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4.9 from 21 votes

Inside-Out Sweet Potatoes

Inside-out sweet potatoes are, quite simply, the best thing to happen to Thanksgiving since sweet potato casserole.

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 380 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 6 sweet potatoes, unpeeled
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter melted
  • 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon, sherry, or vanilla extract
  • 1 cup crushed cornflakes
  • 8 large or jumbo marshmallows
  • canola oil for frying (1 1/2 cups)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  2. Grab a fork and pierce each sweet potato several times all over. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 40 minutes, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes. Allow the sweet potatoes to cool in their skins. When cool enough to handle, use a knife to halve the potatoes lengthwise and then scoop out the insides from the skins into a bowl. Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
  3. Combine the mashed sweet potatoes with the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, flour, orange juice, and bourbon, sherry, or vanilla extract.
  4. Place the crushed cornflakes in a shallow dish or pie plate. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl.
  5. Working with your hands, smother each marshmallow with some of the sweet potato mixture, forming a ball. If the sweet potato mixture seems too soft to hold its shape, stir in some of the cornflake crumbs to thicken it. (You can cover and refrigerate the sweet potato-smothered marshmallows for up to 24 hours.) Dip each ball in the egg and then roll it in the crumbs. Refrigerate just until the oil is hot.
  6. Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until it registers 375°F (190°C) on a deep-fry or candy or instant-read thermometer. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C).
  7. Fry the inside-out sweet potatoes a couple at a time, turning as needed, until lightly browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the wire rack and transfer the entire baking sheet and wire rack to the oven to keep the inside-out sweet potatoes warm while you're frying the rest. Serve warm.

Notes

  • If you have the oven space on Thanksgiving, you can skip the time-consuming deep-frying and bake these little lovelies instead. [Editor’s Note: We know, we know, everything is better fried. But we have this on good authority—actually, it’s from cookbook author Martha Hall Foose, who developed this recipe herself.] Simply follow steps 1 through 3 per the recipe above and then preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper and generously spray the inside-out sweet potatoes with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until browned.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1portion Calories 380kcal (19%) Carbohydrates 75g (25%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Monounsaturated Fat 2g Trans Fat 0.2g Cholesterol 39mg (13%) Sodium 327mg (14%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 23g (46%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 380

% Daily Value*

Serving 1portion
Calories 380kcal 19%
Carbohydrates 75g 25%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 39mg 13%
Sodium 327mg 14%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 23g 46%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.