Irresistible Irish Potatoes Candy

Here is my favorite Irish potatoes candy recipe, with cream cheese, butter, shredded coconut, and cinnamon that makes these little treats look just like tiny potatoes.

These candies are a fun no-bake treat that my kids love helping me roll into little potato shapes. They’re perfect for St. Patrick’s Day, but honestly, we make them year-round because they disappear so quickly in our house.

What Kind of Cream Cheese Should I Use?

For Irish potatoes candy, regular full-fat cream cheese is your best bet – it gives you that smooth, creamy texture that holds everything together. Make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature before you start mixing, otherwise you’ll end up with lumps that are tough to work out. The brick-style cream cheese works better than the spreadable kind in a tub, since those spreads often have added ingredients that can affect the consistency of your candy. If you’re in a pinch and forgot to take your cream cheese out ahead of time, you can soften it in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds, but be careful not to melt it.

Options for Substitutions

This simple candy recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Cream cheese: You can use full-fat or reduced-fat cream cheese here, but I’d avoid fat-free as it doesn’t have the same creamy texture. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature before mixing.
• Butter: Regular salted or unsalted butter both work fine. If you only have salted, just skip any additional salt in the recipe.
• Vanilla essence: Vanilla extract works just as well as vanilla essence. You can also try almond extract for a different flavor, but use only half the amount since it’s stronger.
• Coconut: Sweetened shredded coconut is traditional, but unsweetened works too if you prefer less sweetness. Just note that the texture might be slightly different with unsweetened.
• Cinnamon: The cinnamon coating is what makes these look like little potatoes, so I wouldn’t skip it. But if you’re not a cinnamon fan, you could try cocoa powder mixed with a tiny bit of cinnamon for a chocolate twist.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest mistake when making Irish potatoes candy is using cold cream cheese and butter straight from the fridge, which makes mixing nearly impossible and leaves you with lumpy, uneven candy – let both soften at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before starting.

Another common error is adding all the confectioners’ sugar at once, which creates a cloud of powdered sugar in your kitchen and makes it harder to incorporate smoothly, so add it gradually in batches while mixing.

To get that perfect potato shape, slightly wet your hands before rolling the mixture into balls, which prevents sticking and gives you better control over the shape.

If your mixture feels too sticky to work with, pop it in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to firm up before shaping, and remember that a light dusting of cinnamon works better than heavy coating – you can always add more, but you can’t take it away.

What to Serve With Irish Potatoes Candy?

These sweet little treats are perfect on their own, but they really shine as part of a dessert spread or holiday cookie platter. I love setting them out alongside other no-bake candies like peanut butter balls, chocolate fudge, or coconut macaroons for a fun variety. They’re also great with a cup of hot coffee or Irish breakfast tea, which balances out the sweetness nicely. If you’re putting together a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, arrange them on a platter with other green and white desserts, or pack them up in small boxes tied with ribbon to give as homemade gifts.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your Irish potatoes candy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The cream cheese means they need to stay cold, but honestly they taste even better chilled! I like to separate layers with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.

Freeze: These little treats freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment between the layers. They’re great to make ahead for St. Patrick’s Day or whenever you need a sweet treat on hand.

Serve: Let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving if you’ve had them in the fridge. If frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. They’re perfect straight from the fridge too if you like them extra firm and cold!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2750-2950
• Protein: 7-10 g
• Fat: 125-140 g
• Carbohydrates: 400-420 g

Ingredients

For the candy base:

• 5 oz cream cheese (I prefer Philadelphia brand for the best consistency)
• 1/4 cup butter (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 2.25 cups coconut
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

For the coating:

• 1.5 tbsp cinnamon (I always use McCormick ground cinnamon for better color)

Step 1: Prepare the Creamy Base

• 5 oz cream cheese
• 1/4 cup butter

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter, beating them together until smooth and well blended—this usually takes about 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer or vigorous hand mixing.

The cream cheese should be at room temperature (around 70°F) to blend smoothly without lumps.

