Baked Sweet Potato Slices

These sweet potatoes are such a total crowd pleaser. I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t love them. But… if you do happen to run across one of those oddball sweet potato haters I have the perfect solution for you…

You see, every Thanksgiving I ask my sister-in-law to bring her sweet potato casserole which is insanely good and covered in pillowy mountains of golden marshmallows. Then I make it my dinner time mission to get a scoop on my plate before all the kids get to it and scrape the entire top off of the dish.

So based on this extensive research I have learned that the best way to get reluctant sweet potato eaters to eat the sweet potatoes is to load them up with butter and sugar (as I’ve successfully accomplished here) and then… top them with marshmallows. Who doesn’t love marshmallows?! So while the original recipe below doesn’t include marshmallows I’ve given you an option to include them here.

Sweet Potatoes – seems like this should go without saying, but we’re using sweet potatoes, not yams, in this recipe. They. Are. Not. The. Same. I have learned this the hard way more than once and you know I am just here to help you. 😉

Butter – salted butter is my go-to and if it’s not yours make sure you add an extra pinch to the butter.

Brown Sugar – the rich, dark brown stuff is so good in this recipe, but lighter brown sugar works too.

Pecans – toasty, buttery pecans and sweet potatoes are a match made in heaven and they are my fave, but you can sub in walnuts or another nut of your choice.

Cayenne Pepper – this is optional, but we’re not using a lot. Just a pinch to give these the tiniest bite. I strongly encourage you to try it.

Baked Sweet Potato Slices Recipe Variations:

Sweet ‘n Spicy Version – toss the slices with a little cayenne along with the cinnamon before baking. Add an extra shake of cayenne to the brown sugar butter.

Cheesy Garlicky Version – mix in 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese and a minced clove of garlic to the brown sugar butter.

Marshmallow Version – you heard me. Once you’ve completed the recipe as written, top each slice with a few mini marshmallows and broil for a couple of minutes until golden brown and puffed.

First, crank up your oven to 425°F. Hot oven = brown and crispy sweet potatoes.

My pro-tip for you is to not peel the sweet potatoes. Trust me. The peel is totally edible, holds some kind of nutritional value so I hear, and is the part that will get all crispy and make these even more irresistible. Now, rub the sweet potatoes up with a touch of olive oil, then slice them into nice, thick 1/2-inch rounds. Toss them in a large bowl with the rest of the olive oil, a good dash of cinnamon, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.

Spread the slices out on a parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure they’re not crowded – they need their space to get those golden, crispy edges! Roast for 10-15 minutes, flipping them over halfway through to ensure even browning.

While the sweeties are baking, mix up the topping in a small bowl… mash the soft butter with the brown sugar and cayenne, then stir in the chopped pecans. Once the sweet potatoes are tender and golden brown, pull them out of the oven, crank up the heat to 450, and top each slice with a little dollop of that sweet, delicious, nutty goodness. Pop them back in for 5 minutes to get all melty and caramelized and to let those edges get nice and crispy. Sprinkle with a little flaky salt if you like and enjoy.

• If you’re looking to take a trip to comfort food heaven serve them along with this Smothered Chicken with Mushrooms, Bacon and Wine
• How about a sensational (and beta carotene rich) lunch alongside this Carrot and Butternut Squash Soup
• As one of your veg sides on a Fall dinner table serve them with these Maple Balsamic Marinated Brussels Sprouts
• …and make the main course these Honey Glazed Pork Chops

If you like this Baked Sweet Potato Slices Recipe let me know what you think in the comments below and please find and follow me on Social Media!