Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes are the perfect easy side dish recipe. They have just a little hands-on time, but the best flavor that will have everyone begging for the recipe.
Confession: I’m obsessed with sweet potatoes. I think that they are the delicious so many different ways with Sweet Potato Fries being my absolutely weakness.
Today I’m sharing my latest sweet potato creation, amazing Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes. These beauties are very simple to make, but will wow guests. While perfect for a holiday table, I think you will find yourself coming back to these over and over when looking for a side dish.
How to Make Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
I’m the first one to love a good Twice Baked Potato, but also love the flavor of a similar cooking method with sweet potatoes. Here is a brief overview of how easy it is to make twice baked sweet potatoes. For the full recipe and measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Bake the sweet potatoes. Place your scrubbed sweet potatoes on a baking sheet in the oven until they are soft enough to slice through.
- Scoop out the insides. Cut the potatoes in half and gently scoop out the insides. Place the insides in a bowl.
- Make the filling. Add the milk, butter, and cream cheese to the potatoes. Beat until smooth.
- Add the spices. Mix in the brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt, and add the filling back into the potatoes
- Bake. Top with more butter and brown sugar to taste.
Picking Out and Storing Sweet Potatoes
When you are shopping for your sweet potatoes there are a few things to look for.
- Look for smooth skins. You want to pick out potatoes that don’t have any blemishes, cuts, or bruises.
- Pick similar sized sweet potatoes. Not only do you want them to be the same weight so they cook evenly, you want them to be similar in size so that their thickest parts will cook consistently from potato to potato.
- Store the potatoes in a cool dark place. Avoid a space where moisture collects and do not store them in the refrigerator.
- Buy sweet potatoes up to two weeks in advance. Sweet potatoes will store well in your pantry for two to three weeks.
Tips and Tricks
- Be consistent with size. Use sweet potatoes that are about the same size so they take about the same time to bake.
- Bake in a hot oven. Make sure the oven is preheated and hot, or your sweet potatoes may become soggy.
- Don’t scoop too much. Be sure to leave about 1/4 inch of the potato when scooping out the insides to keep some structure to hold the filling.
- Be gently when cutting. The sweet potatoes will be much softer than russet potatoes, so handle them with care when cutting out the insides.
- Bake in a hot oven. Make sure the oven is preheated and hot, or your sweet potatoes may become soggy.
- Make it sweet. Add some mini marshmallows on top for a sweet gooey touch.
- Make it savory. Instead of nutmeg, cinnamon, and brown sugar, season the filling with thyme and garlic.
Making Them Ahead
Make your twice baked sweet potatoes ahead of time to have them ready for a quick side dish. Prepare them up until the point of baking them the second time. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to bake, for up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, place them on a rimmed baking sheet and proceed with the second bake as directed.
FAQ
Yes! Prepare them up until the second baking and store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to bake. See more on this above.
Nope! The peel helps hold all of the creamy goodness in the potato.
This depends on the size of the potato, but a good estimate is for about an hour or until it feels soft when poked with a fork or can be sliced into.
Simply place them back into the oven directly on the rack and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Yes! The skin is full of fiber and nutrients. Be sure to scrub your potatoes well before baking them to make sure they are clean and free of dirt and debris.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat sweet potatoes that were already baked twice, put them back in the oven. Bake them directly on the rack of the oven to keep the skin crispy. Bake them for 20 to 25 minutes at 400 degrees.
Freezing
If eight sweet potatoes are more than your family will eat, freeze the leftovers for a quick lunch down the road. Here are the steps for how to freeze twice baked sweet potatoes:
- Make the potatoes up to the point of putting them in the oven.
- Wrap them individually in aluminum foil.
- Freeze for up to three months.
- When you are ready to eat them, take as many as you want out of the freezer and place them in a baking dish, cover it with foil.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes at 425 degrees covered, then uncover and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes.
What to Serve with Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
If you try this recipe or any of my others, leave a comment and tell me what you think. I love hearing from you!
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 sweet potatoes scrubbed clean
- 1/2 cup skim milk a higher fat content milk can also be used
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter cut into small pieces
- 4 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar plus more for topping
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Set the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and cook for one hour or until you can easily slice through one.4 sweet potatoes
- Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, gently slice them in half. Scoop out the insides, leaving 1/4 inch of the potato around the edges, and putting the scooped insides into a medium bowl.
- Add the milk, butter, and cream cheese to the potatoes. Beat until smooth.1/2 cup skim milk, 1/4 cup unsalted butter, 4 ounces cream cheese
- Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, kosher salt, and nutmeg.2 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- Put the mixture into the potato shells. Bake for 10 minutes. Top with more butter and brown sugar if desired.
Lisa Kigar says
I love all sweet potato recipes. 🥰
Me too!
Jeanette says
Can you freeze twice baked sweet potatoes
Yes! We have instructions in the post for freezing!