Martha Stewart Baked Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar

Martha Stewart baked sweet potatoes with brown sugar take 50 minutes and just 4 ingredients to make a crackly-skinned, buttery baked side dish. This easy few-ingredient side dish fits Thanksgiving, Sunday dinner and busy weeknight meals when the oven is already on and you need something simple.

Bake the potatoes at a full 475 degrees, because that high heat is what turns the skin crackly while the inside goes soft. Drop the oven temperature and you end up with pale, wrinkly skin instead.

Martha scrubs the potatoes and bakes them straight on foil with no oil and no wrapping, so the skins dry out and crisp. She then cuts a deep cross in each one and pushes the ends together, which opens a pocket that holds the butter and sugar as they melt.

Martha Stewart Baked Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar

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Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

Whole sweet potatoes roast until the skins crackle and the flesh turns creamy. Butter and dark brown sugar melt into a cross cut in the top, so every forkful is sweet and salty.

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, (8 to 10 ounces each), scrubbed
  

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
  

• 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
  

• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons packed dark-brown sugar
  

Directions

• Preheat and poke: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees, then poke 4 scrubbed medium sweet potatoes in several places with a fork. Those holes let steam escape, so the skins crisp instead of turning soggy.
• Bake the potatoes: Arrange the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes. They are done when a knife slides into the center with no resistance.
• Cut the cross: Cut a deep cross in the top of each potato, then push the ends together to make an opening. That pocket is where the butter and sugar will sit.
• Season the potatoes: Sprinkle the inside of each potato with coarse salt and ground pepper. The salt balances the sweetness, so don't skip it.
• Add butter and sugar: Dot each potato with 1 tablespoon butter and 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar. Serve right away while the butter is still melting into the flesh.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware half sheet pan, Victorinox Fibrox 8-inch chef's knife. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I bake sweet potatoes at a lower temperature?

You can, but the skin won't get as crackly. At 400°F plan on 55 to 60 minutes, since the potatoes need longer to soften at the lower heat.

How do I store leftover baked sweet potatoes?

Let them cool, then keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 375°F oven for 15 minutes, because the microwave leaves the skin soft.

Can I bake the sweet potatoes ahead of time?

Yes, bake them up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate them whole. Warm them in a 400°F oven for 15 minutes, then cut the cross and add the butter and sugar just before serving.

What can I use instead of dark brown sugar?

Light brown sugar works the same way, though the flavor is a little milder. Maple syrup also works, so drizzle about 2 teaspoons per potato instead.

Why are my sweet potatoes still hard in the middle?

Large potatoes need more time, so check them at 40 minutes and keep baking if a knife meets resistance. Choosing potatoes of similar size, 8 to 10 ounces each, helps them cook evenly.