by Alicia M Prater PhD

Created on: November 17, 2008   Last Updated: March 21, 2013

One thing I learned from my father was how to make potato candy, something passed along from his Kentucky family. There is no exact science or exact measurements to it, it is as simple as can be. All you need is a potato, jar of peanut butter, and lots of powdered (confectioner's) sugar. You will want to start with a small potato because they can easily take 2 lbs of sugar on their own. Once your arm strength is built up, and your patience, you can move on to making cookie sheet after cookie sheet of this rich, yummy treat.

1. Boil the potato until it is soft throughout and the skin is peeling on its own.

2. While still warm, peel the potato and use a fork to break it up in a large mixing bowl.

3. Stir in powdered sugar until a dough forms. The potato will liquify at first and then start to harden. Do not let the mix sit! As it cools it will harden and become unusable unless it is consistently being mixed, preferably with added sugar.

4. Roll out the dough using powdered sugar to prevent sticking. A quarter-inch thickness is preferable.

5. Spread peanut butter over the surface area. Make it as thick as you like. My family likes extra crunchy peanut butter, but smooth is also suitable.

6. Roll the dough so the layers spiral around each other and cut into half inch pieces. This will flatten the bottom of the roll and allow the pieces to stand up.

7. Let the candy sit out on a cookie sheet or foil covered plate for an hour or so. They will harden and become a chewy, rich treat. They are edible at any point though.

A small potato will result in about 1-2 dozen pieces, depending on how large of a surface area it is rolled out on. The dough can be divided into separate rolls depending on the preferred candy size.

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