Roasted Honey Butter Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a staple snack in Taiwan and many other Asian countries. During my trip to Taiwan last month, I was reminded of just how beloved this tuber was. I grabbed a roasted sweet potato at a 7-Eleven, and it was creamier and sweeter than any I’ve had in the US. The sweet potato is enjoyed as a grab-and-go snack, much like we reach for an apple or a bag of chips here. You eat it right out of the bag, no utensils needed. It’s usually enjoyed plain, with no butter and no sugar. This was all I knew growing up, and the American practice of adding more sugar and more butter to something so naturally creamy and sweet was a hard idea to grasp…at first. I’ve become a convert and now appreciate both ways to enjoy the sweet potato – plain and decadent!

This recipe for baked sweet potatoes is solidly on the decadent side of the spectrum. You roast it twice for that extra creamy punch and drench it in a honey butter glaze. I’ve made sweet potatoes with just a honey glaze, and trust me, the butter adds another dimension of heaven. The cayenne pepper adds just the right amount of heat to cut through the richness. And best of all, this is so easy to make. Low effort, big payoff, what more can you ask for?

[recipe title=”Roasted Honey Butter Sweet Potatoes” servings=”4-6″ time=”Prep: 10 minutes, Cook: 80 minutes”]

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes or yams (about 3 medium potatoes)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or more to taste
• salt

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Poke holes in cleaned sweet potatoes and place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
3. Roast for 60 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
4. Meanwhile, combine honey and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, and add cayenne and salt to taste. Remove from heat and add apple cider vinegar. Set aside.
5. Remove potatoes from oven and let cool enough to handle.
6. Increase oven temp to 400 degrees F while potatoes are cooling.
7. Tear sweet potato into bite-sized pieces with your hands or two forks. Place pieces back on baking sheet, skin side down. Drizzle honey butter sauce over the potatoes.
8. Bake potatoes for 20 more minutes, until edges are crispy.
9. Let cool slightly, and enjoy while warm.

[/recipe]