Old fashioned potato candy originated during the Great Depression era as a sweet treat made with inexpensive ingredients. Made with just three simple ingredients, this old-fashioned candy is a popular no bake treat during the Holiday season and great to give as gifts.
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Additional Time1 hourhr
Total Time1 hourhr20 minutesmins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: christmas candy, christmas treat, depression candy, grandma’s potato candy recipe, great depression candy, no bake christmas candy, old-fashioned potato candy recipe, ole fashioned, peanut butter potato candy
Scrub and peel the medium potatoes and boil until fork tender.
Once boiled, drain and mash until smooth.
Allow the mashed potatoes to come to room temperature before using.
Add about ½ cup of powdered sugar at a time to the cooled mashed potatoes in a large bowl, kneading the mixture until a stiff dough begins to form.
Line a workspace with parchment paper, dust it with powdered sugar, and flatten and spread the dough out into a ¼-inch thick rectangle. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough and roll it out using a rolling pin to spread the dough evenly.
Spread a thin layer of peanut butter onto the dough evenly.
To roll the dough up jelly-roll style, use the parchment paper under the candy, start at the long side of the rectangular shape, and roll the dough up tightly.
Wrap the potato candy log tightly with parchment paper and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1-2 hours.
Cut into ¼ inch thickness.
Store candy slices in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers.
Notes
There's a bit of trial and error with potato candy and here are some helpful tips. Work with cooled mashed potatoes and add the powdered sugar a little at a time.Another helpful tip is to add a little cornstarch to the mixture and it will thicken the candy base without altering the flavor.