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!
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.
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.
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.
Alright, hopefully you now feel fully informed to make your own potato candy! Enjoy!
More Recipes You May Enjoy
Potato Candy
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
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
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.
3XALADY
I was taught how to make this candy by my former MIL in 1962. I don’t use butter, don’t refrigerate before rolling out and have never experienced the dough being watery. It is always a nice surprise when people find out what the candy is made of.
Jenny
Hello! Will instant mashed potatoes work?
Sam
Hi Jenny! I have not personally tried it, but others have done so with success. 🙂
Tosha
Hi Jenny, I grew up in Tennessee where this was standard near Knoxville. I had a lady at the Dogwood Art Festival tell me once, with a wink, “It’s actually better if you use instant mashed potatoes” and I’ve been making it for 30 years with instant potatoes. Key is, make sure everything is chilled.
Sadly, my first time making it I didn’t think that through, and just made a potato, sugary soup. CHILL THE POTATO.
Elisee
is it possible to freeze those and eat cold if they are too mushy at ambiant temperature?
Sam
Hi Elisee! You can certainly chill it if you’d like. 🙂
Gail
Several generations in my family make this. If I don’t have it at Christmas, there would be a revolt. I do not us butter in mine. Have had the watery issue a couple of times over the years too. I think it’s moisture in the potato. JMO
Ginny
I plan on making this recipe. While I was watching the video, it made me think of using a sweet potato for the ‘cigar shaped’ candies, then rolled in cinnamon sugar, or pumpkin pie spice. That sounds really good for the holidays.
Karen
My candy is always runny. after I mix one cup of sugar in my potatoes I let it sit about 30 minutes and then add more sugar and let it sit another 30 minutes till it gets thick enough to roll out. I never use butter in my recipe. This year I am going to try chocolate in my potatoes and in my second batch I am going to use purple potatoes to see how that comes out.
Chelsea
Can I cut this recipe in half?
Sam
Sure thing! 🙂
Linda Sitter
I made these and they were great!! I used a potato ricer to get the filling really smooth. rice when hot and then cool to mix. I rolled it onto parchment. it is easier to roll them in pinwheels then.
Jill
These were very good! My first attempt went well. I baked the potatoes in the microwave, mashed & let cool COMPLETELY. I did notice when using my stand mixer for the butter and potatoes initially, the butter started getting a little too warm and I thought the consistency might get runny, so I slowed down and tried not to over mix it. When I was done making the pinwheels, I dipped them halfway in melted semi-sweet chocolate and sprinkled them with sea salt. It helped balance the sweetness. They are very sweet and rich! Small pieces are key.
Denise Johnson
I have also made it with 2 egg whites beat until fluffy added to powered sugar then roll out add peanut butter then roll up and cut, they are real good that way.
melissa green
learned the hard way mashed tators in the instant pot are not ideal. they absorb way to much water. just wanted to share my lesson 😜
Judy
I would like to try this recipe! But I don’t care for peanut butter candy and was interested in the cinnamon cigar, and it says to roll the filling in a cigar shape, but if peanut butter is the filling in the main recipe, what is the filling in the cinnamon version? Also, from reading comments I couldn’t understand if chocolate hazelnut spread works, or doesn’t work, as a spread. Perhaps it’s too sweet? Thanks!
Sam
Hi Judy! If you were to make the cigars, you don’t need a filling. You just roll it out and then roll it in the cinnamon mixture. Hazelnut spread will work in the potato candy, but it could end up being on the sweeter side. 🙂
Jessica
I’m so excited I finally successfully made potato candy! I was always told I could make it with leftover mashed potatoes, and obviously, they were all wrong. I’ve tried many times to no avail, but when I saw your recipe I decided to try again. Cooking the potato in the microwave was perfect, and even my mom (who is very picky) said the candy was delicious. Thanks for another great recipe! You’ve become my go-to for baking because I know I can rely on the recipes to come out perfectly every time!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yay! We’re so happy our recipe was a success for you, Jessica 🎉
Fred S Williams
I make this candy once a year, I use powdered sugar and a couple teaspoons of milk to make my dough.
I then roll it out on parchment really thin, add my layer of peanut butter, roll it up , refrigerate the roll until it forms a thin set , then cut it to size.
Once it was to runny, poured the mixture into a pie pan , swirled in peanut butter and chilled until set.
M
i added so much sugar and it still wasn’t workable. thinking there might be too much butter
Sam
I’m so sorry to hear this! If you didn’t let your potatoes cool enough when you mashed them it will melt the butter and sugars and cause you issues. 🙁
Kelsey
Made this tonight! Hopefully my best friend approves in the morning. it didn’t turn out the most pretty since i couldn’t exactly get it to stop being sticky. but I did the best I could and got it rolled up up! Fingers crossed
Sam
I hope everyone loves it! 🙂
Lori Zielinski
sometimes off brand sugar will make this happen and you can add all kinds of sugar. I highly recommend only using name brand sugar. I learned the hard way !
Rob Wertheimer
This sounds amazing and I hope to make it this weekend ! How much peanut butter (approximately) should I plan on using in the recipe ?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Rob! ¼ cup should cover it. We hope you love the candy!
Rob Wertheimer
Thanks so much !!! I love watching your videos !!
Apriliscrazy
Also! I wonder if I could mix some Nutella in with the peanut butter? 😍
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds delicious! Just make sure to reduce the peanut butter if you do, otherwise it could get messy when rolling 😊
Jessica
Can you go by this exact recipe but use sugar substitutes to make is “sugar free”?
Sam
Hi Jessica! Unfortunately I haven’t tried it to say for sure how it would turn out. 🙁
Christian
Would it be okay if I make and mash the potatoes and refrigerate them overnight to do in the morning? I’m so busy at the holidays.
Sam
Hi Christian! That will work, but it incorporates better at room temperature so you will want to let the potatoes come back to room temperature before using. 🙂
Carol
Does anyone have an OLD recipe for potato candy made by using cubed potatoes and sugar.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Carol! Have you given our recipe a try? It’s a very old family recipe and uses the ingredients you’re referencing.
Apriliscrazy
Silly question! I’m making this 😀 about how many potatoes makes 1/2 cup? 🤔
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
It depends on the size, but one medium potato should cover it 😊
Gigi
I’ve never put butter in mine
Sam
Let me know how you like it this way!
Tia
I’m wondering if some watery results (when how the potatoes are handled are not the issue) has to do with the butter? Different brands have different moisture (water) content in the butter. I didn’t realize this until making certain cookies and biscuits where the cheaper butter I bought did not work in the way it usually did. felt better to the touch, too
Sue odom
I always loved potato candy
Thanks for posting it…