Irish Potato Candy
There’s no potato called for in this Irish Potato Candy recipe! To make the candies, a creamy coconut filling is shaped to look like potatoes and rolled in cinnamon. This is such a fun and easy dessert to serve on St. Patrick’s Day!
Don’t let the name of this candy fool you into thinking it’s either Irish or made with potatoes — neither are true!
It’s believed that Irish potato candy originated in Philadelphia in the late 19th or early 20th century. Irish immigrants living there supposedly wanted to celebrate their heritage on St. Patrick’s Day, and this quick and easy candy recipe was born.
This Irish potato candy is actually made by rolling a buttery coconut mixture into balls, then shaping them to resemble small potatoes. The “potatoes” are coated in ground cinnamon, and the finished product looks shockingly realistic!
If you’re looking for a fun treat to make for St. Patrick’s Day this year, these candies are the perfect recipe. The filling has a thick and creamy texture similar to chocolate truffles, and the cinnamon coating perfectly complements the sweet coconut flavor.
What You Need
- Cream Cheese: Make sure to use brick-style cream cheese for this recipe. Don’t use whipped cream cheese or cream cheese spread from a tub, otherwise the candies will be too soft. Your cream cheese should also be softened so that it mixes together easily. If you need to bring it to room temperature quickly, I have a post on how to soften cream cheese a few different ways.
- Unsalted Butter: I used unsalted butter, but it would be okay to use salted butter and just omit the salt in the recipe. Just like the cream cheese, your butter should also be softened. If you forgot to set out your butter ahead of time, cut it into smaller cubes to bring it to room temperature faster.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla delivers the best flavor.
- Salt: A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness from the sugar and coconut.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens and thickens the coconut filling while keeping it melt-in-your-mouth soft and smooth. If your powdered sugar is lumpy, you may want to sift it first.
- Sweetened Shredded Coconut: This adds texture and coconut flavor to the candies. Do not use unsweetened coconut flakes, which are much larger and don’t have the right texture.
- Ground Cinnamon: You’ll need two tablespoons to coat all of the candies in cinnamon.
How To Make Irish Potato Candy
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese, then mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until it’s fully incorporated.
- Add the shredded coconut and mix to combine. The mixture will be very thick at this point! If needed, you can use a rubber spatula to finish mixing it together.
- Scoop the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roll the balls into the shape of small potatoes. This doesn’t have to be perfect, just do your best!
- Coat each “potato” in the ground cinnamon.
Storage
You can either serve the candies immediately, or you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate for one week.
The candies also freeze well and will last up to three months if stored in an airtight freezer bag or container. When you’re ready to enjoy, just place them in the fridge to thaw overnight.
Recipe Tips
- A one-tablespoon cookie scoop will make it much easier to scoop these out! If you don’t have one, you can use a measuring tablespoon to measure out a few and then eyeball the rest of them.
- I personally love to just use cinnamon for the coating on these candies. If you want to cut down on the cinnamon flavor you can add 2 to 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to the cinnamon. Just keep in mind that the mixture won’t coat the outside as well as just cinnamon.
- If you don’t feel like shaping each one or you’re short on time, feel free to just roll them into balls.
- This recipe will make about 40 candies, which is perfect for a crowd. If you want to make a smaller batch, you can just cut it in half.
Irish Potato Candy
Ingredients
- 4 ounces brick-style cream cheese softened (113 grams; ½ block)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened (57 grams; ½ stick)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar (480 grams)
- 1 (7-ounce) package sweetened shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the butter and mix until fully combined, then mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Add the powdered sugar one cup (120 grams) at a time, making sure each addition is fully mixed in before mixing in the next one.
- Add the shredded coconut and mix until fully incorporated. The mixture will be really thick, this is normal!
- Using a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop or measuring tablespoon, scoop spoonfuls (about 18 to 20 grams) of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. If you’re having trouble scooping the mixture or it’s too soft, you can refrigerate it for 20 to 30 minutes or until it’s easier to scoop.
- Once all of the mixture is scooped, roll each one into the shape of a small potato.
- Coat each one in cinnamon, then serve and enjoy or refrigerate until ready to serve.
