This Old Fashioned Easter Egg Candy is a generations-old family recipe. We make it every year for Easter and it never lasts long. Don’t be alarmed by the mashed potatoes that the recipe calls for, they are a critical ingredient that I was skeptical of at first, but you’ll never be able to even tell that they’re mixed in the filling!
This old fashioned Easter egg candy is a generations-old recipe that has been in my family for a long time. It’s amazing, highly coveted by family friends, and it also includes a critical secret ingredient that you might have not seen coming.
Potatoes.
Believe it or not, the filling for these Easter Egg Candies is made partly of mashed potatoes.
I’ll be the first to admit that I had was severely skeptical the first time my mom showed me how to make this candy. When she started to peel the potatoes I thought she was joking, and I also thought there was no chance I would ever eat a candy that had anything to do with potatoes.
I was wrong.
The potatoes mostly serve for binding together the otherwise very sweet, sugary filling for these Easter Egg Candies. It’s untraceable in the finished product, and I encourage you to see if your guests can figure out what the “secret ingredient” actually is.
Tips for Making Old Fashioned Easter Egg Candy
- To make the potatoes, peel them, dice them into even-sized cubes, and boil them until tender when pierced with a fork, then drain and allow them to cool completely before mashing. You must make fresh mashed potatoes specifically for this recipe, don’t use leftover, seasoned mashed potatoes that may have other ingredients (milk, pepper, garlic, etc.) mixed in.
- Let the potatoes cool completely. Don’t refrigerate them, just leave them at room temperature once you’ve drained them until they are completely cooled, and then mash them until no lumps remain.
- Add more sugar as needed. The dough will need to chill before you can roll it into eggs and it will be too tacky when first mixed up, but it should be somewhat shapeable. If it’s too runny, add more sugar, up to 2 cups more.
- Dust your hands with powdered sugar when rolling the eggs — the dough won’t stick to your hands and you’ll get nice smooth easter eggs that way.
- My grandmother’s recipe used unsweetened chocolate for the coating, as the filling can be very sweet and the unsweetened chocolate helps temper the sweetness. My family found the unsweetened chocolate to be much too bitter, and so I recommend using semisweet chips instead.
- I thin my chocolate a bit with a teaspoon of shortening, it helps the chocolate cover the eggs more neatly, but is optional (my grandmother’s recipe used paraffin wax.
Enjoy!
Old Fashioned Easter Egg Candy
Ingredients
- ½ cup (115 g) plain mashed potatoes, completely cooled see note
- ½ cup (1 stick) (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar plus additional as needed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 12 oz (340 g) chocolate bars coarsely chopped (I like to use Ghirardelli 65% dark chocolate, see note if using chocolate chips)
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer or stand mixer (with paddle attachment), stir together mashed potatoes, butter, salt and 1 cup (125g) powdered sugar until completely combined.½ cup (115 g) plain mashed potatoes, completely cooled, ½ cup (1 stick) (113 g) unsalted butter, ¼ teaspoon table salt, 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar
- With mixer on low-speed, add in remaining sugar, 1 cup (125g) at a time.
- Stir in vanilla extract and check the consistency of the batter. It should be cohesive and will be sticky at this point but should not be runny/separating. If it is runny, add additional powdered sugar as needed.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Cover and refrigerate filling for at least 1 hour.
- Once chilled, scoop dough by 1 ½ Tablespoon and roll between your hands into egg shape. Place eggs on wax-paper lined cookie tray. If dough is still sticky, chill for longer or dust your hands with powdered sugar before rolling. Return eggs to the refrigerator while you prepare the chocolate coating
- Place chopped chocolate in a double boiler (see note to microwave instead) over simmering water and stir constantly until melted.12 oz (340 g) chocolate bars
- Remove eggs from the refrigerator. Dip a fork in chocolte then place the egg on the tines of the fork. Use a spoon to drizzle chocolate all over the egg until coated, then slide back onto the baking sheet to allow the chocolate to harden before enjoying.
