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    Home » Recipes » Candy

    Potato Candy

    Published: November 27, 2018 by Sam Merritt • 480 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
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    Potato Candy

    You read it correctly: Potato Candy! This recipe has been a favorite in my family for generations. Don’t be alarmed by the potatoes, they’re a critical ingredient that you’d never guess is hidden in this sweet old-fashioned candy! 

    My family loves making this potato candy around the holidays, especially for Christmas and Easter. You might even recognize the candy base as I’ve shared it before in my Easter Egg Candy. Be sure to read through the post for all of my most important tips before you begin!

    Peanut butter pinwheel potato candy on a plate

    If you’ve read this far you’re either really, really intrigued or you grew up making your own Potato Candy and already know how amazingly delicious this recipe really is.

    I’m guessing we lost some people with the title, but trust me, they’re missing out. You’re going to be so glad you stuck around (and I’m so grateful for you for trusting me on this one!).

    This recipe came from my grandmother’s grandmother. While the potatoes may seem off-putting at first, I promise you that you won’t taste them in the finished product. They mostly serve to bind the candy “dough” together, and they do so without making it too sweet (if you left out the potatoes, you’d have a much too sweet buttercream candy that you couldn’t roll into this cute pinwheel shape).

    I do have lots of tips and tricks for making this recipe, so let’s jump in. I highly recommend you read through this entire post before venturing out to make your own Potato Candy.

    How to make Potato Candy

    Tips for Making Potato Candy

    • 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. If your potatoes are still warm when you add them to your mixture, there’s a good chance they’ll melt your butter and your sugar, resulting in a watery dough that you’ll have to toss out.
    • Add more sugar as needed.  The dough will need to chill before you can roll it out, and it will be too tacky when first mixed up, but it should be somewhat shapeable. If it’s too sticky, you can always add more sugar, up to 2 cups more.
    • Dust your surface and your rolling pin with powdered sugar, it will make the whole process easier and your dough less likely to stick.

    Peanut Butter Pinwheel Potato Candy Recipe on a plate

    If the Mixture Becomes Watery, There’s a Good Chance You’ll Have to Start Over

    Here’s my biggest warning about this recipe, a mystery I haven’t yet been able to solve: Every so often I’ll have a batch that turns out watery.

    The first time this happened, I thought I hadn’t cooled the potatoes correctly and they melted the sugar. While that is definitely your most likely issue (and why I included the notes above) I’ve found that sometimes, even when I follow every instruction carefully and precisely, occasionally my dough turns out too runny. So runny that no matter how much sugar I add I just can’t salvage it.

    Why this happens is still a mystery to me, and my best guess at this time is that it’s an issue with the potatoes. Perhaps they’re too old? Perhaps they’ve been boiled a minute too long? Not long enough? It may even have nothing to do with the potatoes (could it be the humidity?)!

    If you have any suggestions I am ALL ears, I’ve spent so much time trying to solve this and have finally conceded the fact that this is just a risk of making this recipe. It only happens rarely now, especially now that I’ve learned to be so careful with cooling the potatoes (again, your most likely culprit), but it does still happen from time to time and I want you to be fully informed. It’s an issue that would typically cause me to not publish a recipe, but this is one that’s been in my family for generations and I felt it deserved publishing, just with a warning.

    sliced potato candy peanut butter pinwheels on a plate

    Alright, hopefully you now feel fully informed to make your own potato candy! Enjoy!

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    Potato Candy pinwheel slices

    Potato Candy

    My grandmother's recipe for Potato Candy (also sometimes called Peanut Butter Pinwheels).
    I recommend reading through the blog post before beginning, as it includes lots of tips.
    4.95 from 112 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Candy, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Chilling Time (total, for potatoes and for filling): 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 40 slices
    Calories: 94kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup (105 g) plain mashed potatoes* see recipe notes for cooking instructions
    • ½ cup (113 g) salted butter softened
    • 6-7 cups (800-910 g) powdered sugar plus additional for dusting
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • Creamy peanut butter for filling

