Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Cook and Cool the Potato
- Prick a medium russet potato several times with a fork. Microwave it on a microwave-safe plate for 8-12 minutes, turning halfway through, until a fork slides easily through the center. Let it stand just until safe to handle.
- Split the potato, scoop out the flesh, and mash it while warm until completely smooth. Measure exactly 1/2 cup (105 g); reserve any extra for another use. Spread the measured potato in a shallow layer and cool uncovered at room temperature for at least 45 minutes, until no warmth remains.
Mix and Chill the Dough
- Place the completely cooled potato, softened salted butter, and 1 cup of the powdered sugar in a large bowl. Beat on low speed until evenly combined, stopping to scrape the bowl. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Add the remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition. Begin testing the dough after 6 cups total: it should be thick, moldable, and able to hold a smooth ball without slumping. If it clings heavily to clean fingers, mix in more powdered sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, using no more than 7 cups total unless the potato was unusually moist.
- Flatten the dough into a thick disk, cover the bowl, and refrigerate for 45 minutes. The dough should feel cool and firm but still bend without cracking. If it becomes brittle, let it stand at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before rolling.
Fill, Roll, and Slice
- Divide the chilled dough into two equal pieces. Keep one piece covered while you work. Generously dust a sheet of parchment paper, the dough, and the rolling pin with additional powdered sugar. Roll the first piece into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick, lifting and redusting it whenever it begins to stick.
- Spread 1/4 cup of the creamy peanut butter over the rectangle in a thin, even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch bare border along one long edge. Starting at the opposite long edge, use the parchment to help roll the dough into a snug log without squeezing out the filling. Pinch the bare edge gently against the log to seal.
- Wrap the log in parchment and refrigerate for 15 minutes for cleaner slices. Repeat the rolling and filling process with the remaining dough and remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter.
- Wipe a sharp, thin-bladed knife clean between cuts and slice each log into 20 pinwheels, about 3/8 inch thick. Arrange the Old-Fashioned Potato Candy in a single layer or separate stacked layers with parchment. Serve chilled or after 5-10 minutes at room temperature for a softer bite.
Nutrition
Notes
Maria's Notes
- Measure only the cooked potato flesh, not the skin, and use exactly 1/2 cup (105 g). Extra potato adds more moisture than the sugar can reliably handle.
- Cool the mashed potato uncovered at room temperature. Even a little trapped warmth can soften the butter and turn the sugar mixture loose.
- Add the final cup of powdered sugar gradually. Stop when the dough is moldable and holds its shape; forcing in extra sugar can make the pinwheels crack.
- Use conventional creamy peanut butter. Natural peanut butter can separate and make the spiral oily or slippery.
- Lift the dough from the parchment once or twice as you roll it, adding a light dusting of powdered sugar underneath before it has a chance to stick.
- For neat spirals, chill each finished log for 15 minutes and wipe the knife clean between slices.
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