- Return eggs to the refrigerator and refrigerate until chocolate coating has hardened.
Notes
Notes on potatoes
Use russet potatoes for best results. I recommend piercing the potato all over with a fork and baking in the microwave for approximately 4 minutes on each side until potato is tender when pierced with a fork. No salt/pepper or any other flavoring should be added. Potatoes that have been peeled, boiled and mashed will also work but periodically they retain too much moisture and the batter will be too runny to manage. Allow potatoes to cool completely before adding sugar. Otherwise they will melt the sugar and you will end up with a very runny mess. I recommend allowing them to cool at room temperature rather than the fridge, as sometimes the condensation from the fridge can also make the mixture runny.Chocolate Notes
Dark chocolate is best as this candy is very sweet and the dark chocolate keeps it from being too sweet. My grandmother's original recipe uses unsweetened chocolate, which I sometimes use, too! Dark or semisweet chocolate chips will work in a pinch, though the chocolate doesn't melt as nicely. I will usually add a teaspoon of vegetable shortening or coconut oil in with the chocolate to thin it a bit, making it easier to pour and coat the eggs.Microwave instead of double boiler
If using the microwave to melt the chocolate, simply place in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until completely melted.Potato Candy Variations
Another variation of this candy can be made by rolling the filling into cigar shapes and rolling in 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon for Cinnamon Cigar Candy or you can roll into a sheet, spread with peanut butter, and roll into a log and slice for peanut butter pinwheel potato candy.Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Eggs will keep for at least one week.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Recipe originally published April 19, 2014. Photos and some text updated March 19, 2018.
Joy
My mother made these in volume every easter. We did peanut butter, coconut, maraschino cherry, crushed nuts, and plain. We did the chocolate and parafin wax, and I recall dipping them into the chocolate and placing them on waxpaper. (I also think I remember dipping in chocolate, and after it dried, into the parafin wax… too long ago, not sure). This recipe is the basic, you can get crazy and add anything you want to it. I loved these eggs. I did not remember the potatoes and have searched for a long time for this recipe. I am from 84 miles N of Harrisburg PA. I asked my mother and she rattled it off and I never remembered it. So, yes, you can do other things. I don’t recall pineapple, but we did use “real coconut” We drained used a nail and hammered it into those little indentations on the coconut, drained it, then smashed with a hammer, peeled and grated Fresh coconut (kids jobs). These are a childhood memory of mine that one doesn’t forget. I am 76 now and still have fond memories of making these eggs every year.
Sam
Those sound like some delicious variations, Joy! They are definitely a classic recipe. Thank you for sharing your experiences. It sounds like you had a lot of fun making them. 🙂
Carolyn
I know sounds dumb but is it possible to substitute russert potatoes with instant. My daughter swares by the instant potatoes and will not use anything else.
Sam
Hi Carolyn! I have not tried it, so I am not sure how it will turn out.
Cathy Basil
I used to buy these from our church ladies each Easter, and I have been looking for the recipe. Please tell me how I make the peanut butter and chocolate versions.
Sam
I’m sorry Cathy, I don’t have a recipe for those. I haven’t experimented with them to know ratios for substitutions. Sorry 😟
Tammy
I prefer coconut oil to thin the chocolate….other wise I cant wait to try this recipe.
Lindsay
The filling tasted great but when I dipped the cold eggs in the hot chocolate they turned to mush! Am I doing something wrong because I was really looking forward to this recipe? I am pretty good at following recipes but this one did not work for me. It actually became a dessert dip:)
Barbara Burns -
This is the same recipe my mother used and now I will make them this Easter, I did make them years ago when my 4 children were young. I’am now 80 years old and would like to know if I can make these ahead and freeze them because its getting too hard on me to try and do everything on the same day! Thank-you for this recipe they are delicious.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed the candy, Barbara! 🙂
Rebekah
I suggest letting the chocolate cool for a few minutes. Not so the chocolate hardens, but so it’s still goopy and liquid-y but not so hot. I hope that works! 😉
Kaitlyn Brinkman
Hey Sam,
I just tried this recipe and absolutely loved it. It was so much fun making them (I added a white chocolate drizzle that made them look so cute). Thanks So Much : )
Lisa
Hi Sam, i have inherited this recipe from my grandmother and am anxious to make them for Easter. My question for you is at the bottom of her recipe it states you can also use crushed pineapple, coconut or mariciano cherries. Would you add this to your mixture? And have you ever made any of these variations?
