Loaded sweet potatoes are an easy way to get all the delicious flavors of a sweet potato casserole, without all the work and dishes. Plus, you can make as many (or few) as you need. They’re perfect if you’re having a small Thanksgiving celebration.
How can you make a sweet potato even better? Add an easy cinnamon sugar caramel sauce and marshmallows of course! Like broccoli cheese casserole and sausage stuffing, these loaded sweet potatoes make a delicious side dish that go great with a holiday meal or Sunday dinner.
This site contains affiliate links to products. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What you’ll need
- Sweet Potatoes – choose medium-sized potatoes and try to get them all roughly the same size and shape so that they cook at the same rate. You can make a many or as few as you need.
- Butter – regular, salted butter will work just fine (if using unsalted butter add a pinch of salt to the cinnamon sugar caramel sauce)
- Brown Sugar
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Ground Cinnamon
- Miniature Marshmallows
You will also need
- Aluminum foil – to wrap the potatoes
- Baking sheet
How do you know if the sweet potatoes are done?
The easiest way to know if the potatoes are done is to insert a paring knife into the thickest part of the largest potato. If the knife slides in and out without offering any resistance then it’s done.
Do you have to wrap sweet potatoes in foil?
You don’t have to wrap a sweet potato in foil. The benefit of doing so, is that the foil will keep the skin moist and it will have a fuller, less wrinkled appearance. For these loaded sweet potatoes I prefer to wrap them in foil for baking. If you don’t wrap them the skin will crisp up and, while delicious, it will have a wrinkled appearance.
Prep Work
- Choose potatoes that are roughly the same size so they cook at the same rate.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- We’re serving the sweet potatoes with their skin on so scrub them thoroughly using a vegetable brush and pat dry.
- Prick them a few times on all sides with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife. This allows the steam that builds up inside to escape while baking. Can the sweet potato explode if you don’t prick it? Yes, it can. It’s never happened to me because I don’t want to test the theory. Cleaning the oven is not fun, plus who wants to waste a perfectly good sweet potato!
- Measure out and add the butter, brown sugar, water, vanilla, cinnamon and salt to a small saucepan. Set aside for later.
How to bake a sweet potato in foil
Cut a piece of foil approximately 16 – 18 inches long. Make it large enough so that you can wrap it around the sweet potato at least twice. Wrap each potato going around a couple of times and fold in the ends.
Arrange the wrapped potatoes on a baking sheet leaving at least a couple of inches between them.
Bake the potatoes on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 50 – 60 minutes or until they’re completely tender. Test if the potatoes are done:
- Choose the largest sweet potato.
- Carefully unwrap it.
- Insert a sharp knife (we use a paring knife) into its thickest part.
- If the knife slides in and out easily, without any resistance then they’re done.
- If the knife does not slide in and out easily, they’re not done.
- Rewrap the test potato and continue cooking for another 10-15 minutes and test again.
- The cooking time is going to depend on the size and shape of the sweet potato.
Make the caramel sauce
When the sweet potatoes are almost done: Gently warm the butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir almost constantly with a small whisk or fork until the butter is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved.
Continue cooking for 2 – 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat if the sauce starts to simmer. Give it a quick stir occasionally until ready to use.
Prepare the loaded sweet potatoes
I want to start by saying that the sweet potatoes will not only be hot on the outside, but there will be steam accumulated inside. Be very careful!
- Preheat the oven to low broil.
- Unwrap the potatoes; leave them on the foil so your baking sheet stays clean. Fold or scrunch it down around the potato.
- Cut a slit on top, run almost the entire length and only go about halfway deep. Leave about ¼ – ½ on each side. Once the potato is cut, let some of steam escape before resuming.
- Then, push the sides in gently to open the middle. Since the sweet potato is hot, use paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to protect your fingers. Use a fork and gently fluff the flesh without disturbing the skin. Take care not to prick it.
- Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of the caramel sauce.
- Top with about 2 – 3 tablespoons of marshmallows.
- Repeat with the remaining sweet potatoes.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven for 30 – 45 seconds or until the marshmallows are toasted on top.
Important note: The marshmallows will toast very quickly, keep an eye on them. Turn on the oven light and stare right at them. Have your oven mitts ready to go and make sure no one is in the kitchen in your way. This happens very quickly, be ready!
Serve the loaded sweet potatoes and enjoy!
You may also like these side dishes:
Follow Us! Subscribe to the newsletter and follow us on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram for the latest recipes.
Loaded Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 Sweet Potatoes or as many as needed scrubbed clean and patted dry
- 4 tablespoons Butter we used regular salted butter
- ½ cup Brown Sugar not packed down
- 1 tablespoon Water
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 cup Miniature Marshmallows
Instructions
- You will also need: Aluminum foil, Large baking sheet
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Prick the sweet potatoes a few times on all sides with a fork or the tip of a sharp knife.
- Cut a piece of foil approximately 16 – 18 inches.
- Wrap each potato going around a couple of times and fold in the ends.
- Arrange the wrapped potatoes on a baking sheet leaving at least a couple of inches between them.
- Bake the potatoes on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 50 – 60 minutes or until they’re completely tender.
- Test if the sweet potatoes are done by unwrapping the largest one and inserting a sharp knife into its thickest part. If the knife slides in and out easily then they’re done. If not, rewrap and continue cooking another 10-15 minutes and test again.
When the sweet potatoes are almost done
- Add the butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon and vanilla to a small saucepan.
- Warm gently over medium heat and stir almost constantly with a small whisk or fork until the butter is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved.
- Continue cooking for 2 – 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat if the sauce starts to simmer. Give it a quick stir occasionally until ready to use.
Prepare the loaded sweet potatoes
- Preheat the oven to low broil.
- Carefully unwrap the potatoes; leave them on the foil so your baking sheet stays clean. Fold or scrunch it down around the potato.
- Cut a slit on top, run almost the entire length and only go about halfway deep. Leave about ¼ - ½ on each side. Once the potato is cut, let some of steam escape before resuming.
- Use a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to push the sides in gently to open the middle. Use a fork and gently fluff the flesh without disturbing the skin. Take care not to prick it.
- Add 1 – 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar caramel sauce.
- Top with about 2 – 3 tablespoons of marshmallows.
- Repeat with the remaining sweet potatoes.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven for 30 – 45 seconds or until the marshmallows are toasted on top.
- Serve the loaded sweet potatoes and enjoy!
