{"id":1838203,"date":"2022-12-21T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-21T10:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/homemade-smiley-fries\/"},"modified":"2024-11-15T07:38:02","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T13:38:02","slug":"homemade-smiley-fries","status":"publish","type":"recipe","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/homemade-smiley-fries\/","title":{"rendered":"Smiley Fries"},"content":{"rendered":"
If you ate hot cafeteria lunches as a kid, then you can probably recall smiley fries. Looking to recreate all the iconic school lunch recipes<\/a>\u00a0from your childhood? Skip the fries from the freezer section and transport yourself back in time with the homemade version instead.<\/p>\n Seasoned with garlic, onion, salt and pepper, our\u00a0homemade smiley face French fries are\u00a0perfect to serve alongside a platter of cheeseburgers<\/a>, bratwursts or homemade corn dogs<\/a>. Kids and adults will love the happy-looking smiley face fries, especially when they bite into the delightfully crisp exterior and find soft and fluffy potato inside.<\/p>\n If your family loves french fries<\/a> and tater tots<\/a>, smiley fries are sure to be an instant hit at your dinner table. Be sure to grab the ketchup (or whip up some of the world’s\u00a0best french fry dips<\/a>), because you won’t want to leave the table once these smiley face fries are served.<\/p>\n In a large bowl, stir together potatoes, bread crumbs, cornstarch and seasonings until they form a smooth dough.<\/p>\n Editor’s Tip:<\/em> If the dough feels sticky, chill it in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes to firm it up and allow the bread crumbs to soak up some of the excess moisture in the dough. It’s the same science behind why you should chill cookie dough<\/a>.<\/p>\n On a lightly floured surface, roll out the potato dough to 1\/4-inch thickness.<\/p>\n Cut it with a floured 2-inch round cookie cutter, rerolling the scraps.<\/p>\n Next, use a drinking straw to poke two circles into each round for the eyes.<\/p>\n Then, use a spoon to make a mouth (preferably a happy one).<\/p>\n Editor’s Tip:<\/em> You can also use a small glass to cut out the rounds if you don’t have a small circle cookie cutter.<\/p>\n In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1\/2 inch of oil to 350\u00b0F. Fry the smileys, a few at a time, until golden brown, one to two minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with additional salt to taste. Serve warm, with sauces as desired.<\/p>\n Editor’s Tip:<\/em>\u00a0To\u00a0deep-fry at home with confidence<\/a>, follow the tips in our guide. Some important takeaways include keeping safety in mind, using the right oil and amount of oil, and keeping the temperature up.<\/p>\n Leftover smiley fries should be kept refrigerated in an airtight food storage container.<\/p>\n Smiley fries will stay fresh for up to four days in the refrigerator.<\/p>\n Just like frozen french fries<\/a>, smiley fries may be kept in a gallon-sized resealable plastic freezer bag or airtight food storage container in the freezer\u00a0for up to three months. Reheat them directly from the freezer; there’s no need to thaw them.<\/p>\n Smiley fries are best reheated in the oven to bring their crisp exterior back to life. Warm them in a 400\u00b0 oven until they’re heated through and crisp on the outside.<\/p>\n Yes! To make baked smiley fries, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, smile side up, and brush them lightly with canola oil. Bake the smiley face fries in a preheated 425\u00b0 oven for 20 to 30 minutes until they’re golden and crispy<\/a>.<\/p>\n To make air-fryer smiley fries, prepare them as directed, then arrange a few smileys in a single layer in your air fryer’s basket. Spritz them with cooking spray and cook them for seven minutes at 400\u00b0. Then, flip each smiley face french fry over, spray them with a little more cooking spray and cook them for an additional five to seven minutes until they’re golden and crisp. Remove the fries promptly and repeat with additional batches.<\/p>\n Smiley fries can be enjoyed with ketchup, honey mustard, ranch dressing, queso dip<\/a> or marinara. The possibilities are truly endless. Smiley fries make a great appetizer or snack alongside other favorite game-day recipes<\/a>. They also make a great side dish to serve with some of our favorite kid-friendly dinner ideas<\/a>, like homemade chicken nuggets<\/a> or cheeseburger cups<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Smiley fries are an easy and nostalgic school cafeteria side dish you can recreate at home. They are golden on the outside and fluffy on the inside.