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.
Dottie
I forgot one more question
Are there potatoes that do not work well for this? I always have Yukon on hand because they have the best flavor for mashed potatoes
Sam
Hi Dottie! Honestly I haven’t tried using yukon potatoes but they might work. Let me know how it goes if you try it! 🙂
Dottie
Can you use unsalted butter?
Sam
Hi Dottie! You can use salted butter, I would just add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the mixture. 🙂
Terry C.
In the 1950’s when I was in elementary school, after Thanksgiving dinner, my grandmother ( my dad’s mom), would use the leftover mashed potatoes to make peanut butter rolls. My sister and I always got to help! We also made mint flavored potato candy using mint extract, but no peanut butter.
Sam
You should give the peanut butter a try. I think you’ll love it. 🙂
Traci
This candy has been made in our family for many years, and my Memaw always used leftover mashed potatoes. She would make them like always, serve them for dinner, refrigerate the leftovers, and the next day we would make our mashed potato candy. I’ve honestly never had a batch come out so watery it was ruined – even when adding in a little extra powdered sugar.
Emily
My grandmother always made this for us (we called it peanut butter roll) but did not use potatoes. Curious how the potato version tastes.
Judy
This recipe has been in our family for YEARS and everyone who tries it always asks for the recipe. I’ve made it for my family and friends for 54 years and will continue till I can’t. It’s a favorite of ours and a must. Thank you and have a great Christmas and be safe.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed!! Thank you for commenting, Judy, I appreciate it! ☺️
Rose Tebo
Nana made hers with the good butter! But she used instant potatoes. Only time we ever saw instant anything in the house lol. My favorite Christmas tradition 60 years later 🎄💜🌹
Iris Morgenstern
My wife is allergic to peanut butter. Is there anything else I can substitute. We all want to try this.
Thank you
Sam
Hi Iris! One thing I like to do to avoid the peanut butter is to roll it into cigar shapes and roll it in cinnamon. 🙂
Big ED
any nut butter or the jam or jelly I like seedless jam and jelly… I am 70 and I can remember my grandma making it for the family and i make it
Kim
Maybe a maple filling instead of peanut butter. Chocolate fudge etc
Joy Switzer
I have filled mine with melted chocolate and one time with warmed raspberry jelly
Kay Everitt
Thanks so much for this reciepe! My father who is 94 and I (71) both remember his mother (my grabdmother) making this sweet treat. My dad just asked me a few weeks ago if I had a recipe for this. And I have been lookingfor and asking other cooks for it. I will try it soon so I can suprise him with some for Christmas.
Sam
You are welcome! I hope everyone loves it! 🙂
Kellye Mcdowell
Definitely boil potato with peel on. Will correct the watery problem. I can’t make mine look as pretty as yours though.
Sam
It took me many many tries so don’t feel bad. 🙂
Samantha Rose
This was perfect!! I’ve tried a few other recipes but this one was by far the easiest and it was perfect. Sweet but just like I remember it from when I was a kid! Thank you!!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Samantha! 🙂
LeAnn Dotson
Butter does not belong in potato candy!!
Sam
I’m afraid you are wrong. My grandmother and hers will back me up on this one 😉
LeAnn
no one puts butter in it in WV! Potatoes, a little milk, vanilla, powdered sugar and peanut butter. Thats it!
Sam
Oh man! WV is missing out! Definitely give it a try this way, I don’t think you’ll go back!
Stacy Cole
Can you use regular granulated sugar and flour just curious
Sam
Unfortunately that wouldn’t work 🙁
Nanette Russell White
We have made this for generations and always mix the potatoes and sugar by hand. It’s part of the tradition. Also, we’ve never used butter., and find that instant mashed potatoes work well.
Linda
Can you use sweet potatoes ?
Sam
Honestly I have never tried it. I think it would work, though of course the taste would be quite different. If you try it out please let me know how it turns out for you!