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.
Irene
The runny thing – I would say it’s probably because of the butter you’re using than the potato. I’ve been making potato candy for as long as I can remember. It was one of the first recipes my mother taught me. I was maybe 6 or 7? Something like that. So, we’re talking over 30 years of making it at least every Christmas. Sometimes through out the year…. We do it differently though – omit the butter. Let the potatoes cool to room temp. Don’t drain away all your potato water. Just scoop your potatoes out, and mash them in another in another bowl. (don’t add anything to the potatoes. Just smoosh them smooth.) Reserve your potato water. We don’t really ‘measure’ (sorry). I’ve done it so long that I just eyeball it. Roughly about a table spoon of potato is actually all you need. Depending on how much you want to make. Then use and 2 table spoons of potato water. Add your vanilla. Then slowly add your powder sugar. If it’s too dry – add a bit more water. (We use a little less than 1 lb bag of sugar) When a dough forms good, that’s still a bit sticky (but not so much so that if you touch it, some comes off with your finger), then put it down on wax paper, then put wax paper on top of it. (Think like a sandwich. The wax paper is the bread.) Roll it out. Then peel, (slowly) the top layer of wax paper off. Spread the peanut butter. Then roll it up. You might need to use a knife edge to help pull the dough from the wax. Once it’s rolled into a log – then put it in the fridge. Chill for at least an hour. When you touch it, it should be hard. And you won’t leave a finger print. That’s when you can slice it. Afterwards it can be left out on the counter (not in the sun) in a sealed container. We’ve never had a failed potato candy before. It really is one of the easiest ones to do. One we usually let the kids do/help with. Good practice. 🙂
Sam
Thanks for the feedback, Irene! 🙂
Sherry Cassell
Everything you said rang so true. I can’t make this anymore and ( diabetic husband) I sure miss it.
People ask me for a recipe and all I can give are the ingredient’s, Eyeball and smell, sight and consistency that’s how I measure cept for scoopin flour’s.
Thanks for your patience and insight .
McDoogle
My Irish grandmother made potato candies. Without peanut butter. She made hers in small balls. They were always too sweet, even for the kid version of me. I love and miss my grandma but not the recipe from the impoverished old-world.
Tammy
I always use left over mashed potatoes. I put a scoop about the amount of a small potato in bowl with a tsp of butter add some milk heat up in microwave mix to creamy. Put it in a bigger bowl add tsp vanilla than start adding powdered sugar. Comes out good. Never had an issue with it
Sue Wisner
My husband grandmother use to dip them unsweetened chocolate. This help to take away some of the sweetness.
Sue Wisner
William Griffin
I grew up with this. It’s great.
Rebecca
I had these many years ago and loved them never could find out who made them. I decided to look up. Found your recipe. I am so excited to try. I will let you know of my progress. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe and tips
Brigitte
Hi, I am looking forward to making this recipe. I love coconut and was wondering if it could be added to this candy or better yet to your Old Fashioned Easter Egg candy? Thank you.
Sam
Hi Brigitte! Yes you can absolutely add shredded coconut to this recipe or the Easter egg candy. How much is a personal preference, just don’t overdo it or the dough will become crumbly, I’d just stir in a handful at a time until you’re happy with the amount. Enjoy!
Jackie
I just use baked potatoes (cooled completely, scoop out the insides) and powdered sugar. Never had a batch fail, but you do have to work quickly. Learned from my mother, who learned from her mother …
Kerri
This is a favorite family recipe of ours going back generations as well! My grandmothers are from Virginia and Tennessee. We never add butter, only powdered sugar and potatoes, and it always liquifies before becoming a dough. I just keep adding sugar until we get past the gross stage.
Nan
A friend used to make these and warned me that it had to be a Sunny day. Humidity does play a part in the consistency.
Debra Caflisch
Can I make these without the butter or with plant based butter? Do you have any suggestions to make them dairy free?
Sam
Hi Debra! Unfortunately I haven’t tried making it dairy free. 🙁 If you do try it, I would love to know how it goes. 🙂
Raychelle Clark
We make it without any butter just potatoes and powdered sugar and they turn out wonderful.
Rebecca
Yes you that how I do it Plants-based butter works great
Lois
I’ve made this since I was about 10 my Dad tought me. His mother tought him. I’ve only used powdered sugar and potato nothing else in dough. Just add potato in small amounts till soft dough forms.
Becky
Have you tried using baked potatoes instead of mashed? Or steamed potatoes?
When you boil a potato, the potato absorbs a significant amount of water. If you bake or steam a potato less water Is absorbed.
Sam
I haven’t, but I have heard this from a few people. I will definitely have to give it a try. 🙂
Lolo
It’s about the starch content in the potato. Some potatoes contain more starch than others and why it’s not a precise recipe, just a guideline. This hillbilly never put butter or cornstarch in the recipe. We did add a little red or green food coloring at Christmas time though. Thanks for sharing and keeping an old tradition alive.
Brooke
Hi! Did you put the food coloring in the potatoes? I want to make these for my family for Christmas! 🙂
Jane Catalano
Hi Sam,
You may want to take a look at this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IESdzzKkP94
She makes potato candy and talks about the chemical reaction between the
potato and sugar perhaps being a reaction having to do with the starches.
If you really want to find the answer of why the potato and confectioners sugar turn into a liquid before then beginning to turn firm, perhaps you can contact a University Food Science Department and ask the question of their chemists.
I personally believe the cornstarch in the confectioners sugar may help with firming the mixture, but I’m no chemist.
Your recipe contains butter. The Hillbilly Kitchen recipe does not.
Thanks for posting your recipe.
By the way, I love your Sea Foam Candy recipe!
Thanks for your recipes!
Sam
Thank you so much for sharing, Jane! 🙂
Mary
Thank you for posting!
Rose Johnson
Can you use instant potatoes?
Sam
Unfortunately I haven’t tried it. A lot of times they have other flavors added so I’m not sure. 🙁
Robyn Henderson
Made these years ago when my children were little now they are grown because I grew up with them from my mother and grandmother and I am making them again for my grandchildren. I made a test batch around Halloween and now friends and relatives are asking for recipe. They absolutely loved them.
Bobbi
What can I do other than add more and more sugar to make the potatoes pliable?
Sam
Hi Bobbi! You can add a tablespoon or two of cornstarch. 🙂
Robyn Runco
If the potatoes and sugar become too watery, I just cut the batch in smaller portions and work from there. A little bit more work but you salvage the batch. Merry Christmas 🎄