Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy

This recipe for Peanut Butter Pinwheels 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!

Hi everyone! Sam here again from Sugar Spun Run and 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 an 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 like my favorite no-bake cookies and these peanut butter pinwheels.

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! I won’t lie, I was definitely alarmed the first time my mom ever shared this recipe with me, I actually thought she’d lost her mind. I love potatoes in savory recipes like mashed potatoes and potato soup, but potatoes in candy!? 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. There are a few things to take note of when making this candy, though…

How do you make Peanut Butter Pinwheel Candy

As I mentioned, you’re going to start with potatoes. Specifically, mashed 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. Make sure the potatoes are completely cooled, otherwise they will melt the powdered sugar that you add and you’ll end up with a runny mess. Don’t try to speed up the cooling process by putting your hot potatoes in the fridge, as I’ve found this often causes condensation that will also make your dough too runny. Then, add your mashed potatoes into a bowl with butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar and continue to add sugar until the dough is firm. Chill in the refrigerator for up to an hour, and then roll it out into a rectangle, spread peanut butter evenly over the center, roll it up and slice!

The dough is extremely versatile and can also be rolled into egg shapes and dipped in unsweetened or dark chocolate (another Easter favorite in my house), or rolled into cigar shapes and rolled through cinnamon (use straight cinnamon, not a cinnamon/sugar mixture, as the dough is sweet enough that a mix is not needed). Enjoy! All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.