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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.
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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.
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Hi! Jenn,
I made these for my husband and I. I was a bit worried he may not like as he isn’t a big fan of sweet vegetables. He absolutely loved these and I did too. Thanks so much for sharing. I look forward to making these again soon. And as other’s have said, you really need to use 100% pure maple syrup. Excellent!
Wow, this was so simple yet so good! On a whim I put the sweet potatoes in the air fryer for 30 minutes at 400 degrees and they were perfect. Didn’t want to heat up the house in Arizona!
Far too sweet with 6 tablespoons of maple syrup. Also too much butter. Both amounts of which are totally unnecessary because using less of each gives a beautiful subtle flavor when the natural sweetness of the potatoes comes out.
I’ve always wondered why Americans use so much sugar, cream and butter in their recipes, because it takes away the taste of the main ingredient. It’s unhealthy and why so many people are overweight.
This is a very nice recipe when less sugar and fat are added. I will be making it again.
IMO, no need for any sweetener with mashed potatoes. Let their natural sweetness shine. I only add butter, no need for milk either.
I was wondering about the sugar content. So you didn’t put any maple syrup or milk in at all? I’ve read about another reviewer using maple extract.
I was asked at the last minute to bring sweet potatoes for our family and friends thanksgiving. I was already making several other dishes and wanted something simple. Oh my did these deliver in flavor and simplicity! These will be the only ones I make.
Anxious to try this recipe. Would topping it with chopped toasted pecans work?
Yes, definitely!
These were spectacular and easy to make – made exactly as directed. I made them with my dad’s homemade syrup from Maine. Heavenly!!! Thanks for another great recipe.
These mashed sweet potatoes are incredible. Another home run for Jenn.
I did them in the Instant Pot.
Peeled the sweet potatoes, cut them into quarters legthwise (so they will not fall through the trivet)
Pressure cooked them for 10 minutes. Quick released and removed them from the Instant Pot
Set the Instant Pot to saute medium and melted the butter, the reduced it to saute low and whisked in the rest of the ingredients.
Set the instant pot to Keep Warm, added the sweet potatoes and mashed them.
Put the lid back on and they sat until ready to eat.
I liked how easy it was to make, didn’t dirty a lot of dishes. Mom loved it, Mom is hard to please. Thank you for recipe.
Such an easy way to make mashed sweet potatoes. I love this recipe. It’s so so good!
Can I use dried Thyme in place of the fresh in your mashed sweet potato recipe, and if so, how much?
Thanks – I’m serving them with your mustard glazed pork tenderloin.
Hi Kathleen, the time is just used as a garnish and if you’d like to use some dried thyme in place of the fresh, that’s fine; I would just sprinkle a bit on until you like the way it looks. 🙂 Hope you enjoy both the potatoes and the pork!
I’m getting ready to make these for my second Thanksgiving. Just reread the recipe and have some comments. Last year I boiled the potatoes because they were large. I’m going to try baking them this year. Other than that, I follow the recipe exactly, laid it out in a 9×13 pan, and topped with the topping from your other sweet potato casserole recipe. Then I wrapped it. Well I’m stuck them in the freezer, for less than a week, just so I cut down on last minute preparation. To say that they were good is an absolute understatement. They were fabulous, and one of the only things that was finished. I don’t take offense. Thanks for these recipes, and all the rest of them I use from your site. You are always my go-to blogger and have never had a problem with anything that you’ve posted. It’s all been delicious