This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.
These mashed sweet potatoes are baked instead of boiled for a light, fluffy texture, then mashed with butter, maple syrup, and a touch of thyme.
The best mashed sweet potatoes, in my book, start with baked sweet potatoes—not boiled. Baking concentrates their flavor and gives them a light, fluffy texture, while boiling can make them watery or dense. My mashed sweet potatoes recipe takes a little over an hour, but most of that time is hands-off, and once the potatoes are tender, the mash comes together quickly.
They’re a natural fit for Thanksgiving, but they’re simple enough for any fall or winter dinner. Serve them with brisket, pork tenderloin, turkey, or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken. They can also be made ahead and reheated in the microwave, making them a stress-free side dish for any meal.
“Truly the best sweet potatoes I remember in over fifty years of good eating…a keeper.”
What You’ll Need To Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes: Baking caramelizes their natural sugars, deepening their flavor and making the mash extra delicious. And don’t be fooled by labels—those “yams” in the grocery store are almost always sweet potatoes!
- Butter & Milk: Make the sweet potatoes rich, smooth, and velvety. Unsalted butter lets you control the seasoning, while the milk loosens the mash without making it too heavy.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Adds caramel-like sweetness that complements the natural sweetness of the potatoes. Be sure to use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup.
- Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Balance the sweetness and bring out the savory side of the dish.
- Fresh Thyme: An optional finishing touch that adds earthy freshness and a pop of color.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Bake the sweet potatoes: Bake the sweet potatoes whole until very soft and completely tender—this is key to getting a smooth, creamy mash. A knife should slide easily through the center with almost no resistance. Baking rather than boiling concentrates their sweetness and keeps them from becoming waterlogged.
Warm the butter mixture: While the potatoes bake, warm the butter, maple syrup, milk, salt, and pepper together in a saucepan. Warming the mixture helps everything blend smoothly into the hot potatoes.
Scoop out the flesh: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, split them open and scoop the flesh into the warm butter mixture. If they’re fully cooked, the flesh should be very soft and separate easily from the skins.
Mash until smooth: Mash the sweet potatoes over low heat until smooth and creamy. A potato masher or ricer gives you the best texture; an electric mixer can make the potatoes slightly gummy. If the mash seems too thick, stir in a splash of warm milk until it reaches the consistency you like. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then transfer to a serving bowl and finish with fresh thyme, if desired.
Make-Ahead Tip: These mashed sweet potatoes are a great make-ahead side dish, especially for holidays when oven and stovetop space is at a premium. They reheat beautifully; see the recipe card below for detailed make-ahead and reheating instructions.
You May Also Like
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds medium-sized sweet potatoes (3 or 4)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ cup milk
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh thyme leaves, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (174°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy clean-up.
- Prick each sweet potato 3 to 4 times with a fork. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until tender, 60 to 75 minutes; turn the potatoes over halfway through baking.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, milk, salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- When the sweet potatoes are cooked and cool enough to handle, cut them in half. Holding them in one hand with an oven mitt, scoop the warm flesh out into the pan with the butter mixture. Over low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with fresh thyme (if using). Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
See more recipes:
Add a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Always an A+ for you Jennifer..,and thank you ! I also read your recipe for an old fashioned taste of Pineapple Upsidedown cake which I was in Epoch Times Newspaper recently.. ( a keeper for sure) Remembering Memorial Day!🇺🇸
What do you think about using an electric mixer vs a potato masher to smooth the potatoes? I’m making them today.
Hi Nancy, Sweet potatoes are naturally soft, so mashing by hand or using a ricer gives the best texture and keeps them light. An electric mixer can easily overwork them and make them slightly gummy. You can use one — just keep the speed on low and mix only until smooth.
Great recipe.
Delicious! A little bit of fresh thyme goes a long way, so I used it sparingly to avoid overwhelming the other flavors. This dish was even better the next day; I just heated it up with a little extra milk and it was amazing!
These potatoes were absolutely delicious. I made them ahead of time, and reheated them as suggested, and they were perfect. I even had leftovers and still enjoying them 2 days later.
Hi Jenn… these are the best sweet potatoes! Can I make these 2 days ahead. I am having 23 for dinner and want to make ahead as much as possible.
So glad you like them! Yes, you can make them 2 days ahead. I’d reheat them in the microwave or on the stove (and add a little milk if they need thinning out). Hope everyone enjoys!
Any suggestions for leftovers? I made too much!
Hi Allise, you could make mashed potato pancakes — there are plenty of recipes for them online or add them to a soup as a thickener.
Thanks for great recipes, this is favorite!!
I did make the recipe and the only thing different is that I did boil them, I didn’t have time to bake them, I mashed the potatoes after adding all the ingredients plus I also added a little cinnamon for extra flavor and then I put them through my potato ricer and they came out nice and fluffy and everyone enjoyed them and so did I. Great recipe!
This is our family’s favorite sweet potato recipe. The chipotle sweet potato recipe comes in at a close second. Thank you, Jenn.