Easy Irish Potatoes (Candy for St. Patrick’s Day)

Spoiler alert – these Irish potatoes don’t have any actual potatoes in them! But you’ll fall in love with them anyway.

These sweet little coconut confections are a no-bake, gluten free treat that are perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. 

What Are Irish Potato Candies?

Irish potato candies are small balls of sweetness that are more of a confection than an actual candy.

They’re made with cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, shredded coconut, and vanilla extract. The mixture is rolled into balls or oblong potato shapes, then coated in cinnamon so they resemble little spuds. 

They’re especially popular around St. Patrick’s Day, when you might see them wrapped in festive packaging at your local supermarket. 

Ingredients

You’ll only need 6 simple ingredients to make these little balls of love:

• Cream cheese
• Butter
• Confectioner’s sugar
• Flaked coconut
• Vanilla extract
• Cinnamon

How to Make Irish Potatoes

Combine the Ingredients

Start by beating the softened cream cheese and butter together with a little vanilla extract.

I like to use a handheld electric mixer for this, but you can also use your stand mixer if you prefer. 

Chill the Filling 

Pop the coconut mixture into the fridge for at least 30 minutes. It will be easier to form into balls if it’s a little cold. 

Form the Balls or Potato Shapes

Take your chilled filling and roll it into balls using your hands. I like to use a small cookie scoop so I get uniform sized balls.

Some people like to make the balls a little bit oblong in shape so that they look more like potatoes. 

Roll in Cinnamon

The last step is to roll the coconut balls in ground cinnamon. This really does make them look like spuds! 

Watch how to make Irish Potatoes for St. Patty’s Day!

Serving Suggestions

Serve these sweet little spuds as part of your St. Patrick’s Day festivities along with other desserts and Irish favorites like soda bread and Guinness cheese dip. 

They’re also totally giftable! Wrap them in cellophane baggies tied with green ribbon. 

Variations

Try these fun twists on this Irish potato recipe:

1. Add Chocolate Chips. I love the flavor combo of chocolate and cinnamon! Add mini chocolate chips to this recipe for a delicious twist on the classic. 

2. Less Sweet Version. Use unsweetened coconut flakes to reduce the overall sweetness of this recipe. 

3. Make them Chocolatey. Turn your cinnamon potatoes into cocoa potatoes by swapping out the cinnamon for cocoa powder. 

What Is the Origin of Irish Potato Candies?

Another spoiler – Irish potatoes didn’t originate in Ireland!

As a proud Philly girl, I’m happy to say that these little bad boys were born in the city of brotherly love.

Irish potato candies hail from the Irish neighborhoods in Philadelphia and other Eastern cities of the U.S. Every St. Patrick’s Day, you’re sure to see Ryan’s Irish Potatoes pop up in local bakeries and grocery stores.

They’re a St. Patty’s Day tradition around here! 

Storage Instructions

Store Irish potatoes in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Keep them in a single layer, or use pieces of parchment paper to separate them if you’re going to store them in layers. 

They will keep for up to 7 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.

You’re going to love making this traditional Irish-American confection at home! And when you make them, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy! 

For more sweet treat recipes, try these:

• 3 Ingredient Frozen Banana Bites
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls with Rice Krispies
• Easy Rolo Pretzel Bites