Irish Potato Candy: Ok, It's not Really Irish. But it's Really Yummy, So We'll Pretend...

Irish potato candy is a personal favorite of ours and we're always surprised that this fun treat isn't better known!

These sweet goodies may or may not even have Irish origins but they're still a favorite snack on St. Patrick's Day and other Irish occasions.

Believe it or not the most common form of 'Irish' potato candy originates in ... Philadelphia, USA.

But don't let that stop you from using this tasty treat to express your Irish side!

If this happens to make you hungry for other Irish dessert recipes, feel free to visit our main page on Irish desserts here...

Meanwhile, please enjoy our favorite Irish potato candy recipes!

Cream Cheese Version:  Ingredients

• ½ a stick of soft butter
• Softened cream cheese
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 pound of confectioners’ sugar
• cinnamon
• 7 oz. of flaked coconut.
• Flour
  

Cream Cheese Version:  Preparation

1. Mix butter, cream cheese, coconut, vanilla and sugar until thoroughly combined
2. Flour your hands, then shape the mixture into small balls, each one a bit bigger than a walnut.
3. Roll each ball in cinnamon to achieve desired color
4. Refrigerate until firm

Makes about 35 Irish potato candies.

This Version Actually Contains Potatoes!

In this version of the candy, granular sugar is infused with mashed potatoes.

Once sugared to taste, the mash is rolled into circular bite sized balls and allowed to dry ... partially.

Then they are rolled in cinnamon or brown sugar to give them additional sweetness and a 'potato-like' color.

Chill and Voila! Irish potato candy.

Peanut Butter Irish Potato Candy:  Ingredients

For this variation you’ll need:

• 2 pounds of powdered (confectioners) sugar
• around ½ c. of hot mashed potatoes that are completely drained and ready to go
• a small jar of crunchy peanut butter.

Peanut Butter Irish Potato Candy:  Preparation

1. Start off by mixing the sugar into the potatoes slowly with your hands. Potatoes tend to get extra mushy when you put in sugar so don’t panic - as the sugar mixes and cools the mixture will become firmer.
2. Next put some sugar on tin foil or wax paper on the side and start taking spoonfuls of the potato mixture out and forming it into balls no bigger than a baseball.
3. Roll these onto the sugar, spread the peanut butter and roll into potato-sized rolls (with the peanut butter inside).
   
4. Then wrap them up and chill.
5. Once the candy has chilled you can eat them as is or cut them up to your preferred size.

How Should This Candy be Served?

Consider making a few versions and place them up on a serving tray, have one circle the other in an attractive and tasty selection, giving your guests a choice of treats.

Try them out at your next get together and see why this special candy has been around for over a hundred years now.

Yummy!  Where Can I Find More?

At Irish Expressions, our our goal is simple: to provide you with a unique Irish experience, on demand, wherever you are in the world.

If you have enjoyed our section on Irish Food Recipes, you have probably been exposed to many of the most delicious flavors that Ireland has to offer!

Will that entice you to visit Ireland - or to return if you have already been? 

We hope so!  

But even if that is not possible, you can still enjoy the magic of Ireland in these pages.  Check out the links at the top of the page for simple instructions on how to explore Irish landmarks, enjoy Irish food, practice Irish customs, and much more!

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Until then - thanks for visiting our Irish potato candy recipes!  Please continue exploring your Irish side at Irish-Expressions.com.

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