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7061,"featured_media":2090127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"tags":[304328,339637,303887,306848,304347,304268,304197,307739,324623,307754,304313,304150,303883,307614],"categories-v2":[308984,308478,309603,308998,259483,339209,310706,309177,310717,308313,309434,308476,310591],"coauthors":[206601],"recommended_recipes":[{"post_title":"Zucchini Fries","post_link":"\/recipes\/zucchini-fries\/","post_image":"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/Zucchini-Fries_EXPS_RC22_268330_P2_MD_06_08_3b.jpg"},{"post_title":"Homemade Potato Chips","post_link":"\/recipes\/homemade-potato-chips\/","post_image":"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Homemade-Potato-Chips_EXPS_FT25_39614_JR_0110_1.jpg"},{"post_title":"Disco 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Editor's Tip: If the dough feels sticky, chill it in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes to firm it up and allow the bread crumbs to soak up some of the excess moisture in the dough. It's the same science behind why you should chill cookie dough.","image":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Smiley-Fries_TOHVS24_270594_MF_10_17_1.jpg?fit=700,1024"},{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Roll, cut and smile","text":"On a lightly floured surface, roll out the potato dough to 1\/4-inch thickness. Cut it with a floured 2-inch round cookie cutter, rerolling the scraps. Next, use a drinking straw to poke two circles into each round for the eyes. Then, use a spoon to make a mouth (preferably a happy one). Editor's Tip: You can also use a small glass to cut out the rounds if you don't have a small circle cookie cutter.","image":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Smiley-Fries_TOHVS24_270594_MF_10_17_2.jpg?fit=700,1024"},{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Fry until golden","text":"In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1\/2 inch of oil to 350\u00b0F. Fry the smileys, a few at a time, until golden brown, one to two minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with additional salt to taste. Serve warm, with sauces as desired. Editor's Tip: To deep-fry at home with confidence, follow the tips in our guide. Some important takeaways include keeping safety in mind, using the right oil and amount of oil, and keeping the temperature up.","image":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Smiley-Fries_TOHVS24_270594_MF_10_17_6.jpg?fit=700,1024"}],"recipeYield":"8 servings","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Lauren Habermehl"}],"nutrition":{"@type":"NutritionInformation","calories":" 131 calories","fatContent":"7g fat (1g saturated fat)","cholesterolContent":"0 cholesterol","sodiumContent":"208mg sodium","carbohydrateContent":"14g carbohydrate (0 sugars","fiberContent":"2g fiber)","proteinContent":"2g protein."},"aggregateRating":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":5,"reviewCount":1,"worstRating":1,"bestRating":5},"video":{"@type":"VideoObject","name":"Smiley Fries","description":"Check out this video for how to make Smiley Fries","thumbnailUrl":["http:\/\/content.jwplatform.com\/v2\/media\/vxJ8kDOy\/poster.jpg?width=720"],"uploadDate":"2024-12-12 20:24:58","duration":"P0DT0H1M18S","contentUrl":"http:\/\/content.jwplatform.com\/videos\/vxJ8kDOy-IFfy1PC6.mp4"},"review":[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Review","datePublished":"2023-07-19","author":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Person","name":"tammycookblogsbooks"},"reviewBody":" These cute Smiley Fries are tasty. For this review the 5 stars is for the overall flavor not the cooking method of frying in 1\/2 inch oil, which I didn\u2019t try. I used just a few spritzes of oil and made them in the air fryer. I tried one batch using a small amount of oil in the frying pan and they did not keep their cute smiley faces.<\/p>","reviewRating":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Rating","ratingValue":5,"worstRating":1,"bestRating":5}}]},"video":{"title":"Smiley Fries","description":"Check out this video for how to make Smiley Fries","url":"https:\/\/videodam.tmbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/SmileyFries_DIYD_270594_101724_H.mp4","duration":"78","mime_type":"video\/mp4","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/videodam.tmbi.