These Irish Potato Candies are really kind of addictive, and so easy! I wouldn’t save them just for St. Patrick’s Day- make them anytime. You could also roll them into egg shapes for Easter. Kids love to make them, and there is no cooking involved. Just mix up a few ingredients and roll into balls.
They don’t contain any potato, and I have discovered that they aren’t even actually Irish.. But we always had them in school around St. Patrick’s Day when I was growing up… maybe because I live near Philadelphia where they originated.
Did I mention that they are addictive? Really. You will be amazed….
Irish Potato Candy Recipe
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. confectioner’s sugar
1/2 c. shredded coconut
Cinnamon & sugar mix
Mix cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add coconut and confectioner’s sugar. Knead until well blended. Roll dough into balls. Roll balls in the cinnamon- sugar mix. Store covered in refrigerator up to 1 week (if they last that long…)
ok when I stock my pantry with the ingredients I will be trying these!!
When I make them, I could eat the whole batch….
Why do you call these “Irish Potato Candy”????????
You would think they would have at least some type of Potato in
Them….Just wondering. They sound good…
Shirley, they call them Irish potatoes because they are supposed to look like little potatoes. I believe they are a big Philadelphia thing, I’m not sure if they’re popular in other parts of the country. But they are really really tasty, and very easy to make!
These wonderful treats are now a favorite in Tidewater Virginia cause I make them in March for friends and family (learned about them working near Philly).
We always had Irish potato candy growing up in Philly but coated them in plain cinnamon. Thanks for the recipe as I misplaced mine.
My grandmother used to make these all the time. Only she rolled them to be more cylinder shape. They are very rich but delicious.
I’m saving this for the grand kids, but I do have all the ingredients in the house I may have to try them sooner
Debbie, they are so good! and this is really great for the kids to help with. Try rolling them into egg shapes for Easter!
I think I will make them and add a bit of ground pecans. Thanks for the recipe and they do sound good.
Gayle- hadn’t thought of adding nuts but I think that would be outrageously tasty. Maybe I’ll try that next time too…
How about dusting them with coco powder!
Sharyn- I would never complain about a little chocolate in my dessert :)
I wonder if you should just use plain cocoa powder, or mix it with a little sugar like you do with the cinnamon? If you try it, be sure to let me know how they come out!
Why stop there? Lol We could drizzle with melted chocolate, or go all-out and dip them!
I will be trying out this recipe soon.
Actually, this recipe reminds me of something my mom made she called “Mounds Balls” 50-60 years ago.
You can also push halves of slivered almond pieces randomly into the potato shapes…. makes very realistic looking potato “eyes.”
FYI there is a recipe for potato candy that does actually have an Irish potato in it. My great grandma taught me how to make it when I was about 10. It’s amazing!
I will try this too
I was just remembering the potato candy I used to eat as a child. My family didn’t make them but a girl in my grade school, brought them for show & tell one time. Her mother made them!
how many does this recipe make in a batch?
We had a different Irish Potato Candy when growing up and it did contain potatoes. Mashed potato, icing sugar, ground almonds, then you shaped them like little potatoes, poked eyes in with a toothpick and rolled them in cocoa powder. Funny how things are the same, but different!
Wonderful: the recipe and the history. Thanks.
The candy sound yummy. Going to have to give them a try. The Philadelphia flower show, definitely did not disappoint. Always enjoy the day at the show too. You got some great pictures, didn’t check mine yet. Hopefully Spring will come early this year and won’t be a repeat of last year we with all the rsin.
Thanks for the reminder of this candy. I grew up in Philly. My family always had these around St. Patrick’s Day. I had a recipe but misplaced it. Now to have it again in great.
My grandmother used to make these for me in Baltimore so it must be regional. Thank you for sharing the recipe! I’m going to make them for my grands.
In our home economic group at school, we made these using a small well cooked potato instead of the cream cheese. Added enough powdered sugar to make a dough and then rolled it out and spread peanut better on and rolled the dough to form a log to be cut into pinwheels. Don’t remember if butter was added or not since it has been some 60 yrs ago.
I believe I’ve had something very similar with mashed potatoes mixed in with the cream cheese. Think I’ll try that, then they would really be potato candy.
I make these a lot. I keep them in the frig for a snack during the day. I didn’t know there was actually a recipe for them! Too funny. I sometimes put pecans in them I have dusted with coco powder , coco powder with a little cyan pepper, or crushed almonds. So simple and tasty!!!
My family does not like coconut. Is there a good subsitute for it?
I don’t like coconut, either, so I will just try it with mashed potato with ground almonds, sugar and roll these in a coco and sugar mixture.
The pastel sugar sprinkles would be great to use on egg shaped ones for Easter
Irish Potatoe candy was originally from Philadelphia in around the 19 century.
It is only made at St Patrick day. When I was little I couldn’t to get it.
I had this candy when I was a little girl! My granny made it for us. I had forgotten about it! I am Irish! I cook a lot of Irish food. Thank you for posting this! My maiden name is McQueen and I am always looking for food from my granny’s era
Hi could you tell me what is sugar mix please and is confectioners sugar the same as our icing sugar ? I live in the UK.
Confectioners sugar is the same as icing sugar. To make a cinnamon/sugar mixture take about 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and add maybe a tablespoon of cinnamon. Mix well. We used the cinnamon/sugar mixture for cinnamon toast growing up. Still make cinnamon toast. Hope this helps.
We have a candy here in Maine, called Needhams. They are so delicious, and yes they do contain potato but you can’t taste it. Here is a recipe from Yankee Magazine.. .
https://newengland.com/today/food/desserts/candy/needhams-2/
We made mint candies similar to this one Christmas. They were delicious.