Potato Chip Cookies

1Preheat oven to 350º.

2Beat butter, vanilla, salt and 1/2 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Using the low speed setting on your mixer, beat in flour until just incorporated. Stir in toasted pecans that have been chopped fine and crushed potato chips. (NOTE: I toasted about a cup of pecan halves in a non-stick skillet on the stove top at medium-high heat, stirring often for 3 to 5 minutes. Nuts are toasted once they are lightly browned and are fragrant. Once toasted, I chopped them to a fine consistency. Nuts are easier to chop if they are warm. Store any remaining nuts for future use.)

3In a small bowl, place the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar. Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls and then roll them in the sugar making certain each ball is completely coated.

4Place each cookie ball about 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet (I prefer to use a silicone baking mat istead of parchment - guarantee the bottoms of the cookies won't burn!) With a flat-bottomed measuring cup or glass, press each ball into a 1/4-inch round.

5Bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them set on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to allow them to completely cool.