Easy Sweet Potato Stacks
These Easy Sweet Potato Stacks are the perfect holiday side - crispy edges, buttery centers, and a hint of warm spice. Thin slices of sweet potato are tossed with olive oil, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg, then layered into a muffin tin and baked until caramelized and golden. They look elegant but come together with simple ingredients, making them just as welcome at Thanksgiving dinner as they are at a casual Friendsgiving.
Equipment
- standard muffin tin
- mandolin slicer optional
Ingredients
- 4 large sweet potatoes about 2 ½ lbs, unpeeled weight
- 2 tablespoons olive oil plus more for greasing
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg optional
- 1 ¼ teaspoons fine grain salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 rosemary sprigs
- flake sea salt such as Maldon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin with olive oil.
- Peel the sweet potatoes. Slice into thin rounds, about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. A mandolin works best for uniform slices, but a sharp knife will do.
- Place the slices in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss well. Add melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), salt, and pepper. Gently toss with your hands until all slices are evenly coated.
- Stack the slices into the muffin tin cavities, filling each one to the top (they will shrink as they bake).
- Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the edges are crisp and caramelized and a knife easily pierces through the centers. If edges brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.
- Let cool for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edges to loosen. Use a fork to gently lift the stacks out of the muffin tin.
- Sprinkle with the optional flaky salt. Serve warm, adding rosemary sprigs or toothpicks after baking, if desired.
Notes
- Savory variation: Skip the sugar and cinnamon, and season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, or fresh thyme.
- Extra-Crispy Edges: To crisp the edges up even more, you can lightly run a chef's torch around the edges to caramelize them even more. Recommend!
- Make-ahead tip: Bake them in advance, let them cool slightly in the tin. Remove them from the pan and place them on a 9x13 baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 2 days. Before serving, return to a greased cupcake pan and bake in a hot oven to heat through and crisp again (10-15 minutes).
- Avoid: You may be tempted to slice and assemble the potatoes in the pan in advance, but they will brown over time.
- Crowd-size adjustment: Recipe makes 12 stacks; double if you’re cooking for a big holiday table.
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