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.
Many of us are accustomed to seeing this rolled candy around Christmas, but if you’re not, we get that it might seem a little odd. Potatoes? In candy? We know. But we promise it works.
The potato acts as a binder in the dough and the end result tastes nothing at all like potatoes. It’s just a soft, sweet (like, really sweet), no-bake candy that’s genius in its resourcefulness.
Old Fashioned Potato Candy
Ingredients
6 cups powdered sugar, plus more if needed
1/2 cup russet potato, mashed and cooled (about 1 large potato)
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
How To Make Old Fashioned Potato Candy
In a large bowl, beat mashed potato, milk, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Mix in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until a dough has formed. Once you’ve added in 6 cups, if you need more, add in 1 tablespoon increments. Dough should be thick, slightly thicker than cookie dough.
Form dough into a ball and dust with powdered sugar. On a sheet of wax or parchment paper, roll dough into 1/8-inch thick rectangle. Trim to 10×12-inches.
Generously sprinkle powdered sugar over top of dough and place another piece of parchment paper over it. Invert the rectangle of dough and discard the paper that is now on top (the one you used to roll out the dough).
Spread peanut butter evenly over dough. Roll dough tightly long-side to long-side using parchment paper to guide it, jelly-roll style. Wrap in parchment and freeze for 1 hour. Cut into 1/4-inch thick slices and serve. Enjoy! Leftover candy should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.