Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes take sweet potatoes to a whole new level with a creamy mixture seasoned with warming cinnamon and nutmeg and topped with crunchy hazelnuts! The result is a perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors, with a lovely contrast in texture!
Why We Love This Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe
If you are on the fence about sweet potatoes, be prepared to be blown away by these Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes! Twice baked makes every potato better. The idea is simple… Bake the sweet potatoes, scoop out the middle, mix the flesh together with a bunch of other tasty ingredients, put it back into the potato skins, and then top them off with a crunchy, nutty topping for texture and flavor! This seriously takes sweet potatoes to a whole new level.
I absolutely love making these for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they are also a wonderful, filling side dish on any normal night! Especially in the fall and winter months, when you need something warm and comforting, twice-baked potatoes come in clutch!
Instead of serving up sweet potato casserole this Thanksgiving, give this twice baked sweet potatoes with hazelnuts recipe a try! They are sure to be a hit.
Ingredients You Need
- Sweet Potatoes – cleaned with the skin on
- Oil
- Créme Fraiche or Cream Cheese – for a super creamy mixture! You can also use sour cream.
- Butter
- Maple Syrup – adds just a bit of sweetness, you can also use brown sugar!
- Bourbon – for a depth of flavor
- Ground Cinnamon
- Ground Nutmeg
- Chopped Nuts – I recommend using hazelnuts, pecans, or walnuts!
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Salt & Black Pepper
How to Make Easy Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the sweet potatoes with oil and roast on a rimmed baking sheet until they are very tender, 1 to 1/2 hours. You can make them in the microwave to speed up the roasting time if needed.
Cool slightly. Cut each potato in half and place the flesh of the top halves in a bowl. It should be soft enough to just fall out of the skin. Gently scoop the flesh out of the bottom halves and add it to the bowl, leaving a little around the edges for stability.
Add the créme fraiche, butter, maple syrup, bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to the sweet potatoes in the bowl. Using a hand mixer, immersion blender, or fork, mash or puree the potatoes until smooth.
Scoop the potato puree back into the bottom halves of the potatoes. Mix the remaining butter and nutmeg with the panko breadcrumbs and chopped nuts. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mixture over the tops of the sweet potatoes.
Bake the filled potatoes for another 15-20 minutes until warmed through and golden on top. These can be made 2-3 days in advance. If coming out of the fridge, bake for 30-40 minutes- until warmed through. Or cheat and rewarm in the microwave!
Tips & Tricks
- Throw away the skins of the top half of the potato so that you have enough sweet potato flesh to really overstuff the bottom halves with a bunch of delicious filling!
- If you or someone you are serving these to has a nut allergy, try using pumpkin seeds, or omit the nuts and just use panko breadcrumbs!
- To keep the bottom halves from falling apart, scoop the flesh out using a spoon and leave about 1/4 inch around the edges and in the bottom to keep the potato nice and sturdy.
- If you prefer not to cook with alcohol, simply omit the bourbon.
- For this best twice baked sweet potato recipe, you should definitely use panko breadcrumbs and not any other kind of breadcrumbs. Then, make sure you bake until the topping is nice and crispy!
Serving Suggestions
Whether you are serving twice baked sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving or as a hearty winter meal, I recommend pairing them with some of my other favorites! Or, feel free to eat them on their own, since sweet potatoes are packed with nutrients, you don’t technically need all the other stuff!
- Smoked Turkey
- Brown Sugar Baked Ham
- Roasted Lemon Butter Asparagus
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Crispy Baked Chicken
- Broccoli Salad
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! I know that this is not as common as regular twice baked potatoes, but you can definitely twice bake sweet potatoes with no issues. They are not as sturdy as regular potatoes, so make sure you leave some of the flesh inside to keep them from collapsing.
Definitely! To make these vegan, simply replace the créme fraiche or cream cheese with your favorite dairy-free version of cream cheese, sour cream, or plain yogurt. This will add enough creaminess and tang to the mix! Also, be sure to use plant-based butter!
