Brown Butter Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Elevate classic whipped sweet potatoes with the nutty flavor of brown butter. These creamy, not-too-sweet potatoes are a decadent side dish that's perfect for a holiday dinner.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes , scrubbed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , cut into tablespoon-sized pats
- 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream , heated
- 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup (optional)
- salt and pepper , to taste
Instructions
Bake the Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Use a fork to pierce the potatoes all over. Bake, turning once, until soft. (Time will depend on the size of your sweet potatoes. The potatoes photographed took a little over an hour. Smaller potatoes have taken me as little as 30-40 minutes.)
Make the Brown Butter
- When the potatoes are almost finished baking, melt butter over medium heat in a small, heavy-bottomed skillet. Choose a skillet that's light in color (stainless or white/ivory enameled) so you can monitor the butter's color as it browns.
- As foaming subsides, continue cooking, swirling the pan frequently, until the milk solids are golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma. (Watch it closely! Brown butter can burn easily. It's best to pull it off of the heat when the butter is just slightly lighter than you ultimately want it to be; it will continue to brown a little from the residual heat.)
- Immediately pour brown butter into a bowl, leaving behind any very dark solids in the pan.
Whip the potatoes and serve
- Scoop flesh from potatoes and discard skins. (You'll have about 6 cups of potatoes.) Place the sweet potatoes in the bowl of a food processor and pulse for about 10 seconds, until they start to look smooth.
- Add brown butter, 3/4 cup cream, and sugar or maple syrup (if using - I like to taste the sweet potatoes first to determine if they need a sweetness boost). Process for about 5-10 seconds until very smooth. Add additional cream, if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Notes
See the FAQ section above for notes about alternate cooking, processing, and make-ahead suggestions.
Optional serving addition: I often like to brown an extra tablespoon of butter and drizzle it over the top of the sweet potatoes in the serving bowl. It's a pretty way to dress the dish for the table, and I'd never say no to a little extra brown butter!
Nutrition
Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 781mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 32681IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 84mg | Iron: 1mg
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