    Recommended Equipment

    • Mixing bowls

    Instructions

    • Combine mashed potatoes, butter, and one cup of sugar in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to stir until combined. 
      ½ cup (105 g) plain mashed potatoes*, ½ cup (113 g) salted butter, 6-7 cups (800-910 g) powdered sugar
    • Add remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time and stirring until combined after each addition. Once you've added 6 cups of powdered sugar, check the consistency. If the dough is not moldable in your hands and can't be rolled into a ball, continue to add sugar until it is firm.
    • Stir in vanilla extract.
      2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • Refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes (if you chill longer it may become too firm and brittle and will just need to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes until it is pliable).
    • Once chilled, divide dough into two pieces and place one piece on a clean surface that you've generously dusted with powdered sugar. Dust the surface of the dough with additional sugar, and use a rolling pin to roll dough out into a rectangle about ¼" thick (about 8x12"). If your dough is too sticky or falling apart, you may need to add more sugar, re-shape it into a ball, and start over.
    • Once dough has been rolled into a rectangle, spread evenly with peanut butter, leaving a small amount of space peanut butter-free around the perimeter of the dough.
      Creamy peanut butter
    • Starting with the longer side of your rectangle, gently but tightly roll into a log.
    • Use a harp knife to cut into slices about ¼-½" thick.
    • Repeat steps 5-8 with remaining half of dough.
    • Serve and enjoy. Store leftover candy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

    Notes

    *Potatoes

    Use russet potatoes. I recommend piercing your potatoes all over with a fork and heating in the microwave, rotating the potato every several minutes, until potato is tender when pierced with a fork. Then remove the potato filling from the jacket/skin and mash until smooth. 
    I used to boil the potatoes and while this often works, I found this can sometimes cause the potatoes to retain water and make the mixture too watery to use.
    Mashed potatoes must 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.

    Cinnamon Cigars

    Another (peanut butter-free) version of this candy can be made by rolling the filling into cigar shapes and rolling in 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon for Cinnamon Cigar Candy.
    I've also used this potato candy recipe to make my old fashioned Easter Egg Candy.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1pinwheel slice | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

    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.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Greta

      November 23, 2021 at 11:04 am

      I learned to make this from my mother-in-law my husband’s grandmother made it too and I used to dice the potatoes and like you got a mix of results I thought the way they did it was to time consuming but try it they just boil the whole potato with out dicing and my mother-in-law dose not peel them till after they are boild I haven’t been that brave yet but I do boil whole potatoes now and have been getting a better product at the end

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 23, 2021 at 12:04 pm

        Thank you for sharing, Greta! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Wendy

      November 20, 2021 at 8:36 pm

      My aunt says to leave the cooked potatoes in the fridge for 2-3 days to let the starch come out. Could that be the secret to the water?
      Wendy

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 21, 2021 at 9:21 pm

        Hi Wendy! It’s definitely something I will try! Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂

        Reply
      • Frankie

        December 05, 2021 at 8:18 am

        Don’t boil potatoes which takes chance of watery potatoes, as some potatoes absorb/retain more water than others. Bake the potatoes.

        Reply
    3. Patti

      November 11, 2021 at 3:58 pm

      5 stars
      Hello my name is Patti from Kentucky. This is a very old recipe my mom made. It’s my brothers favorite. His birthday is tomorrow and he hasn’t had this candy in 20 years plus ! I thought I would surprise him for his birthday !!! Hope it turns out delicious, my first time making.

      Reply
    4. Lori Wharton

      November 11, 2021 at 2:27 pm

      My mom would make this when I was little. I don’t remember the butter. Could that be the issue?

