Mini Cakes “Potatoes” (No-Bake Chocolate Cookie Cakes)

Mini “Potatoes” Cakes are classic no-bake chocolate desserts made from crushed cookies, butter, condensed milk, and cocoa. Popular across Eastern Europe, these nostalgic treats are quick to prepare, pantry-friendly, and shaped into small potato-like cakes coated in cocoa.

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This is one of those desserts that feels deeply nostalgic, wonderfully simple, and surprisingly satisfying for how little effort it takes. It’s a recipe with history, character, and plenty of room for small personal touches. So, let’s dive into these Mini “Potatoes” Cakes.

Why You’ll Love These Mini “Potatoes” Cakes

• No baking required: Perfect when you want dessert without turning on the oven.
• Pantry-friendly: Made with simple ingredients you likely already have.
• Quick to prepare: Ready in under 30 minutes, plus chilling time.
• Customisable: Easy to adjust sweetness, cocoa level, or add-ins.
• Nostalgic and comforting: A classic treat with a rich backstory.

What Are Mini “Potatoes” Cakes?

Mini “Potatoes” Cakes are a traditional no-bake dessert that resembles rum balls, chocolate salami, or cookie truffles. Known as Kartoshka in Russian, this dessert first appeared in the early 20th century as a practical way to use stale, unsold pastries.

The recipe became truly popular after the establishment of the Soviet Union, when food shortages made waste unacceptable. Bakers simplified the dessert further by using breadcrumbs and cake cut-offs, turning leftovers into something indulgent and satisfying. Because it relied on inexpensive, readily available ingredients, these little cakes quickly became a household staple and one of the most accessible desserts available in cafés and shops.

According to a well-known urban legend, uneaten bread and desserts from café tables were supposedly collected and transformed into these cakes. While that story is best left as folklore, it does highlight just how deeply rooted this dessert is in the culture of thrift and ingenuity.

Over time, home cooks simplified the recipe even more by replacing cake scraps with store-bought cookies, making the dessert easier, faster, and more consistent. Today, this version is the most common and practical for home kitchens.

Flavour and Texture Profile

These Mini “Potatoes” Cakes are rich, creamy, and softly textured, with a gentle sweetness balanced by cocoa bitterness. The condensed milk and butter create a smooth, fudgy interior, while the cookie crumbs add structure without heaviness. When chilled, the flavour deepens and the texture becomes especially satisfying.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Mini “Potatoes” Cakes

To make these Mini “Potatoes” Cakes, you’ll need simple, classic ingredients.

• Neutral cookies or biscuits: Maria, digestive, or similar tea biscuits work best.
• Butter: Softened, for a smooth and creamy base.
• Sweetened condensed milk: Adds sweetness and binds the mixture.
• Cognac, brandy, or rum: Optional, but traditional and flavour-enhancing.
• Dark cocoa powder: Optional, for the darker version of the dough.
• Walnuts: Optional, toasted and finely chopped for texture.

For the coating:

• Dark cocoa powder: Sifted, for rolling.
• Powdered sugar: Sifted, to soften the bitterness of the cocoa.

Two Traditional Approaches

There are two classic ways to prepare Mini “Potatoes” Cakes:

• Using cake cut-offs: Ideally, a baked cake is dried for at least one day, then crumbled and mixed into the filling.
• Using store-bought cookies or biscuits: Neutral cookies such as Maria, digestive biscuits, or similar tea biscuits are crushed and used instead.

For this recipe, I opted for the second approach. These cakes are meant to be a simple, inexpensive treat that comes together quickly. Baking a cake from scratch just to crumble it doesn’t quite fit that spirit.

Appearance and Flavour Choices

There are also two traditional approaches to the appearance of these cakes:

• The classic version: A white interior rolled in cocoa powder.
• The darker version: Cocoa incorporated directly into the dough, with optional additional coating.

For this recipe, I chose the authentic approach with a pale interior and cocoa coating. After all, potatoes have white flesh. I did test a few darker versions as well, and while both are tasty, the classic contrast between the sweet interior and slightly bitter cocoa coating is what truly makes this dessert special.

