Scottish Macaroon Bars are made from a surprising main ingredient: potatoes! Bet you wouldn’t have guessed that! This treat is a quintessential Scottish sweet, especially loved by those who adore coconut.
If you don’t already know that potatoes are one of my favorite foods, now you know.
I have over 34 posts which either feature or include potatoes in one form or another, ranging from appetizers to soups to main dishes, and as of today, I can add candy to the list.
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Potatoes are so incredibly versatile, and to highlight this fact, The Idaho Potato Commission sponsored an event called Potato Palooza where everything on the menu included potatoes.
Another Scottish coconut recipe: snowballs!
Although I didn’t need to bring anything to share, I couldn’t resist taking along a sweet I’ve been planning to post for a long time: Scottish Macaroons. It was perfect because they are made with potatoes! You’d never, ever guess that these sweets are made with potatoes even if you make them yourself; I’m still amazed each time I eat one. And did I mention that they’re gluten-free?
My Dad used to sell Scottish Macaroon Bars in his fish and chip shop in Scotland, and being a coconut lover since I can remember, they were a delightful treat. If you don’t have a sweet tooth, they might not be for you since they are very sweet, which is why I decided to make smaller versions of the ones on store shelves.
After reading the ingredients (ugh) in the Lee’s brand macaroons, I am much happier to make my own with a few simple ingredients, including a potato!
My recipe was featured in Scotland Now and was received with much excitement!
If you love chocolate and coconut, you will probably also love this recipe from my Aunt Virginia in Scotland! Homemade Bounty/Mounds bars!
Note: it’s important to use the right type of coconut for these. Find a finely shredded coconut for coating (I use coconut with no added sugar or preservatives).
Scottish Macaroon Bars
Adapted from an old Scottish cookbook with no author Makes about 24 (depends on the size)
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Make the center
Boil the unpeeled potato until ready. Drain, peel and mash the potato and allow to cool completely.
Begin adding some powdered sugar, about half a cup at a time. Don’t fret if the mixture becomes gooey, because it will.
Just keep adding the sugar and mixing well, and soon it will have a fondant texture. Add enough sugar so that it comes together and is very stiff.
If you’d like to make a pink version (I made half the batch pink for Valentine’s Day) just add a drop of red food coloring.
Prepare a cookie sheet (which will fit into your freezer) with waxed paper or a silicone liner.
Shape the Scottish macaroon bars
At this point, you can roll the macaroon mixture into small balls and flatten them, or for the traditional style, shape it into a rectangle on the sheet and then place in the freezer for about 4 hours or longer.
Prepare the coconut, by placing it on a cookie sheet in a preheated 300 ºF oven for 5 minutes.
Stir the coconut and continue to monitor closely as it will turn brown very quickly.
Remove from the oven when it’s a nice brown color; cool and mix with an equal amount of untoasted coconut.
Place in a plate which will be a good size for dipping the macaroons. If you made a rectangle shape of macaroons, cut them into your preferred size and shape.
Keep in the freezer until ready to dip.
When you are ready to finish the macaroons, melt the chocolate.
Dip the centers
Dip each piece into the chocolate, and immediately coat with the combination of shredded coconut.
Place on a tray to set. I am using a two pronged candy fork.
Once the chocolate has hardened, there is no need to freeze or refrigerate the Scottish Macaroon bars.
Keep in a cool, dry place, preferably in a tin, and consume within 7 to 10 days
(the last part shouldn’t be a problem)! I hope you enjoyed my recipe for Scottish Macaroon Bars.
A bag or box of Scottish macaroon bars make great gifts!
Scottish Macaroon Bars
A traditional Scottish sweet/candy made with potatoes.
Ingredients
- 114 g (4 ounces) potato, boiled, peeled and mashed
- 450 g (16 ounces) powdered sugar (more or less as needed)
- 350 g (12 ounces) dark or milk chocolate for dipping
- 114 g (4 ounces) finely shredded coconut for coating (divided in half)
Instructions
- Place cooled mashed potato in a bowl and begin adding powdered sugar, a little at a time, Continue adding the sugar and mixing well, and soon it will have a fondant texture. Add enough sugar so that it comes together and is very stiff.
