinkled water, covered it with a lid, and microwaved the potatoes for 5 minutes.
    • Alternatively, cook potato cubes in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or pressure cook it for two whistles.

    Mash the potatoes and make a dough

    • Mash the potato cubes. Add rice flour, little by little, salt, and mix well to form a soft dough. It should be like a playdough and not crumble. (You may have to adjust the flour accordingly based on moisture in potatoes) 

    Cut into smileys or any emojis

    • Place a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap on the working surface. You can either sprinkle some flour or grease with oil. I have greased it with oil as I find it much more manageable.
    • Place the dough on it, and now place another parchment paper or plastic sheet on top of the dough.
    • Using a rolling pin, roll it to a desired thickness, about ¼ inch thick. If you want it crispier, roll it thin. (Thick smileys will be chewy, while thinner ones will be crispier) 
    • Using a round cutter, cut them into circles.
    • Use a straw to pop out eyes and a spoon to create lips. ( Roll put the scraps into a ball and repeat the process) 
    • You can keep this in the freezer for 30 minutes and then fry or store it in a ziplock bag once it becomes hard. Fry as needed for a party or for a tea-time snack.
    Smiley Face French Fries  | Emoji Fries | Mccain smiles recipe for party snack and appetizer.

    Crispy smiley fries

    • Heat oil in a pan for frying on a medium heat. (Oil should reach approx 350 degrees F). 
    • Once the oil is hot, drop a few smiles and fry them till they become golden and crispy on both sides by flipping them once or twice. Flipping too much may cause it to break during frying. Do not overcrowd the pan.
    • Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process for remaining smiles.
    • Serve with ketchup, mayonnaise, or mustard, and enjoy. 

    Chef Tips

    • Flour is used mainly for binding. Depending on the size of the potatoes, you may have to add the fl ur. If it becomes dry, it may break during rolling. 
    • Grease your parchment paper with oil to work smoothly.
    • Do not overcrowd the pan. This will not make your smiles crispy.
    • See that the frying pan is filled halfway through with oil. I have used a 9-inch deep pan.
    • You can use onion powder, garlic powder, pepper powder, or pepper flakes for extra flavor. 
    • Cheese and herbs can also be added while making the dough. 
    • I have rolled it a little thinner than mccain as we love crispy fries. Roll the dough a little thick if you want it crispy on the outside with a chewy texture inside. 

    Air fryer

    • Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
    • Place the fries on a single layer in an air fryer basket.
    • Fry for 6 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, depending on the thickness of your fries, flipping it halfway through.

    Oven

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Place the fries on a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
    • Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through, flipping halfway through.

    More snack and appetizer recipe

    • Mini Veg Puff / Bakery Style Curry Puffs Bites - Best evening snack or puff pastry appetizer.
      Veg Puffs | Curry Puff | Easy Evening Snack
    • how to boil peanuts in pressure cooker, stovetop, crockpot, stockpot, instant pot #peanuts #snacks
      How To Boil Peanuts | Boiled Peanuts
    • best, easy cheesy hash brown bites, simple appetizer, finger food for parties, #superbowl #partyfood
      Cheesy Hash Brown Bites | Mini Appetizer for parties
    • tandoori paneer tikka skewers served in a plate.
      Paneer Tikka

    Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

    Note: We originally posted this crispy potato smiley face french fries in Sept 2016. It has now been modified in Jan 2024 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.

    More Best Appetizer Recipes: Tasty Bites for Every Occasion

    • Patrode (Patrado in konkani) - Steamed taro rolls or colocasia rolls, alu vadi or patra.
      Patrode | Steamed Taro Rolls Recipe | Colocasia Rolls
    • Crispy potato rosti recipe. Swiss Dish. Pan fried potatoes for breakfast, snack or dinner.
      Crispy Potato Rosti
    • Aloo Tikki | Crispy potato cutlets served with mint chutney and tomato ketchup.
      Pakistani Aloo Tikki | Quick Potato Cutlets
    • Steamed Vegetables or Veggie platter with easy and spicy cashew dip.
      Steamed Vegetables with Cashew Dip

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Seena Koshy

      September 18, 2016 at 5:44 pm

      5 stars
      Wow, smileys!! Loved it.. Easy to make with minimum num of ingredients!! It looks crispy and delicious..

      Reply
      • Kushi

        September 20, 2016 at 5:04 pm

        Thank you Seena 🙂

        Reply
    2. Satya

      September 21, 2016 at 5:46 am

      5 stars
      My son loves Chips(Lays). searching for some easy snack to replace it. This is very handy, easy and ATS (any time snack). I am eagerly looking to crunch the smileys.
      Thank you

      Reply
      • Kushi

        September 21, 2016 at 10:18 pm

        Thank you Satya 🙂 Do let me know how this turned out 🙂

        Reply
    3. Mamylou

      May 31, 2018 at 3:34 pm

      5 stars
      I put aside and I realize as soon as I can. Thank you for this lovely sharing

      Reply
    4. Balvinder

      May 31, 2018 at 4:22 pm

      They look really cute 🙂

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    5 from 11 votes

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    Hi, I'm Sridevi! I am a Software Engineer by qualification, a full-time Food Blogger by passion, a self-published Author, and a happy person two kids (monsters) ago.

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