These Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes are all dressed up for the holidays with a dusting of cinnamon and a sweet and creamy maple glaze. This easy sweet potato recipe is the perfect choice for your Thanksgiving menu.
My mom made sweet potatoes every Thanksgiving and they were beautiful in their simplicity. I never cared for the overly sweet, candied sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows. Hers were clean and simple and consisted of fresh sweet potatoes, a little butter, a little brown sugar, a little cinnamon, and that’s it.
The recipe I’m sharing today is a slightly more dressed up version of my mom’s sweet potato casserole that I do for the holidays. I’ve fancied them up with a creamy maple glaze but they are still as easy as can be. They are an absolute must on Thanksgiving in our house.
Fresh sweet potatoes are wonderful on their own, but add a luscious maple glaze to the picture and you’ve really got something to write home about. And, they’re so easy! Over complicated side dishes are never a good choice for a Thanksgiving menu.
Table of contents
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet potatoes – Orange or red-skinned sweet potatoes like Red Garnet or Jewel are my preference for this recipe. You may see them labelled “yams” in the produce department but don’t let that confuse you. These are the best choice for both their flavor and gorgeous color.
- Cinnamon
- Butter
- Light brown sugar
- Pure maple syrup – You want 100% pure maple syrup. Don’t make the mistake of using pancake syrup which is usually made with corn syrup and artificial flavors.
- Salt
- Heavy cream
How to Make Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
- Place the unpeeled sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water by 1- to 2-inches. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 35 to 40 minutes or until just tender enough to insert a sharp knife without effort. Don’t let them overcook.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sweet potatoes to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, use paper towels to remove skins.
- Slice the sweet potatoes into discs about 1-inch thick.
- Place half of the sweet potatoes in the bottom of greased baking dish.
For the Maple Glaze
- Melt the butter with the brown sugar in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Add the salt and maple syrup. Continue to cook for a minute or two until nice and syrupy.
- Add the heavy cream.
- Cook and stir for another minute or two and then remove from the heat.
Assemble the Sweet Potato Casserole
- Sprinkle half of the cinnamon over the layer of sweet potatoes in the baking dish.
- Drizzle with half of the maple glaze.
- Add the remaining sweet potatoes.
- Top with the remaining cinnamon and buttery glaze. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
Can I Make Glazed Sweet Potatoes Ahead of Time?
These Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes are an excellent make ahead dish. You can assemble the entire dish as directed, cover it tightly with foil, and refrigerate for 1 to 2 days before cooking.
If you want to be sure the glaze stays in place before cooking, store it separately and assemble the sweet potato casserole just before cooking as detailed below.
- Follow the recipe as directed to cook, peel and slice the sweet potatoes. Transfer them to a baking dish or other container, cover, and refrigerate.
- Make the glaze as directed, allow to cool, and then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly.
- When ready to bake, gently warm the glaze in the microwave or on the stove and then assemble and bake the sweet potato casserole as directed. They may need about 15 minutes more baking time if they are still chilled when they go in the oven.
Valerie’s Tips
- When boiling the sweet potatoes in the first step of the recipe, watch them closely and be careful not to overcook them. They should be easy to pierce through to the center with the tip of a sharp knife but still somewhat firm. You don’t want them falling apart tender.
- For golden brown edges, remove the foil after baking and place the dish briefly under your oven’s broiler.
- For a little crunch, try sprinkling them with toasted pecans before serving. Toast pecan halves on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 4 or 5 minutes. Finely chop the toasted pecans and sprinkle them over the baked glazed sweet potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
Round out your classic Thanksgiving menu with any of the side dish ideas below.
Maple Glazed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes, orange or red-skinned
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
Optional Garnish
- ¼ pecan halves, toasted and finely chopped (see Notes section)
Instructions
- Place sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over HIGH heat, then reduce heat to LOW and cover the pot. Simmer the sweet potatoes at a low boil for about 35 to 40 minutes or until just tender enough to insert a sharp knife through to the center without effort but they are still holding their shape and somewhat firm. Don't let them overcook.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sweet potatoes to a cutting board and let rest until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small saucepan over LOW heat, melt the butter with the brown sugar. Add the salt and maple syrup. Continue to cook for a minute or two until nice and syrupy. Add the heavy cream and cook and stir for another minute or two. Remove from heat.
- Spray a 9- x 13-inch or slightly larger baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Using a paper towel, remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and discard. Slice the sweet potatoes into discs about 1-inch thick. Place half of the sweet potatoes in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cinnamon and then drizzle with half of the butter/brown sugar glaze. Repeat with remaining sweet potatoes, cinnamon, and glaze.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
- For a little crunch, try sprinkling them with toasted pecans before serving.
Notes
- Follow the recipe as directed to cook, peel and slice the sweet potatoes. Transfer them to a baking dish or other container, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
- Make the glaze as directed, allow to cool, and then transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate promptly.
- When ready to bake, gently warm the glaze in the microwave or on the stove and then assemble and bake the sweet potato casserole as directed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
This post was originally published on November 17, 2012. It has be republished with new text and images.
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The recipe does not say what temperature to bake the potatoes at
See step #2 on the recipe card where it says to preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Everyone raved about this dish at Thanksgiving!
Will definitely make again