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A new snack sensation.
I love nothing better than a good snack. This one became popular in the U.S. around 2016, but I missed it. I read about it recently and saw a cooking show featuring it, so I investigated. I like this snack because it combines salty and sweet, and depending on the chef, sometimes spicy. It can be purchased in convenience stores in small snack size bags, it can be made at home with a short-cut version, or it can be made at home with variations on the recipe and fresh home-made potato chips.
From The Kitchen on Food Network
Honey Butter Chips are a very popular snack in Japan and Korea. When they were first marketed in Korea in 2014, demand immediately outstripped supply and the chips were resold online for three times the original price. One small bag was sold on Ebay for over $50.00. When they debuted in the U.S. around 2016, they caused a honey butter craze and suppliers could not keep them in stock. Once they caught on in Korea and Japan, their popularity soared around the world when K-Pop stars and popular newscasters began posing with honey butter chips bags and posting the photos online.
In the original made at-home recipe, the chips are made from 100% raw potato sliced very thin and soaked overnight, salted, and coated with a blend of fermented French butter and acacia honey.
These chips can be served with a variety of foods. Many fans like them with vanilla ice cream as seen in Oiji, a Korean restaurant in New York City. The chef there makes them by hand and adds a touch of brown sugar and cayenne pepper to the glaze and upon request adds a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Other fans pair them with salami, or salad. Like most snack foods, they can co-exist with many other foods.
Get the Oiji recipe and watch the video of the chef preparing the chips here.
Short-cut version, the chips can be store bought plain kettle chips, and the glaze homemade. Here’s a recipe from The Kitchen TV cooking show:
Honey Butter Chips
Plain kettle chips get amped up with a simple honey-butter glaze — an addictive flavor combination that’s popular in Asian snacks.
You will need:
- One 8.5-ounce bag kettle chips
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Pour the chips into a large bowl and set aside. Add the butter, honey, and brown sugar to a medium skillet over medium heat. Bring to a bubbling simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture over the chips, sprinkle with salt and toss to coat evenly. Let cool and enjoy!
Or you can buy a bag from Amazon:
Available on Amazon for $13.40 for three 2.11 ounce bags.