      Reply
    5. Ellen

      November 06, 2021 at 2:39 pm

      This recipe has definitely perked my interest!! Have you ever tried freezing the slices to serve later? I would like to make a batch for Christmas cookie trays and need them at various times during the month?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 06, 2021 at 9:36 pm

        Hi Ellen! I have not frozen it myself, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work well. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Emily

      October 31, 2021 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      My texture and consistency came out the right way but after removing mixture from the fridge I found out my rolling pin was no where to be found, so I just combined the mix with peanut butter and cut into squares.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        November 01, 2021 at 11:24 am

        Hi Emily! We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed the candy. Thanks so much for leaving a review 😊

        Reply
    7. Gotta

      October 25, 2021 at 9:37 pm

      I remember my mom making this when we were kids, YUM!!!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 26, 2021 at 9:16 am

        It’s definitely a nostalgic candy for a lot of us 😊 Enjoy!

        Reply
    8. Jessica Furubotten

      October 19, 2021 at 10:48 am

      My late husband used to make this but me and our kids. A used to add not only peanut butter but dark chocolate as well. So delicious I can’t wait to make it again.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 19, 2021 at 10:57 am

        Sounds delicious, Jessica! We hope these bring back some fond memories for you ❤️

        Reply
    9. Kathy Conway

      October 03, 2021 at 7:14 am

      Another way to cook the potato is to steam it whole w/the skin on. Then peel it after it’s cooked while still somewhat hot. Then mash it or put through a ricer if you have one.The water from steaming will not be absorbed into the flesh of the potato as much as if it had been peeled, cut in cubes and boiled. Also, I use the same method as another person posted when making mashed potatoes which is to put the cooked potatoes back in the hot pot and steam off all the excess moisture before mashing the potatoes & adding milk & butter, etc. It works!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        October 05, 2021 at 3:32 pm

        Thanks for the tip, Kathy!

        Reply
    10. wendy

      September 27, 2021 at 1:31 pm

      Have you tried after draing the potatoes putting them back in the hot pot, it evaporates the water that is left. i do this with mashed potatoes all the time and they are never watery.

      Reply
    11. Debra

      September 10, 2021 at 9:15 pm

      To Sam; Watery potatoes are caused by cutting the potatoes too small.

      Reply
    12. Bryan Smith

      August 24, 2021 at 2:49 pm

      My Mother who is 88 was telling me she had a piece of this Candy given to her by Mrs. Carpenter when she was 4 years old. She was making for her Bridge Club. That was 84 years ago. So thank you very much for this recipe. I’ll see if I can make it to go along with her memory! This was in Bluefield, West Virginia in 1937.

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 25, 2021 at 9:06 am

        That’s an awesome story! I know it’s been around for quite a while. I hope everyone loves it! 🙂

        Reply
    13. Davina

      August 17, 2021 at 10:07 pm

      Hi I’m Davina from Indonesia. Can u make a video of potato candy? I want to make it

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 18, 2021 at 1:21 pm

        Hi Davina! I don’t have a video yet but do have plans to add one… stay tuned!

        Reply
        • Jenny

          September 26, 2021 at 3:46 pm

          5 stars
          Love this recipe! I’m making it for my friend who is 93. I know this wasn’t the way it’s done but I used a baked potato and dried it a little bit with a paper towel. The dough is perfect. Thank you for a great recipe!

        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          September 27, 2021 at 10:41 am

          We hope your friend loves them, Jenny! ❤️

    14. Angel

      July 14, 2021 at 10:10 pm

      Finally I have found the recipe I’ve been searching for!! I can’t wait to try it out!! Thank you so much for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 14, 2021 at 10:35 pm

        I hope you love it, Angel! 🙂

        Reply
      • Delilah

        September 18, 2021 at 4:46 pm

        5 stars
        I too have looked for this recipe. My great-grandmother made this for me when I was a child. I could remember all the ingredients except the potatoes. Love you for giving us this recipe.

        Reply
        • Sam

          September 21, 2021 at 2:00 pm

          I’m so glad it was helpful, Delilah! <3

    15. Samantha

      March 05, 2021 at 11:18 am

      I’m making this for a coworker and I could not get the real potato to work well. So I found a recipe for instant potato’s and used milk instead of water 1/4 cup and 1/4 cup of instant potatoes and then I went back to your recipe after adding powdered sugar until it was consistent. And I’m gonna tell you. This is awesome!!!! Instant potatoes!!!! Who would know!!!!!

      Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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