Irish Potato Candies

I have a very distinct memory of the very first time I had these. I was in kindergarten, sitting “Indian style” (which is now apparently called “criss-cross applesauce”) and someone’s mom brought them in for a St. Patrick’s Day treat. From that day forward, every March 17th was marked with these little coconut candies. They are so addictive and so delicious and it’s really a shame they’re relegated to just once a year. What was a bigger shame was that when I moved to Maryland no one had ever even heard of them. I searched high and low, even asked a candy maker if they knew how to make them (they actually tried to give me a recipe with REAL potato in it! Yikes!), and so I finally set about making them myself. I am so glad I did – they are easy to make, a huge hit at the office, and Michael and I now prefer the homemade ones!

Ingredients

¼ cup of butter, softened (but not melted)

4 oz. of cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 tsp. coconut extract

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb. box powdered sugar

1 (7oz.) bag of flaked coconut

Cinnamon for rolling the balls in

Directions

• Cream butter and cream cheese together.
• Add vanilla and coconut extract and mix.
• Add powdered sugar, mix well and then add coconut.
• Using your hands, roll the dough into walnut size balls.
• Roll each ball in cinnamon, then place on a cookie sheet covered in wax or parchment paper
• Chill for an hour before serving.
• Try not to eat all of them at one time.