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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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Thanks so much. These are as delicious as they simple to make .
could you make this with pink food color, shape it like a heart and drizzle chocolate? for valentine’s. or would they be too soft?
That’s such a great idea! I think it would work out great!
I used to eat the mashed potato candy and loved it. But I could not get thr recipe! Now I have it! ThankYou! Now all I need is popcorn peanut butter fudge recipe,! Do you know of anyone who may have it? Thanks!
I’m SO glad you posted this recipe! My mom these when I was growing up. She called it potato candy. I had completely forgotten about it until I saw this. It is SO good! Thank you again for posting this recipe! I’ll be making these tomorrow.
My granny used to make this only she used banana instead of potato!!! I really like yours as well!!! Try it with banana sometimes!!!
I just made these for a Royal Rumble party. We were really looking forward to them, but unfortunately they are so sweet they are almost inedible. This recipe is almost entirely powdered sugar, and that is all it tastes like. It is also soooo messy to make! This is my first and last time making these, but to each their own.
The potato seems to help the candy keep its shape much better.
I have made them several times without using potato, but this is
the best recipe I have tried for peanut butter pinwheels.