I'll take them mashed, fried, grilled and baked. My mom makes these amazing mashed sweet potatoes with brown sugar and maple syrup and I'm crossing all my fingers and toes she makes them for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year!
Which, by the way, I'm stoked for. The holidays, I mean. We're spending Thanksgiving with my family in Kansas, and then hosting Christmas in Dallas. My nephew turns two on December 1st, so we'll be celebrating that as well!
Even though I'm so excited to see everyone at Thanksgiving, Christmas is my #1 babe. It's taking every inch of willpower in my body to not turn my apartment into a winter wonderland.
So instead I'm focusing all of my energy onto autumnal treats, like these Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potato Fries. Did I mention there's a maple syrup cream cheese dip on the side? Yeah, you're not going to want to share.
Luckily, you don't have to! I made this recipe for one, but it can be easily doubled or tripled.
I took some advice from the kitchen of Camille Styles for the fries. By following her tips and tricks, my fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside -- the perfect fry!
You'll need to start by peeling and cutting the sweet potato into fries. I cut my fries 1/4-1/2 inch wide. Once they're cut, soak them in water for at least an hour. The soaking is an essential step because it draws out excess starch and helps the potatoes cook all the way through.
Once the potatoes have soaked, drain and rinse them in cold water. Transfer them to a large ziplock bag and sprinkle in the cornstarch to make sure it all doesn't end up in one clump. You'll want the lightest dusting of cornstarch on the fries, so make sure to shake them up real good.
Mix in the oil, sugar, and spices, transfer to the pan and they're ready to bake!
While the fries are baking, let's make dip! As you've probably noticed, I've been obsessed with using cream cheese in my recipes. Besides, these fries NEEDED cream cheese to complete them. And adding maple syrup to the dip gave it that extra hint of sweetness. Tip: if you're doubling the recipe, don't double the dip! It makes quite a lot and then you'll be stuck eating it by the spoonful right out of the bowl...not that I know anything about that. 😇
When the fries are fully cooked (and smelling delicious, by the way), turn off the oven and prop open the door for about 5-10 minutes. This allows the fries to crisp up even more!
Serve while the fries are still hot. Enjoy!
Cinnamon Sugar Sweet Potato Fries
A sweet and savory snack with a maple syrup cream cheese dip that will please any party guest!
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
Instructions
1. Peel and cut sweet potato into 1/4 inch thick fries. Soak in cold water for at least 1 hour. Once fries have soaked, drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Preheat oven. Transfer fries to gallon ziplock bag. Sprinkle with cornstarch, making sure no clumps form on a single fry. Shake bag vigorously until light coating forms.
3. Pour fries into a large bowl. Add oil, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix well with hands.
4. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Lay fries on the pan and arrange so that none of them are touching (use a second baking sheet if necessary). Place fries on the lower oven rack and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with a spatula. Bake for another 7-10 minutes.
5. Turn off oven, partially open oven door and let the fries rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot.
6. Cream Cheese Dip: Cream together cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl. Slowly add powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time (up to 4) until dip has reached desired consistency. Mix in maple syrup.
2. Preheat oven. Transfer fries to gallon ziplock bag. Sprinkle with cornstarch, making sure no clumps form on a single fry. Shake bag vigorously until light coating forms.
3. Pour fries into a large bowl. Add oil, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix well with hands.
4. Line baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Lay fries on the pan and arrange so that none of them are touching (use a second baking sheet if necessary). Place fries on the lower oven rack and bake for 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and toss with a spatula. Bake for another 7-10 minutes.
5. Turn off oven, partially open oven door and let the fries rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve hot.
6. Cream Cheese Dip: Cream together cream cheese and butter in mixing bowl. Slowly add powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time (up to 4) until dip has reached desired consistency. Mix in maple syrup.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 1-2 servings
*Prep time does not include the hour to soak fries.
A few of my friends are hosting a Friendsgiving next week! Can anyone guess what I'll be bringing?
No comments