Some people cannot go without adding mini marshmallows to their sweet potatoes, and that is okay! If you want to, sprinkle a few on top of the crunchy nut mixture when there are just a few minutes left in the baking process. Keep an eye on them so they don’t burn!
Yes! You can prep these potatoes ahead of time by following all of the steps until step 5. Store the potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and then pop them in the oven when you are ready to serve them!
Store any leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Then reheat them in the oven, air fryer, toaster oven, or microwave until heated through!
Looking for More Thanksgiving Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
- Fried Turkey
- Maple Glazed Carrots
- Sausage Mushroom Thanksgiving Stuffing
- Apple Cider Turkey Gravy
- Best Pumpkin Pie
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6, round, not skinny)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup crème fraiche or cream cheese
- 6 tablespoons melted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg divided
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts or pecans, walnuts…
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the sweet potatoes with oil and roast on a rimmed baking sheet until very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (You can nuke them in the microwave to speed the roasting time if needed.)
- Cool slightly. Cut each potato in half and place the flesh of the top halves in a bowl. It should be soft enough to just fall out of the skin. Gently scoop the flesh out of the bottom halves and add it to the bowl, leaving a little around the edges for stability.
- Add the crème fraiche, 4 tablespoons butter, maple syrup, bourbon, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, to the sweet potatoes in the bowl. Using a hand mixer (or immersion blender), puree until smooth.
- Scoop the potato puree back into the bottom halves of the potatoes. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg with the panko bread crumbs and chopped nuts. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mixture over the tops of the sweet potatoes.
- Bake another 15-20 minutes until warmed through and golden on top. *These can be made 2-3 days in advance. If coming out of the fridge, bake 30-40 minutes—until warmed through or cheat and rewarm in the microwave.
THUD.
I fell out of my chair over this one. It is amazing.
Great tips (and funny!), and a truly wonderful sounding recipe. I'm drooling over here!
great post and your right planning takes some stress away
Great timeline! I particularly like that pouring yourself a glass of wine is #1. Definitely what I do! :)
Your sweet potatoes look really delicious. I'm always trying to come up with new and interesting ways to serve them, and this sounds perfect.
see post #20 for my recipe
sorry that is post # 21
The twice baked sweet potatoes look flavoursome and delicious!
Your planning tips are so helpful. My house is always a disaster as me and my mom try and finish everything on time and about the same time as everything else. The sweet potatoes look fabulous as well!
You are wonderful! Thank you for all the planning tips. I always need help in that "organizational" area of my life! Beautiful sweet potatoes… a must dish for this time of year!
All these tips are excellent! Thankfully I don't have to think too hard this year because my sister is hosting Thanksgiving and we're not getting to her house until late, late WEdnesday night. But I love your idea of serving a traditional meal but going crazy/creative with the side dishes. I'll keep that in mind for the year it's my turn to host . . . =)
I made twice-baked sweet potatoes a few weeks back and thought they would be a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving. The hazelnuts are just the piece de resistance… I was gifted with a huge container of local ones last month. :)
Your sweet potatoes look sooooo good! I'm definitely going to make them but without hazelnuts (I'm allergic). Mmm I seriously could eat all of those.
I love your Thanksgiving tips too, very very helpful! :)
Step #1 is so key!! Sweet taters look amazing! Thanks and cheers!
delicious presentation of sweet potatoes yummy
Wow, those sweet potatoes look so yummy!
The sweet potatos sound wonderful. I saw a couple of fabulous recipes, one for Rolled turkey breast stuffed with dressing (Ina) and anotehr for stuffed pumpkin with bread and cheese (Dori). I was momentarily tempted to create these show off dishes, but decided the old standard would be much less stressful. I love Thanksgiving, but it does have it's moments. :-)
This is a great time table. Those sweet potatoes sound amazing. I love the crunch you put on top.
I love sweet potatoes and those look wonderful. Bookmarked!
We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Greece but I will sure try these potatoes. They look very appetizing.
Guess it's time to start planning! Love this time of year, but I'm definitely behind. Sitting and enjoying is key.