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This Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy recipe has been passed down in my family for generations! These are soft, fluffy, and full of amazing peanut butter flavor. You won’t believe what the secret ingredient is that makes these so incredible!
Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tradition: These peanut butter pinwheels have been in my family for generations. My kids and I make them every year around Easter and Christmas time. They are the perfect holiday treat!
- Flavor: These are soft, chewy, and nutty, and I just know you’re going to love them!
- No-Bake: These are simple to make and don’t require the oven. Make sure you plan to let the dough chill in the fridge for an hour.
Peanut Butter Pinwheel Ingredient List
This peanut butter pinwheel candy is the perfect no-bake treat! They’re made with a simple dough of mashed potatoes, powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and salt and then filled with creamy peanut butter. They’re easy to make and taste so amazing! The exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Mashed Potatoes: These are the base of the dough and give it structure, so don’t skip them!
- Unsalted Butter: This adds richness and flavor to the dough and makes it super easy to roll out.
- Vanilla Extract: This makes the dough and the peanut butter filling taste even better.
- Salt: Just a pinch of salt helps to balance out all that sweetness.
- Powdered Sugar: So the dough is sweet and crumbly.
- Creamy Peanut Butter: This is the star of the show! It’s the filling for the pinwheels and what makes them so delicious.
Use the Right Potatoes
I definitely do not recommend using leftover mashed potatoes that have been seasoned with salt, pepper, or anything else. Instead, use one or two russet potatoes. Peel them, dice them, boil until tender, drain, and then mash really well. Allow these potatoes to cool completely at room temperature before moving forward.
How to Make Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy
I know it looks like a lot, but trust me! These peanut butter pinwheels are super simple to prepare. All without having to use an oven!
Making the Dough
- Prepare Potatoes: Peel, dice, and boil the potato until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and then mash well, using a potato ricer for best results. Allow the potatoes to sit at room temperature until completely cooled before making the dough.
- Mash: In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the mashed potatoes, butter, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup of powdered sugar.
- Add Sugar: Add in remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until you have a total of 6 cups of sugar. If the dough is not moldable in your hands and can’t be rolled into a ball, continue to add more powdered sugar until it is firm enough to roll into a ball.
- Refrigerate: Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Shaping and Adding the Peanut Butter Filling
- Roll Out, Coat With Sugar: Once chilled, divide the dough into two pieces. Wrap one in plastic wrap and place it back in the fridge. Place the other on a clean surface that has been lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Dust the top of the dough with additional powdered sugar and use a rolling pin to roll it out. Make it into a rectangle that is 1/4 inch thick. Periodically lift the dough to make sure it’s not sticking. Dust with more powdered sugar as needed to prevent it from sticking.
- Add Filling: Once the dough has been rolled out, spread the peanut butter mixture evenly across the top of it, leaving a small amount of space peanut butter-free around the perimeter.
- Roll it Up: Starting with the longer side of your rectangle, carefully roll it up into a tight log.
- Cut Into Slices: Use a sharp knife to slice into pieces about 1/2″ thick. Repeat steps 5-8 with the remaining dough. Serve and enjoy this potato candy.
Tips for Potato Peanut Butter Candy
- Let Your Potatoes Cool: It’s very important to let your potatoes cool completely before making the dough. If they are still warm at all, it can cause the sugar to melt, and the dough will be more runny than it will be dough-like.
- Adjust the Consistency: Add more powdered sugar as needed. If the dough is sticky or not moldable, more powdered sugar will help it come together. Also, dust the surface as needed to prevent it from sticking.
- Filling: Don’t use too much peanut butter. It will ooze out and make it hard to slice uniform candy slices.
- Try a different kind of spread for the filling! It won’t be traditional, but almond butter, Nutella, cookie butter…these would all be delicious in this recipe!
More Peanut Butter Treats to Try:
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Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy
This recipe for Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy has been passed down in my family for generations! Don't let the secret ingredient fool you. These are a classic favorite candy that I'm sure you're going to love!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mashed potatoes about 1 large russet potato
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 6-7 cups powdered sugar plus additional for dusting
- Creamy peanut butter for filling
Instructions
- Peel, dice, and boil the potato until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and then mash well, using a potato ricer for best results. Allow the potatoes to sit at room temperature until completely cooled before making the dough.
- In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the mashed potatoes, butter, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup of powdered sugar.
- Add in remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until you have a total of 6 cups of sugar. If the dough is not moldable in your hands and can't be rolled into a ball, continue to add more powdered sugar until it is firm enough to roll into a ball.