Decorating the cakes with small “potato eyes” is optional, but it’s a charming and instantly recognisable finishing touch.

How to Make Mini “Potatoes” Cakes

These Mini “Potatoes” Cakes are straightforward and forgiving.

1. Beat the butter with a mixer until lighter in colour, about 1 minute. Add the condensed milk and beat for another 1–2 minutes until fully combined. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the cream for decorating, if desired.
2. Place the cookies in a blender or food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form.
3. Combine about two-thirds of the crumbs with the cream mixture. If using cocoa, walnuts, or alcohol, add them now and mix well. Gradually add more crumbs until the mixture reaches a soft, dough-like consistency.
4. If the dough feels too soft, chill it for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
5. Take small portions of dough, about 3 tablespoons or less, and shape into oval or round “potatoes.”
6. Mix the cocoa powder and powdered sugar for the coating, then roll each cake evenly. Repeat for a thicker coating, if desired.
7. Decorate with “potato eyes” using a pastry bag or wooden stick, if you like.
8. Arrange on a plate, cover, and chill for 30–60 minutes before serving. They can be eaten immediately, but the flavour and texture improve once chilled.

More Delicious No-Bake Desserts

Are you looking for more fun no-bake recipes, like these Mini “Potatoes” Cakes? Be sure to check more recipes below:

• Coconut Cashew Rum Cookie Truffles
• Cream Liqueur Cookie Nut Truffles
• Rum and Raisin Biscoff Truffles
• No Bake Hedgehog Cakes

I’d love for you to try these No-Bake Chocolate Cookie Cakes “Potatoes”. If you give the recipe a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts!

Cheers!

Mini Cakes “Potatoes” (No-Bake Chocolate Cookie Cakes)

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

Classic no-bake “Potatoes” mini cakes made from cookies, butter, condensed milk, and cocoa. A simple Eastern European dessert.

Course: Chilled and No-Bake DessertsCuisine: Eastern-European

5.0 from 1 vote

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Servings

10-16

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Chilling time

30-45

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• About 350 g neutral cookies or biscuits (Like Maria, digestive cookies, or similar tea biscuits) – always have a few extra cookies *(See notes)

• 1 1/2 sticks (about 170 g) of butter , soften

• 2/3 cup (160 ml) sweetened condensed milk – always have a few extra spoons.

• 1-2 tbsp. (15-30 ml) of cognac, brandy, or rum (optional)

• Optional: 2 tbsp. (30 g) dark cacao, for the dark version

• Optional: ½ cup (75 g) walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

• Coating:

• 3-4 tbsp. (45-60 g) dark cacao powder, sifted

• 1 tbsp. (10 g) powdered sugar, sifted

Directions

• Beat the softened butter with a mixer until lighter in colour, about 1 minute. Add the sweetened condensed milk and beat for another 1–2 minutes, until smooth and fully combined. If you plan to decorate the cakes with “potato eyes,” reserve about 1 tablespoon of the cream mixture and set it aside.
• Place the cookies or biscuits in a blender or food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form.
• Add about two-thirds of the crumbs to the cream mixture. If using, stir in the cocoa powder (for the darker version), chopped walnuts, and alcohol. Mix well, then gradually add more crumbs until the mixture comes together into a soft, dough-like consistency. The dough should be slightly sticky but pliable. If it feels too soft, chill it for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
• Scoop small portions of the dough, about 3 tablespoons or less depending on your preferred size, and shape them into oval or round “potatoes.”
• In a small bowl, sift together the cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Roll each “potato” evenly in the mixture, repeating once or twice for a thicker coating if desired.
• Using a pastry bag or a small wooden stick, decorate with “potato eyes,” if you like.
  
• Arrange the cakes on a plate, cover, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes before serving. They can be enjoyed right away, but the flavour and texture improve once chilled.

Notes

• The texture of store-bought cookies or biscuits can vary, so you may need to adjust the consistency of the dough. Keep a few extra cookies on hand to thicken it, or add an extra spoonful of condensed milk to loosen it slightly. You can also mix in a small amount of finely ground nuts if the mixture needs more structure.