I prefer Philadelphia brand cream cheese because it has the most consistent texture and blends seamlessly with the butter.

Step 2: Build the Sweet Foundation

• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• cream cheese mixture from Step 1

Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar to the cream cheese mixture in two additions, stirring well after each addition to prevent lumps from forming.

Once the sugar is mostly incorporated, add the vanilla extract and stir until the mixture is completely smooth and no streaks of sugar remain.

The mixture should resemble moist sand or cookie dough at this point.

Step 3: Fold in the Coconut

• 2.25 cups coconut
• sugar mixture from Step 2

Gently fold the coconut into the sugar mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to overmix, which can make the candy tough.

Fold until the coconut is evenly distributed throughout and the mixture is cohesive enough to hold together when squeezed.

The texture should be like a thick, slightly moist dough that’s ready to be shaped.

Step 4: Mix the Cinnamon Coating

• 1.5 tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

In a small bowl, combine the ground cinnamon and nutmeg together, stirring to distribute the nutmeg evenly throughout the cinnamon.

I always use McCormick ground cinnamon for its superior color and flavor consistency.

Set this aside for coating the candies.

Step 5: Shape and First Coat

• coconut mixture from Step 3
• cinnamon coating from Step 4

Working with a small spoon or your hands (lightly oiled to prevent sticking), shape the coconut mixture into 1-inch balls and immediately roll each ball in the cinnamon-nutmeg mixture to coat all sides.

Arrange the coated balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a little space between each one.

Step 6: Chill and Finish

• chilled candies from Step 5
• remaining cinnamon coating from Step 4

Refrigerate the candies for 10 minutes to firm them up slightly.

After chilling, inspect each candy and apply a second, light coat of cinnamon-nutmeg mixture to any spots that look bare or need more color—this gives the Irish potatoes their characteristic rustic appearance with visible spice coating.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Irresistible Irish Potatoes Candy

Delicious Irresistible Irish Potatoes Candy recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 48 pieces

Calories: 2850

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the candy base::

• 5 oz cream cheese (I prefer Philadelphia brand for the best consistency)
• 1/4 cup butter (softened to room temperature, about 70°F)
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1.5 tsp vanilla
• 2.25 cups coconut
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

For the coating::

• 1.5 tbsp cinnamon (I always use McCormick ground cinnamon for better color)

Method

 

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and butter, beating them together until smooth and well blended—this usually takes about 1-2 minutes with an electric mixer or vigorous hand mixing. The cream cheese should be at room temperature (around 70°F) to blend smoothly without lumps. I prefer Philadelphia brand cream cheese because it has the most consistent texture and blends seamlessly with the butter.
2. Add the sifted confectioners' sugar to the cream cheese mixture in two additions, stirring well after each addition to prevent lumps from forming. Once the sugar is mostly incorporated, add the vanilla extract and stir until the mixture is completely smooth and no streaks of sugar remain. The mixture should resemble moist sand or cookie dough at this point.
3. Gently fold the coconut into the sugar mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon, being careful not to overmix, which can make the candy tough. Fold until the coconut is evenly distributed throughout and the mixture is cohesive enough to hold together when squeezed. The texture should be like a thick, slightly moist dough that's ready to be shaped.
4. In a small bowl, combine the ground cinnamon and nutmeg together, stirring to distribute the nutmeg evenly throughout the cinnamon. I always use McCormick ground cinnamon for its superior color and flavor consistency. Set this aside for coating the candies.
5. Working with a small spoon or your hands (lightly oiled to prevent sticking), shape the coconut mixture into 1-inch balls and immediately roll each ball in the cinnamon-nutmeg mixture to coat all sides. Arrange the coated balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer, leaving a little space between each one.
6. Refrigerate the candies for 10 minutes to firm them up slightly. After chilling, inspect each candy and apply a second, light coat of cinnamon-nutmeg mixture to any spots that look bare or need more color—this gives the Irish potatoes their characteristic rustic appearance with visible spice coating. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.