How to Make Needhams Potato Candy | Step-by-Step

A unique potato candy made with a mashed potato and coconut center, Needhams, aka “Maine Potato Candy,” are a fun candy treat. To learn more about the history of Needhams, head on over to the full Yankee feature (The Need for Needhams | Recipe with a History), but if you’re hoping to make a homemade batch and want to know HOW to make Needhams, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ll link to the full recipe at the bottom of the post.

How to Make Needhams Potato Candy | Step-by-Step

In a large bowl or in the bowl of a standing mixer, place the confectioners’ sugar, warm mashed potato (just to clarify, you should be using plain mashed potatoes with no milk or butter added), melted butter, coconut, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low speed (mixture will be very dry at first) until a thick paste forms, then increase speed for 30 seconds, or until all of the sugar is completely incorporated.

Transfer the mixture to a buttered, rimmed baking sheet (we prefer a jelly roll pan, but a 9×13-inch pan would also work) and press down evenly. Allow it to set and firm up at room temperature, about an hour, and then cut into small, even squares.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler until smooth, then remove from heat and add the shortening, stirring vigorously until shiny. Using a fork, place each square onto the tines and lower it into the chocolate until coated, then lift and allow the excess to drip back into the bowl.

Transfer the square to a sheet of parchment to harden for about an hour. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days for the best flavor and appearance.

Have you ever made a batch of Needhams potato candy? If not, now is the perfect time to try!

This post was first published in 2015 and has been updated. 

GET THE RECIPE:
Needhams Potato Candy

Aimee Tucker

Aimee Tucker is Yankee’s senior digital editor. A lifelong New Englander and Yankee contributor since 2010, Aimee has written columns devoted to history, foliage, retro food, and architecture, and regularly shares her experiences in New England travel, home, and gardening. Her most memorable Yankee experiences to date include meeting Stephen King, singing along to a James Taylor Fourth of July concert at Tanglewood, and taking to the skies in the Hood blimp for an open-air tour of the Massachusetts coastline.

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