- Cover and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
- Once chilled, divide the dough into two pieces. Wrap one in plastic wrap and place it back in the fridge. Place the other on a clean surface that has been lightly dusted with powdered sugar. Dust the top of the dough with additional powdered sugar and use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle that is 1/4 inch thick. Periodically lift the dough to make sure it's not sticking. Dust with more powdered sugar as needed to prevent it from sticking.
- Once the dough has been rolled out, spread the peanut butter evenly across the top of it, leaving a small amount of space peanut butter-free around the perimeter.
- Starting with the longer side of your rectangle, carefully roll it up into a tight log.
- Use a sharp knife to slice into pieces about 1/2" thick. Repeat steps 5-8 with the remaining dough. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Originally posted November 30, 2018
Updated on October 24, 2024
Nutrition
Calories: 93kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 0.1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 2mgPotassium: 7mgFiber: 0.03gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 71IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 0.02mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can you please send me a printable version of this recipe?
Peanut pinwheel candy
Hello! At the top of the recipe card, there is a button that allows you tp print the recipe! Hopefully that helps!
I grew up eating this awesome Candy and I’ve never tried to make it but it’s by chance I’ve got to cook up some potatoes before they go bad and this is perfect use to prevent wasting what can make a smile on someone’s face and have a wonderful time making it..
I’m glad I found this recipe.
Hi. I’m making these for Christmas. Oh, the memories of childhood. I remember how these tasted when my grandma would make them. How far in advance can these be made and stored? Thanks!
It is always nice to have those memories! These can be made 30 days in advance and stored in the freezer or about a week in the refrigerator.
Irish potato candy YUM
I just made this and used mashed potato flakes omitting the salt and butter from the instant potato recipe from the box and it turned out great!!
I was wondering if you could do that! One of the best restaurants I know uses potato flake to make their ham & cheese stuffed potatoes. Instead of using potato skins they roll them lightly in corn meal to make a crust. So yummy.
My family has always made this. My mother learned from her grandmother and I learned from my Mom and last year I forced my youngest daughter how to make this. Until now I thought my great grandma invented this candy. What a hoot to find it’s not such a secret.
My grandmother made these for us when I was a child. We never knew there was potato in it. She kept them in a tin in a cupboard on an unheated porch so they were always cool when we ate them. Years later when I was first married, we got a box of candies from a small store in town and there were ovals dipped in chocolate (called Teddy Bears) and the minute I tasted one, I remembered my grandmother’s candy. I asked my mother and she said they were made with potatoes. I tried to replicate the recipe (no internet then) and just kept adding icing sugar to the potatoes till the consistency was firm enough to be able to spread the peanut butter. I haven’t made them in years, but may make some to share with neighbours who are unable to have Christmas with family (us too). Thanks for the recipe so I don’t have to guess.
This here Peanut Butter Tater Candy is the bees knees, I tell ya what!
Loved these as a kid. My family made these often. Definitely a favorite memory. Glad you shared this.
My mom made something similar to this every xmas for my brother.She didn’t use potatoes tho. She took 3 egg whites and beat them with a mixer until very stiff. She then added 3/4 to a whole box of powdered sugar a little at a time.She then powdered her board with powdered sugar, rolled it out to a rectangle, then spread creamy peanut butter all over, then rolled it up and sliced it into about 1/2 inch slices. Rich but soooo good !
Oh wow what a great new way to make this yummy candy! Just egg whites and powdered sugar. I’m excited to try this.
I make this also,I divide the mixture and put a littler food color to make some red or green !
I had no idea that you had potatoes in the candy. Do you taste the potato? I don’t
No, it just makes it soft and fluffy. It tastes SO good. Enjoy!
Can you use instant mashed potatoes? If so, do you make the potatoes according to back of the box?
You can try that. Let me know how it works out!
This is the way I make it. I use instant to get the right texture spread powder sugar on my board and roll it out, fridge for a couple hours then cut—this is addicting–very sweet but oh so good. I have not made this in years. I am going to make it again!
my mom used instant all the time couldn’t tell any difference from when she used to make it from boiled when I was a kid tasted same great either way
no, real potatoes.
My mother used to make this candy when I was a little and it was a favorite. I haven’t made it in years. Now, I want to make some! Thanks for reminding of such a simple recipe filled with lots of memories. 🙂
I had made this few years ago from my husband’s aunt’s recipe. They called this potato candy. Love it!
Made this all my life. Used my families recipe. Our guys in Service requested this all the time. I had never heard of using potatoes. We made a recipe of boiled frosting then Rolled It out on confectioners sugar working it in… Add layer of peanut butter. Roll up and chill till firm to cut. It never crumbles using boiled frosting method and so good. Yes This method is a lot more work but worth it. I only do it at all holidays.