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Homemade-Smiley-Fries_EXPS_CCR22_270594_DR_10_27_4b.jpg","advertising":true,"jw_id":"vxJ8kDOy","jw_url":"http:\/\/content.jwplatform.com\/videos\/vxJ8kDOy-IFfy1PC6.mp4","jw_thmub_url":"http:\/\/content.jwplatform.com\/v2\/media\/vxJ8kDOy\/poster.jpg?width=720","jw_publish_date":"12\/12\/2024"},"rms_legacy_id":"270594","romance_copy_dek":"Crispy, golden and well-seasoned, the only smile brighter than the ones on these nostalgic smiley fries will be yours as you gobble up every last one.","enhanced_recipe_title":"Homemade Smiley Fries","rms_legacy_data":{"RecipeCategories":null,"Ingredients":[{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"2 cups mashed potatoes (without added milk and butter)","IngredientText":"2 cups mashed potatoes (without added milk and butter)"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1\/2 cup dry bread crumbs","IngredientText":"1\/2 cup dry bread crumbs"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"2 tablespoons cornstarch","IngredientText":"2 tablespoons cornstarch"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1\/2 teaspoon salt","IngredientText":"1\/2 teaspoon salt"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1\/2 teaspoon garlic powder","IngredientText":"1\/2 teaspoon garlic powder"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1\/2 teaspoon onion powder","IngredientText":"1\/2 teaspoon onion powder"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1\/4 teaspoon pepper","IngredientText":"1\/4 teaspoon pepper"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"Oil for frying","IngredientText":"Oil for frying"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"Optional: Ketchup, mustard and ranch dressing","IngredientText":"Optional: Ketchup, mustard and ranch dressing"}],"FeaturedImage":"https:\/\/tmbidigitalassetsazure.blob.core.windows.net\/rms3-prod\/attachments\/37\/1200x1200\/Homemade-Smiley-Fries_EXPS_TOHVP24_270594_MF_10_17_2.jpg","RecipeId":270594,"AttachmentSourceId":null,"AttachmentSource":"Taste Recipes","PhotoCredit":"Homemade Smiley Fries Recipe photo by Taste Recipes","VideoCode":"[dam-video dam-id=\"57116\"]","RecipeAttachmentFileName":"Homemade-Smiley-Fries_EXPS_TOHVP24_270594_MF_10_17_2.jpg","ContributorId":null,"Firstname":"Lauren","Lastname":"Habermehl","City":"Pewaukee","StateDescription":"Wisconsin","IsCommunityCook":false,"ContributorAttachmentFileName":"https:\/\/cdn3.tmbi.com\/toh\/Recipe\/testkitchenapproved.png","TimeCallout":"Prep: 45 min. 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If you were a \"hot lunch kid\" growing up, there's a strong possibility that you were served smiley fries like these from the cafeteria line on more than one occasion. \u2014Lauren Habermehl, Pewaukee, Wisconsin","FreezerDirections":"","FreezerDirectionsTitle":"","HTMLTitle":null,"RecipeVersionNumber":null,"WorkflowStatusId":9,"Directions":[{"Direction":"In a large bowl, stir together potatoes, bread crumbs, cornstarch and seasonings until smooth. On a lightly floured surface, roll out mixture to 1\/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-in. round cookie cutter, rerolling scraps. Using a drinking straw, poke 2 circles into each round for eyes. Then use a spoon to make a mouth.","SequenceNo":1},{"Direction":" In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1\/2 inch oil to 350\u00b0. Fry rounds, a few at a time, until golden brown, 1-2 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with additional salt to taste. 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\n
Directions<\/h2>\n
Step 1: Make the dough<\/h3>\n
TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Step 2: Roll, cut and smile<\/h3>\n
TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Step 3: Fry until golden<\/h3>\n
TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Smiley Fries Variations<\/h2>\n
\n
How to Store Smiley Fries<\/h2>\n
How long do smiley fries last?<\/h2>\n
Can you freeze smiley fries?<\/h3>\n
How do you reheat smiley fries?<\/h3>\n
Smiley Fries Tips<\/h2>\n
TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Can you bake homemade smiley fries?<\/h3>\n
Can you make smiley fries in an air fryer?<\/h3>\n
What can you serve with smiley fries?<\/h3>\n