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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!
If you love peanut butter treats, here are a few more delicious recipes to try out: peanut butter fudge, chocolate peanut butter pie, and peanut butter no-bake cookies.
Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy Recipe
Today I am so excited to share one of my family’s favorite recipes. These peanut butter pinwheels have been in my family for generations, we make them every year around Easter and Christmas time. I love that this is a no-bake recipe, and that’s part of what makes them a holiday favorite that I grew up making. While my mom would be using the oven to prep holiday dinner essentials, I would stay out of her way making classic no-bake treats! This is a great recipe to add to the lineup because they’re so easy to prepare.
There is a somewhat unexpected ingredient in these peanut butter pinwheels: potatoes. Please, don’t be alarmed by the fact that this recipe uses potatoes! Trust me, it works. The potatoes serve as the binding base for your sweet pinwheel dough, and by tasting them you’d never be able to tell that they’re the secret ingredient in this recipe. They’re soft, chewy, and nutty, and you’re going to love them!
Ingredient List
These peanut butter pinwheels are 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! 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 the 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, and 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.
- Add Filling: 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.
- 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.
Tips for Potato 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.
- Go Easy on the Filling: Don’t be too heavy-handed with the peanut butter. If you use too much it will ooze out and make it hard to slice uniform slices of the candy.
- 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
Ingredients
- â…“ 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 the 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, and 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
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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.
Can you freeze this candy? If so, how would you recommend doing it.
Thanks in advance
Yes, you can freeze this. You can leave it in the roll before cutting into slices and wrap it in plastic wrap then place in a ziplock bag with the air removed and leave in the freezer for up to 1 month.
My grandmother used to make this when I was growing up. It kind of taste like peanut butter fudge. Such good memories. I have made it a few times and people are always surprised by the mashed potatoes. One of my favorites and a great way to use the leftovers.
There is a way to make them without patatos also i make them without my recipe is like rt above ive never heard of the patato one till now i might just try it though
Thank you! Our neighbor made this for us when I was 7 yrs old (over 50 years ago) and I’ve never found a recipe that is similar. So many make it without potatoes, and it’s not the same thing at all.
I am 68 yrs. Old , my grandmother use to make this every Christmas, now I make it every Christmas. I alw says loved it BUT I have tweeked it and my family and friends love it . So I will share my secret with you. You just try this you will never believe how much better it is. And I loved it like grandmother made but seems like it crumbled some . So I use the same recipe you do but without potatos.
In the same recipe leave the potatoes out and add 2 8oz.
cream cheese, that’s right cream cheese let it be room temperature. Oh and you can also make chocolate. Yes you can I like chocolate to taste like chocolate, so in this respect I would put 6 Tb.spones of cocoa powder mix in powdered sugar and sift it in. If you like chocolate you will love this. Let me know how you like it if you do.if you like it feel free to pass it on. Thank you for this sweet reminder of times go by. God bless.
I make it like that as well, my kids love the chocolate, and the vanilla, we had it when I was a kid, my mom called it poor man’s candy.
This sounds delicious I can’t wait to try it your way!
This is the most impossible receipe for me to make but when done my husband loves it.
Can you freeze these?
Yes, this will work great frozen.