

Authentic Philadelphia-style Irish Potatoes (recipe from The Kitchn)
Irish Potato Candy
Makes about 4 1/2 dozen
- 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 pound powdered sugar (4 cups)
- 7 ounces flaked, sweetened coconut (2 2/3 cups), preferably angel flake
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
Return the mixer to low speed and gradually add the powdered sugar. When all the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides again. Add the coconut and beat on low speed until incorporated.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper if desired for easy cleanup. Scoop the coconut mixture out by level tablespoons onto the baking sheet, spacing them close together but not touching. Repeat until all the mixture is used up. Refrigerate for 30 minutes for the mixture to set.
Place the cinnamon in a small bowl. Using your hands, roll 1 of the pieces into a slightly oblong potato shape. Roll in the cinnamon to completely coat, then place back on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Recipe Notes
- Storage: Leftovers can be stacked on top of each other in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Potato Cocoanut Candy
- 1 medium sized potato
- 2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
- 2 cups shredded cocoanut
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Chocolate
Source: The Candy Cook Book by Alice Bradley, Principal of Miss Farmer’s School of Cookery, 1922

Irish Potato Candy
- 1 Irish potato, size of an egg
- 1 pound pulverized sugar (4-4 1/2 cups powdered)
- 1 small jar peanut butter
Boil potato until done, leaving on the peeling until cooked, then peel and mash with a fork. Work in the sugar making a stiff dough. Roll thin like piecrust with a rolling pin, then spread a thin layer of peanut butter all over the crust. Roll up like a jelly roll, and cut into one-inch squares. Chill and serve.
FYI: This recipe did not turn out exactly as expected. The dough was rather sticky so I added a little cornstarch. It was still too sticky to roll up like a jelly roll, so I decided to mix in the peanut butter a bit to make a kind of fudge and chilled it in the fridge. That worked! You could also try to chill the dough before rolling it out which could do the trick. Also key is using the starchiest potatoes you can find (such as Idaho or Russet).