Make Irish Potato Candy The Star Of Your St. Patrick's Day Spread

If you’re not from the Philadelphia area, you might be thinking, I don’t want potato in my candy! Don’t worry, this confection only looks like cute little potatoes, and actually contains no spuds at all. Imagine the texture of a chocolate truffle but with cream cheese, coconut, and vanilla instead. The outside is coated in ground cinnamon, giving it an uncanny likeness to the real thing.

What is Irish potato candy?

Not to be confused with the potato candy of the American South, the full origin story of Irish potato candy is uncertain. It was almost certainly invented in the late 1800s or early 1900s in Philadelphia, but beyond that it’s a bit of a mystery. Was it created by Irish immigrants, or candy makers just inspired by the influx of them into America? Did Philadelphia cream cheese play a part, or is that just a coincidental part of the lore? Were they created for St. Patrick’s Day in response to the candy lull between Valentine’s and Easter? We may never know.

How to make Irish potato candy:

One thing we do know? They couldn’t be easier to make. Simply beat all the ingredients except cinnamon together, then chill the dough to help it set up. Once the mixture has chilled, you roll tablespoon-sized balls of it in ground cinnamon, then shape them into cute tiny potatoes, adding little dents in their sides with your fingers to make them look extra realistic. You may notice that after a while, they may become too soft to handle. If that happens, simply pop them back in the refrigerator for a bit until they harden up.

We think these would be adorable on a dessert spread for St. Patrick’s Day. Hot tip: Because there’s no baking, these are an ideal project to do with kids—they really get a kick out of tricking people into thinking they’re eating a mini potato.

Did you grow up with these? Have you made them from scratch before? Let us know in the comments below.

Yields: 44-46 servings

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 4 oz.

  cream cheese, room temperature

• 4 tbsp.

  (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 1/2 tsp.

  vanilla extract

• 1/4 tsp.

  kosher salt

• 4 c.

  (460 g.) confectioners’ sugar

• 2 1/2 c.

  (215 g.) sweetened coconut flakes

• 2 tbsp.

  ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and smooth, about 1 minute. (Alternatively, use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) Scrape down sides of bowl with a rubber spatula. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix on low speed just to combine, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium and beat, scraping down sides of bowl halfway through, until smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides again, add coconut, and beat on low speed until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Place cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of coconut mixture into your hand and roll into a ball. Roll in cinnamon, then shape into an oblong potato shape. Arrange on prepared pan. Repeat with remaining coconut mixture. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Make Ahead: Irish potato candy can be made 5 days ahead. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

Irish Potato Candy

Irish Potato Candy