Rows of Irish potatoes

Look up “Irish potato” in Herbst’s Food Lover’s Companion and you’ll find it defined as “a round, white, thin-skinned potato . . . good for boiling, frying and pan-roasting.” Ask for an Irish potato in Philadelphia and in all likelihood you’ll be handed a small, cinnamon-dusted, spud-shaped candy.

A Philly original from the early 20th century, this sweet reputedly was created by Irish immigrants for St. Patrick’s Day. In spite of its name there is not a trace of potato in this confection. Its moniker comes from its oblong shape, white center and dusky skin.

What you need to make Irish potatoes

What’s in an Irish potato? Cream cheese, butter, coconut and lots of powdered sugar. If you don’t like intensely sweet treats, you’ll want to steer clear of this little guy. Even I, the queen of sugar, find some versions too cloying.

To boost the sweetness even more, many flavor their Irish potatoes with a generous dose of vanilla extract. Since I have a surplus of Bailey’s Irish Cream on hand, I cut back on the extract and add a tablespoon of liqueur to the mix.

A bowlful of Irish potato ‘batter,’ ready to be shaped into its familiar form.

Once all the ingredients have been whipped together, the creamy mixture is shaped into tiny potatoes–I think of them as candied tater tots–and rolled in cinnamon. In the following recipe I dust my Irish potatoes with either unsweetened cocoa or sweet ground chocolate. Both go better with the Bailey’s-laced filling than the traditional cinnamon coating.

COCOA-DUSTED IRISH POTATOES
Makes about 4 dozen 1-inch potatoes

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 tablespoon Bailey’s Irish Cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound confectioner’s sugar
8 ounces sweetened coconut flakes
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons sweet ground chocolate

Using either an electric mixer or spatula, beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the Irish cream and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. Add half of the confectioner’s sugar and beat together until well combined. Repeat with the remaining sugar and then add the coconut flakes, beating until combined.

Place the cocoa powder and ground chocolate on 2 separate plates.

Using your hands, take 1 to 2 teaspoons of coconut cream and roll it into a small, oblong “potato.” Roll the potato in either the cocoa powder or ground chocolate and place it on a plate or in an airtight container. Roll and then coat the remaining filling, dusting half of the Irish potatoes with cocoa powder and the other half with chocolate. Cover the potatoes and refrigerate until ready to consume.

Note that, if stored in an airtight container and refrigerated, Irish potatoes will keep for up to 2 weeks.