How to Make Irish Potato Candy for St. Patrick's Day

I ate my first Irish potato in a dorm laundry room at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania. Our beloved housekeeper, Darlene, extended the box insistently with an incredulous, “You’ve never had an Irish potato, hon?” In one mouthful she introduced me to the homey candy that are a regional St. Patrick's Day tradition. Learn more about the dessert and get our recipe for Irish potato candy.

What Is Irish Potato Candy?

Not to be confused with peanut butter-swirled potato candy, Irish potatoes, as they're often shorthanded, are bite-size confections with a fluffy, creamy texture. They are typically made from a no-cook mixture of coconut, sugar, butter and, often, cream cheese. Shaped into charmingly lumpy nuggets and rolled in cinnamon until brown and dusty outside and white inside, they bear an uncanny resemblance to miniature russet potatoes. Some recipes even call for pine nut “eyes.” 

Like any regional dish, the recipe varies slightly from family to family. Some people skip the addition of cream cheese. Others use unsweetened cocoa in addition to (or as a replacement for) the cinnamon. My partner’s Aunt Pat even leaves out the coconut for those who dislike it. 

Though I’ve heard anecdotally about versions that do include some mashed potato, I personally have never encountered one made that way in the two decades since I ate that one in the dorm laundry room. The general consensus is that Irish potato candies comprise a sweet, creamy base, coconut, and cinnamon.

History of Irish Potato Candy

Despite the name, Irish potato candies don’t have origins in Ireland. They were invented by Irish immigrants in Philadelphia—a candy-making capital in the early 20th century—likely in the 1800s or early 1900s, a time when the city was experiencing a huge influx of Irish immigrants. 

Though the original recipe can’t be attributed to a single maker, a 1911 cookbook includes a recipe similar to the ones still used today to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. 

They remain a delightful regional tradition often made at home and by candymakers and are sold seasonally in candy shops and grocery stores. While Philadelphia is definitely their home turf, the tradition has dispersed throughout the Mid Atlantic region. They’ve been adopted in Amish and Mennonite bakeries. 

Irish Potato Candy Ingredients

Like any regional dish, the recipe for Irish potato candy varies from family to family, but the creamy base is very similar in composition to American buttercream or softened butter and powdered sugar beaten together until fluffy. I most often use salted butter and even add a pinch of salt to help round out the flavor. 

Many Irish potato candy recipes, mine included, incorporate cream cheese. I appreciate how the tartness of the cheese balances out the intense sweetness from the powdered sugar and contributes a fudgy texture. 

Coconut in this case is sweetened, flaked coconut, sometimes called angel flake. It’s sold in bags in the baking aisle and has a soft, almost squashy texture. Desiccated coconut, the fine dry coconut with a confetti texture you’ll sometimes find in bulk bins, is not what I would typically use for this recipe. Because it has a dryer texture it will pull moisture from the cheese-butter mixture, so the resulting candy might wind up dry and crumbly.

How to Store Irish Potato Candy

Place the Irish candy potatoes in refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 months or label and freeze up to 6 months.