Creamy Maple Sweet Potato: 6 Reasons to Love This Dish

These creamy, buttery, and lightly sweet mashed sweet potatoes are a perfect comforting side dish.

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Preheat your oven to 350°F and position an oven rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with foil to make cleanup easier.
Prick each sweet potato 3 to 4 times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 60 to 75 minutes, turning them over halfway through so they cook evenly, until tender when pierced with a fork.
While the potatoes are baking, melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the maple syrup, milk, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside to keep warm.
Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each one in half. Using an oven mitt to hold the potato, scoop out the warm flesh into the pan with the butter mixture. Over low heat, mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a serving bowl and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves if desired. Serve hot as a comforting side dish.
These mashed sweet potatoes can be made in advance. To serve, stir in a bit of milk to loosen the texture and reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

These mashed sweet potatoes can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For a vegan version, substitute butter with plant-based butter and milk with almond milk.