Recipe of the Week: Potato Candy

Indulge in a nostalgic treat with our delightful Potato Candy, also known as Peanut Butter Pinwheels! This sweet confection combines the comforting flavors of creamy peanut butter and rich mashed potatoes, rolled together into irresistible pinwheels of bliss. Whether you’re satisfying a sweet tooth or seeking a unique dessert to impress guests, this recipe offers a perfect blend of simplicity and charm. Treat yourself to a taste of tradition with our Potato Candy – a timeless delight that’s sure to become a cherished favorite.

Estimated Cooking Time:

• Prep Time: 30minutes minutes
• Cook Time: 20minutes minutes
• Chill Time: 2hours 
• Total Time: 2hours hours 50minutes minutes

Serving Size: makes 40 slices

Ingredients:

• ½ cup (105 g) plain mashed potatoes * see recipe notes for cooking instructions
• ▢½ cup (113 g) salted butter softened
• ▢6-7 cups (800-910 g) powdered sugar plus additional for dusting
• ▢2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢Creamy peanut butter for filling

Cooking Instructions

1. Step 1: Combine mashed potatoes, butter, and one cup of sugar in a large bowl and use an electric mixer to stir until combined. ½ cup (105 g) plain mashed potatoes*,½ cup (113 g) salted butter,6-7 cups (800-910 g) powdered sugar
2. Step 2: Add remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time and stirring until combined after each addition. Once you’ve added 6 cups of powdered sugar, check the consistency. If the dough is not moldable in your hands and can’t be rolled into a ball, continue to add sugar until it is firm.
3. Step 3: Stir in vanilla extract.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4. Step 4: Refrigerate for at least 30-60 minutes (if you chill longer it may become too firm and brittle and will just need to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes until it is pliable).
5. Step 5: Once chilled, divide dough into two pieces and place one piece on a clean surface that you’ve generously dusted with powdered sugar. Dust the surface of the dough with additional sugar, and use a rolling pin to roll dough out into a rectangle about ¼” thick (about 8×12″). If your dough is too sticky or falling apart, you may need to add more sugar, re-shape it into a ball, and start over.
6. Step 6: Once dough has been rolled into a rectangle, spread evenly with peanut butter, leaving a small amount of space peanut butter-free around the perimeter of the dough.Creamy peanut butter
7. Step 7: Starting with the longer side of your rectangle, gently but tightly roll into a log.
8. Step 8: Use a harp knife to cut into slices about ¼-½” thick.
9. Step 9: Repeat steps 5-8 with remaining half of dough.
10. Step 10: Serve and enjoy. Store leftover candy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Tips for Making Potato Candy

• Let the potatoes cool completely.  Don’t refrigerate them, just leave them at room temperature once you’ve drained them until they are completely cooled, and then mash them until no lumps remain. If your potatoes are still warm when you add them to your mixture, there’s a good chance they’ll melt your butter and your sugar, resulting in a watery dough that you’ll have to toss out.
• Add more sugar as needed.  The dough will need to chill before you can roll it out, and it will be too tacky when first mixed up, but it should be somewhat shapeable. If it’s too sticky, you can always add more sugar, up to 2 cups more.
• Dust your surface and your rolling pin with powdered sugar, it will make the whole process easier and your dough less likely to stick. 

Notes

*Potatoes

Use russet potatoes. I recommend piercing your potatoes all over with a fork and heating in the microwave, rotating the potato every several minutes, until potato is tender when pierced with a fork. Then remove the potato filling from the jacket/skin and mash until smooth. 

I used to boil the potatoes and while this often works, I found this can sometimes cause the potatoes to retain water and make the mixture too watery to use.

Mashed potatoes must cool completely before adding sugar. Otherwise they will melt the sugar and you will end up with a very runny mess. Allow them to cool at room temperature rather than the fridge, as sometimes the condensation from the fridge can also make the mixture runny.

Cinnamon Cigars

Another (peanut butter-free) version of this candy can be made by rolling the filling into cigar shapes and rolling in 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon for Cinnamon Cigar Candy.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Serving: 1pinwheel slice | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 22mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 74IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg