The most decadent, silky smooth mashed sweet potatoes you will ever eat! These sweet potatoes are packed with delicious flavors from brown butter, cinnamon, and vanilla. They’re the perfect sweet dish to add to your holiday table.
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Once the holidays roll around, I want nothing but decadent, delicious dishes. You know what I'm talking about...those warm and comforting recipes that come around every year.
If you're looking for a new dish to share on your holiday table, you have to try these mashed sweet potatoes layered with brown butter, cinnamon, and vanilla. It's basically like eating dessert as a side dish.
If you need more holiday meal inspiration, check out all of my favorite holiday recipes.
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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- How to cook sweet potatoes in either the oven or microwave.
- Tips for achieving the creamiest mashed sweet potatoes.
- How to brown butter (a great technique to learn for future recipes too).
Making this dish for Thanksgiving dinner? Be sure to grab your Thanksgiving planning timeline so your meal is stress-free and organized.
Ingredients You Need
- Unsalted butter: I like to control the salt in this recipe, which is why I choose to use unsalted butter and add my own salt. If you use salted butter, taste the sweet potatoes before adding the additional salt called for in the recipe.
- Sweet potatoes: Be sure to scrub the potatoes before making this dish so that no dirt gets into the sweet potato mash.
- Heavy cream: To achieve a silky and smooth mashed sweet potato, you'll need some heavy cream. You can also substitute with whole milk or half-and-half.
- Brown sugar: This adds a touch of sweetness to the dish. Feel free to also use dark brown sugar.
- Vanilla extract: I love using a high-quality vanilla extract, like Rodelle.
- Ground cinnamon: Cinnamon adds yet another layer of flavor.
- Fine sea salt: All dishes, even savory dishes, need some salt to help enhance the flavor.
How To Make This Recipe
1. First, it's time to brown some butter. This is my favorite part of the recipe! This method imparts so much flavor to the dish.
Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring continuously until there are golden brown flecks at the bottom of the saucepan and you smell a nutty aroma, about 3–5 minutes. Don't be tempted to walk away during this process, or you could risk burning the butter.
2. Next, cook the sweet potatoes. This can be done in the oven or microwave. Pierce sweet potatoes in several spots with a fork to allow the steam to release as the potatoes cook.
For the oven method, place the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour until sweet potatoes are tender enough to be pierced all the way through with a knife.
For the microwave method, cook the sweet potato on high power level (100 percent) for 10–15 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking process.
3. Peel the skin of the sweet potatoes, and chop the flesh into large cubes. Place sweet potato cubes, warmed heavy cream, and cooled brown butter in a high-powered food processor or blender.
4. Cover and blend on high speed until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency.
5. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt to the food processor.
6. Blend once more until the sweet potato mash is super creamy and silky smooth.
Expert Tips
- This is a great dish to make ahead of time, especially if you have a lot of different dishes to prepare for a holiday meal. Make this dish up to 3 days ahead of time.
- To reheat, place in a heat-safe bowl and heat in the microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 1–2 minutes, stirring halfway, until the potatoes are heated through.
- I always love to dress up holiday side dishes with a pretty garnish before serving. For these brown butter mashed sweet potatoes, place them in a serving bowl, and garnish with an additional slab of butter.
Recipe FAQs
You can store leftover mashed sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
If your sweet potatoes aren't fully cooked and very soft, the mash can become lumpy. Also, be sure you are using a high powdered food processor or blender, so the potatoes get super creamy and smooth.
I've tested both of these methods numerous times, and they both work perfectly for this recipe. It's up to you to decide which method is more convenient for you.
More Potato Recipes
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Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- saucepan
- food processor or blender
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons, plus more for garnish unsalted butter
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes scrubbed (about 3 - 4 medium potatoes)
- ¼ cup heavy cream slightly warmed
- ¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Heat butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring continuously until there are golden brown flecks at the bottom of the saucepan and you smell a nutty aroma, about 3–5 minutes. Be sure to watch the butter throughout the entire browning process to ensure the butter does not burn. As the butter melts down, foam will begin to form. As soon as you can see golden brown flecks, remove the butter from the heat, and transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Pierce sweet potatoes in several spots with a fork to allow steam to release as the potatoes cook. Place potatoes on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake for 1 hour until sweet potatoes are tender enough to be pierced all the way through with a knife. Allow sweet potatoes to cool to the touch, about 30 minutes. Alternatively, cook pierced sweet potatoes in the microwave on high power level (100 percent) for 10–15 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking process.
- Peel the skin of the sweet potatoes, and chop the flesh into large cubes. Place sweet potato cubes, warmed heavy cream, and cooled brown butter in a high-powered food processor or blender. Cover and blend on high speed until the mixture is a smooth consistency. Stop food processor occasionally to scrape the sides. Add brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and sea salt to the food processor. Blend on high speed just until combined.
- To serve, place in a serving bowl, and optionally garnish with an additional slab of butter.
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