Homemade Irish Potato Candy that’s easy to make, no baking needed! This old fashioned candy looks just like potatoes! Made with cream cheese and powdered sugar.
Pennsylvania Dutch Potato Candy
Irish potato candy is a favorite treat where I grew up in Pennsylvania. There used to be a candy store in the mall (remember the days that people went to malls to shop?) that sold these that I would crave every time we walked by. During the holidays and St. Patrick’s day they were a must have to have in your kitchen!
Come many years later I was craving Potato Candy, but the mall is closed and I live in NYC. What’s a girl to do? Well, I made my own! They’re exactly how I remember as a little girl. The cream cheese and coconut mixture melts in your mouth. They have the sweet smell of cinnamon. They’re absolutely delicious and I can’t stop myself from eating them all!
What Is Potato Candy?
Irish Potato Candy are delicious little treats that look just like spud potatoes. They’re made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, shredded coconut and then rolled in ground cinnamon.
Even though they’re called “potato candy” they’re not made with potatoes at all. They are a popular dessert in Pennsylvania, more specifically Pennsylvania Dutch country.
What is Irish potato candy made of?
Potato candy is made of softened butter, cream cheese, confectioners powdered sugar, shredded coconut and vanilla. The little potatoes are then rolled in ground cinnamon to give them their spud appearance.
How to Make Potato Candy
Beat your softened butter and cream cheese together in a bowl with a hand mixer until it’s smooth.
Add powdered sugar and vanilla into bowl and continue beating until fully mixed. It should look fluffy.
Add shredded coconut and mix with a spoon.
Place a couple tablespoons of ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Grab a scoop of cream cheese batter out of the bowl and shape into what looks like a small potato. I try to keep them around 1 – 1.5 inches long. Roll each side in the cinnamon mixture, making sure the little potato now has cinnamon all over it.
Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Now my favorite part, time to eat them! Warning, they’re addictive! For any extras, you can store in the refrigerator for a few days.
Other Pennsylvania Dutch Recipes:
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Irish Potato Candy (Pennsylvania Dutch)
PrintIngredients
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups confectioners powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- few tablespoons of ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Beat your softened butter and cream cheese together in a bowl with a hand mixer until it’s smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla into bowl and continue beating until fully mixed and fluffy.
- Add coconut and mix with a spoon, until it's fully mixed in with the cream cheese batter.
- Place a couple tablespoons of ground cinnamon in a shallow bowl. Grab a scoop of cream cheese batter out of the bowl and shape into what looks like a small potato. I try to keep them around 1 – 1.5 inches long. Roll each side in the cinnamon mixture, making sure the little potato now has cinnamon all over it.
- Place on parchment paper lined baking sheet and chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Eat! Enjoy! For any extras, you can store in the refrigerator for a few days.
caroline says
these are the best potato candy i ever made!
Dannii says
I have never heard of this before, but I am going to try it and try and trick my daughter haha
Toni says
My kids really loved it! A must-have on St. Patrick’s Day!
Amanda says
What a fun recipe for St. Patrick’s Day! They look so real, and I love anything with coconut. Sounds perfect to me!
Tisha says
I love how simple this is! Perfect fast fix for that sweet tooth!
Cathleen says
Oh my goodness, this is so freaking creative! I think that I am going to be making this every year now. Thanks for the recipe 🙂