- Line a baking sheet (which will fit into your freezer) with greaseproof/wax paper or a silicone baking mat. Shape mixture into a rectangle on the sheet and place in the freezer for about 4 hours or longer.
- Prepare the coconut, by placing half of it on a baking sheet in a preheated (150ºC) 300 ºF oven for 5 minutes. Stir the coconut and continue to monitor closely as it will brown quickly. Remove from the oven when golden brown; cool and mix with the other half of untoasted coconut and transfer to a plate for dipping.
- Remove the macaroons from the freezer and cut into your preferred size and shape, but keep in the freezer until ready to dip. When you are ready to finish the macaroons, melt the chocolate. Dip each piece into the chocolate, and immediately coat with the combination of shredded coconut.
- Place on a tray to set. Keep in a cool, dry place, preferably in a tin, and consume within 7 to 10 days.
Notes
Skip the coconut coating if you prefer it plain.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 pieceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 5579Total Fat: 303gSaturated Fat: 225gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 61gCholesterol: 148mgSodium: 1658mgCarbohydrates: 669gFiber: 62gSugar: 557gProtein: 62g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
Life in LA…
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Never knew about the potatoes. Will definitely try these, as I live in Norway will try and get a dry potato as we have different types here, only one familiar futon Scotland in Pimpernel. Thank you for such clear instructions.
Wonderful, Mairi! You’ll love them! ;)
[…] bar snowballs. If you want to see the real thing, head over to Christina Conte’s blog at Christina’s Cucina to see how to make the real McCoy […]
Thank you so much for this recipe, you may have made my Christmas!
We’ve recently moved from Scotland and have had trouble finding these anywhere. All these years buying them and I had no idea they were so easy to make or contained potato, it’s so simple and great for kids to get involved too.
Oh that’s wonderful to hear, Heidi! So happy you found my recipe! You’ll also feel better that your family isn’t eating all those processed ingredients, too! Merry Christmas! CC
Hi just wondering if you have considered making and selling these wonderful products? If not is theere anyone on line that you know of that would? Thank you for listening
Hi Ann Michelle, I haven’t actually. I don’t know of anyone who does, either! The Lee’s are still available, but they aren’t homemade. :) Good luck!
Christina!
These are fantastic! Dare I say, they look even better than the original that we grew up with in our lovely Scotland. I made them for the first time last Christmas and was surprised how my tastes had changed over the years as they were just so sweet and so I made mini snowball versions, like my Granny would have done. But seeing your pro photos of them, there’s nothing more nostalgic as seeing the good ol’ macaroon bar! Bravo.
Oh thank you, Jill! They are very sweet, but there’s something about eating a treat from one’s childhood that just brings back so many memories! I’m so happy to get YOUR stamp of approval on these! That means a lot to me! :)
Hello!
Ive mad these a couple of time, they are sooo good!
Do you know if they can be frozen? I am making them as wedding favors (I am scottish) but would like to do it a bit in advance of the wedding! xxx
Hi Suzanne! I’m so glad you like them, but I don’t think I would freeze them as when you take them out, they’ll probably sweat and may ruin the chocolate coating and who knows how the inside will do with freezing? They do last quite a while in tins and you don’t usually have the heat to deal with in Scotland. How far in advance do you want to make them?
Wow Christina these look so professional and I’ve never heard of these bars before but want to try now:-)
Those look so delicious! I love macaroons! I can’t wait to try yours! Congrats!
I have read your posts recipes before & love macaroon
bars, thinking of having a go , wonder if Buchanan’s Belgian chocolate bars 110g have same contents as Lees, will check .Well you’ve got me going now , how about Scottish Snowballs And Abernathy biscuits.
Scottish snowballs were I think amazingly deemed not to be cake category and sweet I think by some food organisation.
Do you have recipies for above mentioned, great articles
Hi James! I do have the recipe for snowballs if you mean the homebaked ones (not the marshmallow ones) Here is the recipe. I don’t have the Abernethy biscuit recipe yet, but you can type Scottish into the search bar on my page and all of my Scottish recipes should appear. Thank you so much! Stay safe!