Thanks
Lisa
Sam
Hmm, I’ve actually never heard this from her but I’ll be seeing her tomorrow and will ask! I”m not sure exactly how it would be added.
kfayfay
I thought my Nana had LOST HER MIND when she shared my great grandmas recipe (almost identical to yours) and said mashed potatoes. These eggs are DELICIOUS. I am also so pumped that my Nana isnt losing it!
Dori
Previously I’ve made these with sweetened condensed milk, but since I am lactose-intolerant, I can’t wait to try these.
Sam
I hope you love them, Dori 🙂
Vicki Bodily
Sam, I’m assuming the potatoes are russets? Also how many eggs does this make?
Sam
Yes, russet, and if you use about 1 1/2 Tablespoon of dough (which I do, but it makes large-ish eggs) it yields about 2 dozen eggs. I’ll go add these notes to the recipe, thank you Vicki!
IowaLinda
I know that everyone has a different idea of a perfect recipe and that is why you changed your grandmother’s recipe, but i would really like to have her recipe. I only use dark chocolate and unsweetened chocolate, therefore i know her recipe is the one i want. And the wax was used long ago but can still be purchased in stores as far as I know. Please consider publishing your grandmother’s recipe. Thanks. P.S.- I have a nice bread recipe that uses mashed potatoes. Potatoes in bread help leaven it.But keep in mind that potatoes are full of starch and sugar and will quickly raise blood sugar level so if diabetic, be careful.
Sam
Hi! This is her recipe, I made the notations of what were changed with the chocolate coating because I wanted to preserve it (unsweetened chocolate and paraffin wax, amount not specified but feel free to use instead of semisweet chocolate ☺️). The filling, which is the recipe is exactly what her filling was, and I elaborated for clarity (allowing the potatoes to cool, dusting hands with powdered sugar) but this is it. I hope that helps!
Sheryle
I had a recipe that used mashed potatoes, powdered sugar and you could add either coconut or peanut butter mix alltogether amd cool in refrigerator then shape small pieces into eggs. Melt chocolate and parifinwax together in a double boiler then dip the eggs into the mixture to coat them and then cool on waxed paper. This was over 40 years ago. A neighbor gave this recipe when I lived in northeast Pennsylvania. I can’tell find a recipe, does anyone have a recipe? It possibly could Amish.
Stephanie
If you want to send me a quick email asking for it I can email it to you. I’m actually making that version of potato candy tonight!
Stephanienoel@hotmail.com
Melinda Moore
I sent you an email asking for the recipe if you could possibly send it that would be so awesome
Chris
My mom made these years ago. My dad and I loved them. Plain, Coconut and the cinnamon sticks were my favorite. Been looking for this recipe since she passed in 2010. Can’t wait to make them for Easter.
Sam
I’ve never tried them with coconut, but I’ve made them into cinnamon sticks (we always called them cigars) and have made peanut butter filled pinwheels, too. It’s a versatile filling, I hope you love the recipe as much as the one your mom made. Thanks for commenting.
Laura
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! For years my father kept asking me to find a recipe that tasted like his moms mashed potato candy recipe and boom! This is it! You made our Christmas! God bless you
Sam
That’s awesome, I’m so glad that you loved the candy, Laura!! Thanks so much for commenting! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely
I have got to give these a try! I’ve never heard of potatoes in a candy, but I bet the flavors are amazing. What an interesting recipe!
Sam
It’s really SO good! You will have no idea there are potatoes in the candy either, I think they are mostly for consistency purposes, but it works out amazingly!