This Irish Potato Candy is perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with! Made with butter, coconut, cream cheese, sugar, and cinnamon and they look like baby potatoes!
Make them and serve them with St. Patrick’s Day Punch at your party!
Irish Potato Candy. It didn’t originate in Ireland. It isn’t made out of potatoes. It’s more of a treat than a candy. So the name seems a little misleading, huh?
These sweet treats actually originated in Philadelphia and they’re made from coconut, cream cheese, sugar, and cinnamon.
They got their name because they look like potatoes, and they really do, don’t they?
And if there’s one thing Ireland is known for other than beer and beautiful scenery, it’s potatoes. They really do look like a sack of potatoes and they’re just so cute!
Although we Americans know March 17th to be a day full of leprechauns, pots of gold, and green-colored mischief, the day was originally created to remember Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
In the US, people consider it a day to honor their Irish heritage, but in Ireland, well, it’s pretty well known that they’re almost all Irish!
Still, the holiday always makes me reminisce about the trips I’ve taken to Ireland!
Magnificent cliffs, blue-green waters, centuries-old pubs, ancient buildings, lush green landscapes… okay, I’m ready to go back now!
Anyway, these little treats are not only festive, but they also bring back wonderful memories. Plus, I love potatoes in all forms, whether they’re fried, mashed, as candy, you name it!
I love how easy these potatoes were to make and that there wasn’t any cooking or baking required.
They were a great little treat, the cream cheese, and coconut pair perfectly with the confectioner’s sugar so they’re sweet but not too rich.
These little grab-n-go bites are perfect to bring to parties or to work to share with your colleagues. Trust me, all it takes is a little food to become the office favorite. 😉
How To Make It:
This dessert treat is super easy to make because it doesn’t require any cooking or baking!
- Begin by creaming together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Next, add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Then, add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until combined and smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions.
- Add coconut and mix until combined and then chill mixture for 20-30 minutes.
- Finally, roll into balls “potatoes” about the size of a large marble and finish them off by rolling in cinnamon.
Irish Potato Candy Is Easy and Fun!
You can use Irish Potato Candy to play a funny little trick on friends and family: they look like potatoes, but one bite proves that they’re actually light, fluffy, and sweet candies!
I think it’s a sneaky trick that an impish leprechaun might pull, don’t you think?
The cinnamon can be quite strong, but you can also substitute the cinnamon for and blend of cinnamon-sugar or cocoa powder and sugar if you’d prefer it.
The recipe makes quite a few two-bite treats, so there’s plenty to share!
More St. Paddy’s Day Recipes:
- Irish Cream French Toast
- Irish Coffee
- Guinness No Bake Cookies
- Irish Fried Cabbage
- Irish Soda Bread
- Homemade Irish Cream
- Bailey’s Truffles
- Irish Mule Cocktail
- Lucky Charms Treats
Irish Potato Candy
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Irish Potato Candy
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 1/2 cups shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
Instructions
- Cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- Add powdered sugar one cup at a time until combined and smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions.
- Add coconut and mix until combined. Chill the mixture for 20-30 minutes.
- Roll into balls “potatoes” about the size of a large marble and finish them off by rolling in cinnamon and brown sugar that’s been mixed together.
Video
Notes
- This recipe originally called for rolling the candy in straight cinnamon but has been updated to reflect a cinnamon sugar coating to make the cinnamon less intense.
April May McGeath says
I have never left a comment on a recipe. I didnt like the cinnamon/coconut combination so I used cocoa powder instead and the sweetness of the candies made it nice and chocolatey. Like a mounds candy bar
Meggan Lawson says
I make mine with 5 tablespoons of butter, 1/3 cup light corn syrup, vanilla, powdered sugar and then in plain cinnamon. My mom can’t remember where she got her recipe.
Amy says
In Philadelphia, we make these with a can of condensed milk and a stick of butter instead of cream cheese. The are sweet enough that you can use straight up cinnamon without brown sugar.
Rebecca Hubbell says
Fridge or room temperature in an air-tight container.
Rebecca Hubbell says
Did you chill it?