Maple Butter Melting Sweet Potatoes are crispy on the outside, soft on the inside and are caramelized in butter and pure maple syrup. Top them with pecans or walnuts for a nutty crunch!
Sweet potato lovers, I have the most impressive side dish for your pleasure and fun!
These melting sweet potatoes are swaddled in butter and pure maple syrup and topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon and pecans for a sweet and savory bite.
The perfect side dish during the fall and winter months, particularly during the holidays, these enhanced sweet potatoes are designed to impress!
If you’ve tried my Sweet Potato Rounds with Herbed Ricotta and Walnuts, you’re already familiar with the concept, yet this recipe is graced with the deliciousness of butter.
You can look at them as a simplified deconstructed sweet potato casserole requiring far less time or effort.
What Are Melting Sweet Potatoes?:
Melting Potatoes are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside for a melt-in-your-mouth experience. Traditionally, they are made using russet potatoes or any kind of white potato.
Because we’re using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes, the end result is a bite of sweet and savory goodness with buttery cinnamon flavors.
The butter and pure maple syrup form a caramelization effect, which gives the potatoes a slightly caramelized essence.
To add to the toasty deliciousness, we add a sprinkle of chopped pecans (or walnuts!) for some nutty crunch.
Traditional melting potatoes with white potatoes are often cooked in a cast iron skillet with a layer of chicken broth or vegetable broth for a savory delicious side dish.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for melting sweet potatoes.
Melting Sweet Potatoes Ingredients:
Orange Flesh Sweet Potatoes (or Yams): Pick up two medium to large sized sweet potatoes for a total of 2 to 2.5 pounds.
Unsalted Butter: Glorious melted butter bathes our yams in creamy flavors for that unstoppable deliciousness only butter can bring.
For a dairy-free version, use coconut oil instead of butter.
Ground Cinnamon: A generous amount of cinnamon lends some warm spice to make us feel like we’re enjoying a holiday treat.
Add a sprinkle of fresh grated nutmeg too if you love warm spices.
Sea Salt: We need to salt our potatoes, meow, or else they will taste bland.
Raw Pecans: Employed to bring crunch to the otherwise squishy experience, chopped nuts bring a textural element. I like raw pecans, but raw walnuts work too.
Pure Maple Syrup: The chopped pecans get mixed up with glamorous pure maple syrup for a devilishly sweet touch. You can add a sprinkle of brown sugar once the potatoes are cooked as well.
Can I Use Honey Instead of Maple Syrup:
I don’t recommend using honey because it burns easily in the oven. If you insist on using honey, drizzle the cooked potatoes with the honey after they have finished baking, but don’t bake with the honey on.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients for melting potatoes, let’s bake a batch!
How to Make Melting Potatoes:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wash the potatoes well under lukewarm faucet water and place them on a cutting board.
Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch to ½ inch thick rounds. Note: 1/2 inch rounds will require slightly longer baking time.
Transfer the sweet potato slices to a large bowl and pour the melted butter over them.
Sprinkle the ground cinnamon and sea salt over the potatoes then use a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or your hands to toss potatoes until the potato slices are coated with butter and seasoning.
Transfer the sweet potato slices to two large baking sheets in a single layer, giving the slices plenty of room.
Drizzle any extra melted butter from the bowl over the sweet potatoes. Note: depending on the sizes of your sweet potatoes, you may only need one large rimmed baking sheet, but I use two in order to give the potatoes plenty of room.
Bake the two sheets of sweet potato rounds on the center oven rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes.
While the potatoes are baking, stir together the pure maple syrup and chopped pecans in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Drizzle about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the maple pecan mixture over each melting sweet potato disk. Place them back into the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and very tender yet slightly crispy and the nuts are a little toasted.
Remove the melting potatoes from the oven and immediately use a spatula to transfer them to a serving plate or serving bowl for serving.
Drizzle any remaining remaining butter maple mixture from the pans over the potatoes. You can even add an extra few tablespoons of butter or hot honey or a couple tablespoons tablespoons maple syrup if you’d like.
Immediately wash the roasting pan with hot water and soap, as the maple butter mixture will caramelize after sitting for 10 minutes or longer and can become more difficult to clean. If you’d like, sprinkle potatoes with thyme and before serving.
Enjoy these amazing melting sweet potatoes alongside your main dish, and enjoy!
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Make melting sweet potatoes during the holiday season to enjoy at all your food gatherings! They make a great side dish for the Thanksgiving table!
One of the best parts about this recipe is the clean ingredients make it suitable for almost any special diet.
This simple melting sweet potato recipe is easy to prepare and the finished dish is so delicious, your friends and family will request it for all holidays!
If you are looking for more holiday side dishes, here are some reader favorites:
More Delicious Side Dishes:
- Healthy Green Bean Casserole
- Crock Pot Sweet Potato Casserole
- Garlic Herb Roasted Vegetables
- Creamy Brussel Sprout Casserole
- Creamy Cauliflower Casserole
Enjoy this easy side dish no matter the time of year!
Maple Butter Melting Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
Melting Potatoes:
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes cut into ½ inch thick rounds
- 5 Tbsp butter melted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sea salt
For Topping:
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash the potatoes well under lukewarm faucet water and place them on a cutting board.
- Use a sharp knife to carefully cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch rounds to ½ inch thick rounds.
- Transfer the sweet potato slices to a large bowl and pour the melted butter over them. Sprinkle the ground cinnamon and sea salt over the potatoes then use a wooden spoon, rubber spatula, or your hands to toss potatoes until the potato slices are coated with butter and seasoning.
- Transfer the sweet potato slices to two large baking sheets in a single layer, giving the slices plenty of room. Drizzle any extra melted butter from the bowl over the sweet potatoes. Note: depending on the sizes of your sweet potatoes, you may only need one large rimmed baking sheet, but I use two in order to give the potatoes plenty of room.
- Bake the two sheets of sweet potato rounds on the center oven rack of the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until tender when poked with a fork. Flip and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the slices. 1/2-inch slices require slightly longer time than 1/4-inch slices. The goal is to achieve a golden brown crisp on the outside with a very soft inside. Pork one of the thicker slices with a fork to test for doneness.
- While the potatoes are baking, stir together the pure maple syrup and chopped pecans in a small bowl.
- Drizzle about 1 to 2 teaspoons of the maple pecan mixture over each melting sweet potato disk, then place them back into the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown and very tender yet slightly crispy and the nuts are a little toasted.
- Remove the melting potatoes from the oven and immediately use a spatula to transfer them to a serving plate or serving bowl for serving. Drizzle any remaining remaining butter maple mixture from the pans over the potatoes. Immediately wash the roasting pan with hot water and soap, as the maple butter mixture will caramelize after sitting for 10 minutes or longer and can become more difficult to clean. If you’d like, sprinkle potatoes with thyme and before serving.
- Enjoy these amazing melting sweet potatoes alongside your main dish, and enjoy!
Nutrition
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