This Irish potato candy looks like cute little potatoes but tastes like rich, creamy coconut candies coated with cinnamon. Mix your ingredients, make balls, chill them, and roll them in cinnamon. This adorable treat is perfect for St. Patrick's Day and so easy that even the kids can help.
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The first time I saw these Irish potato candies, I thought they were just the cutest! They are these adorable little bite-sized potatoes that, ironically, taste nothing like potatoes.
They are sweet, creamy, and packed with tons of coconut. The iconic potato appearance is due to the balls being rolled in some ground cinnamon.
In short, they are an absolute must for any St. Patrick's Day-related festivities!
Take a look at all of these St. Patrick's Day recipes for some more fun and tasty ideas!
🤔 What Is Irish Potato Candy
Irish potato candy is a small, sweet, bite-sized coconut candy rolled in cinnamon (which makes it look like a potato).
Contrary to what you might think, Irish potato candy is not Irish. This candy is largely popular in the Philadelphia area.
The origin itself is unknown, but some believe it was created with the boom of Irish immigrants in Philly in the 1850s.
You'll find Irish potato candy in shops all over Philadelphia during March, but it may be more unheard of around the rest of the country.
🥘 Ingredients
This no-bake candy only uses a handful of ingredients that are easy to find.
Just remember to take your cream cheese and butter out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start so they can come up to room temperature.
- Cream Cheese - 4 ounces of cream cheese that has been softened at room temperature. This is the same as half of a standard 8-ounce brick of cream cheese.
- Butter - ¼ cup of room-temperature butter (half of a stick or 4 tablespoons). If using salted butter, the extra salt can be omitted.
- Vanilla Extract - 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Salt - ⅛ teaspoon of salt.
- Confectioners' Sugar - 4 cups of confectioners' sugar (or powdered sugar).
- Coconut Flakes - 2½ cups of sweetened coconut flakes. If needed, you can use up to 2⅔ cups.
- Cinnamon - 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon for rolling. This is what gives the candy its classic potato color!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Irish Potato Candy
These cute little potato balls are so easy to make that you can even let the kiddos help.
You'll only need a baking sheet with parchment paper, a stand or hand mixer, and a silicone spatula.
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, this recipe will make about 36 candies, about two bites each. You can opt for a teaspoon to make smaller potato candies.
Prepare the Candy Mixture
- Prepare. Get started by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper (or wax paper) and then set it aside.
- Cream. Use your stand mixer (or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer) to cream together the room-temperature 4 ounces of cream cheese and ¼ cup of butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add. Add in 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla extract and ⅛ teaspoon of salt and continue to beat for another 30 seconds.
- Incorporate the powdered sugar. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then turn the mixer to low speed. Gradually add 4 cups of confectioners' sugar until it is all combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Mix in coconut. Turn off the mixer and add 2½ cups of flaked coconut, stirring until combined with a silicone spatula.
Chill, Portion & Roll the Candy
- Scoop and chill. Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to scoop the mixture out of the mixing bowl and drop it onto the prepared baking sheet. Continue to drop dollops of the mixture onto the baking sheet, placing the balls close together but not touching. Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge and allow the candy to set for 30 minutes.
- Roll into balls. Place 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon into a small bowl. Use your hands to roll the chilled balls into an oblong potato shape and then roll them in the cinnamon until they are completely coated. *If the balls become difficult to work with and are sticking to your hands, simply return them to the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.
- Serve. Serve immediately or return to the fridge until ready to serve.
Serve this Irish potato candy at your next St. Patrick's Day party with some Irish coffee! They are sure to disappear in a snap! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Pro Tips & Recipe Notes
- Adding a Cocoa Twist: Enhance the flavor by combining ½ tablespoon of cocoa powder with the cinnamon for rolling. For those who might not be keen on cinnamon, consider using cocoa powder as a complete substitute.
- Finer Coconut Texture: For a smoother consistency, consider giving your coconut a quick pulse in the food processor.
- Handling Sticky Mixture: If the mixture becomes too sticky and difficult to handle, simply place it back in the fridge to chill for a bit before continuing.
- Serving Options: These treats are ready to enjoy right after being rolled in cinnamon, but for a firmer texture, refrigerate them for about 30 minutes before serving.
🥡 Storing
Store the candies in an airtight container in the refrigerator, ideally with layers separated by wax or parchment paper to prevent sticking.
For long-term storage, freeze the candies on a baking sheet before transferring them to a freezer-safe container, where they can be stored for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before enjoying.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Since this recipe has a base of butter and cream cheese, it does need to be stored in the fridge. Keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve it.
Nope! Irish potato candy has no Irish roots in any way! In fact, it comes from Philadelphia, USA (and is really popular there!) The exact origin is not really known, and the candy itself may have been created by accident (as many candies are.)
The name of this candy can understandably make it hard to imagine the taste. However, this tasty candy is creamy, sweet, and loaded with coconut flakes. Not to mention, it is coated in ground cinnamon. There is nothing potato-flavored about it!
🍀 More St. Patrick's Day Treats
If you're looking for great authentic Irish recipes, check out my collection of amazingly tasty eats and treats too!
- Bailey's Irish Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies - These chocolate chip cookies have a yummy twist by incorporating Bailey's Irish cream!
- Lucky Charms Bark - A tasty chocolate bark that is colored green and loaded with lucky charms for an Irish twist!
- Lucky Charms Marshmallow Treats - Very much like the Classic Rice Krispies Treats but with a fun and festive addition!
- Irish Apple Cake - An incredibly moist cake that is studded with fresh apples and topped with custard!
- Irish Barmbrack - A delicious spiced raisin bread that doesn't need any yeast!
- Irish Oatmeal Cake - A tender and flavorful oatmeal cake topped with sweet pecan caramel frosting!
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📖 Recipe Card
Irish Potato Candy
Ingredients
- 4 oz cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
- ¼ cup butter (softened at room temperature)
- 1-2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups confectioners sugar
- 2½ cups coconut flakes (sweetened, up to 2 ⅔ cups)
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Get started by lining a baking sheet with parchment paper and then set it aside.
- Use your stand mixer (or a mixing bowl with a hand mixer) to cream together the room-temperature cream cheese and butter on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add in the vanilla extract and salt and continue to beat for another 30 seconds.
- Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and then turn the mixer to low speed. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar until it is all combined. Then, increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth, about 1 minute.
- Turn off the mixer and add in the flaked coconut, stirring until combined with a silicone spatula.
- Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to scoop the mixture out of the mixing bowl and drop it onto the prepared baking sheet. Continue to drop dollops of the mixture onto the baking sheet, placing the balls close together but not touching. Transfer the baking sheet to the fridge and allow the candy to set for 30 minutes.
- Place the ground cinnamon into a small bowl. Use your hands to roll the chilled balls into an oblong, potato shape and then roll them in the cinnamon until they are completely coated. *If the balls become difficult to work with and are sticking to your hands, simply return them to the fridge for a few minutes before continuing.
- Serve immediately or return to the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
- For a tasty twist, you can mix ½ tablespoon of cocoa powder with your cinnamon before rolling! If you have some guests or family members that aren't a fan of cinnamon, you can swap it out for cocoa powder entirely.
- If desired, you can pulse your coconut in the food processor for a finer consistency.
- If your mixture becomes hard to work with and sticks to your hands, just return it to the fridge and allow it to chill for a few minutes before continuing.
- These can be served immediately after rolling in cinnamon. However, they will become firmer if you put them back in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- To store: Keep any leftover potato candies store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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