Potato candy is soft, sweet, and requires no baking. With 3 pantry staple ingredients you can make homemade candy perfect for gift giving during the holidays!
Why this recipe works
Potato candy is incredibly easy to make. This old-fashioned recipe is a classic during the holiday season. For those of you who haven’t tried it, don’t worry, it doesn’t taste like potatoes! I know the name can be a little off-putting, but I promise these little peanut butter candies are tender and sweet.
All you need to make potato candy is powdered sugar, peanut butter, and a potato. I like to pair them with some microwave caramels for gift-giving as both of these recipes are impressive tasting but so easy to whip up.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
POTATO – You will need one russet potato that weighs about 5 to 5-1/2 oz to make 20 pieces of candy. Feel free to double or triple the recipe ingredients to make the amount of candy desired. Do not season the potato or add anything to it.
FILLING – Using peanut butter is the classic way of making potato candy, but you can substitute it with any nut butter you prefer or even swap it out with Nutella.
How to Make Potato Candy
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Peel and dice the potato. Boil in water until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain of the excess water and mash with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Mix in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time with a hand mixer. Depending on humidity and water content in the potato this can take 6-8 cups. The final result should look like that of shaggy dough.
EXPERT TIP – Slowly keep adding powdered sugar until the consistency is that of play-dough or putty.
- Spoon out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and dust generously with powdered sugar. Smooth out the potato dough using an offset spatula or rubber spatula about 1/4 inch in thickness.
- Spread the peanut butter on top of the potato dough. Roll the dough on itself length wise as if making cinnamon rolls.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Slice into 1/2 inch pieces and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store potato candy in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. I would suggest adding parchment paper between each layer of candy when storing.
Serving Suggestions
Now that you’ve made your own old-fashioned potato candy, go ahead and gobble them up or store them in a gift-giving container for friends and family. These powdered sugar-dusted, peanut butter-filled, potato-based candies live up to the hype!
If you plan on chilling the potato candy log overnight, allow the dough to rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes for easier cutting. Always store them in the refrigerator in an air-tight container when not eating.
More Candy Recipes
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Potato Candy
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 russet potato 5 – 5 1/2 oz, peeled and cubed
- 6 cups powdered sugar 6-8 cups*
- ½ cup peanut butter
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- If chilling overnight, allow the dough to rest on the counter for 10-15 minutes for easier cutting.
Instructions
- Peel and dice the potato. Boil in water until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the excess water and mash with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Mix in powdered sugar 1 cup at a time with a hand mixer. Depending on humidity and water content in the potato this can take 6-8 cups. The final result should look like that of shaggy dough. Slowly keep adding powdered sugar until the consistency is that of play-dough or putty
- Spoon out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper and dust generously with powdered sugar. Smooth out the potato dough using an offset spatula or rubber spatula about 1/4 inch in thickness.
- Spread the peanut butter on top of the potato dough. Roll the dough on itself length-wise as if making cinnamon rolls.
- Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Slice into 1/2 inch pieces and serve.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared on this blog on November 24, 2021.
Amanda Davis
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Sue says
Can you used leftover mash potatoes
Amanda Davis says
We haven’t tried that. Leftover mashed potatoes likely have added ingredients like butter, salt, milk, etc. If you decide to experiment, we would love to hear your results!
Joyce Walker says
It works. I use my leftover mashed potatoes to make the potatoe candy . 😊
Angie Buchko says
Has anyone tried using sugar free substitutions?
Mary says
How do you store them and for how long?
Amanda Davis says
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
How do I store potato candy?
Store potato candy in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. I would suggest adding parchment paper between each layer of candy when storing.
Kaila says
Does it have to be a russet potato?
Amanda Formaro says
It does not have to be russet, we just find them best for making mashed potatoes. I’ve even heard of using mashed sweet potatoes!
Debi says
Do you think you can freeze these ?thank you
Diana Gashwiler says
My great grandma made these.! I add a little bit of salt to the powdered sugar and potato mixture and it cuts the sweetness a little bit.