Vanilla Whipped Sweet Potatoes

A recipe for Vanilla Whipped Sweet Potatoes! Roasted sweet potatoes are pureed until smooth and blended with a vanilla-scented cream to create a light and pillowy texture.

These Vanilla Whipped Sweet Potatoes have become such a favorite side for us during the holidays. Sweet potatoes are roasted in the oven until tender, then pureed in the food processor with cream, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

I love the little flecks of vanilla dotted throughout the bright orange sweet potato and it really adds something special to the flavor without much effort.

While the sweet potatoes are best warm and freshly made, they can be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated in an airtight container until needed. Place in a 350˚F (180˚C) oven until heated through. 

A Few Whipped Sweet Potato Tips

I like to serve the Vanilla Whipped Sweet Potatoes with a little extra butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon. For a smaller, more intimate family meal, this recipe can easily be divided in half.

The roasting time for the sweet potatoes may vary depending on the thickness. Make sure they are completely tender, especially at the thickest part, to allow the sweet potatoes to puree smoothly. This usually takes about 35-45 minutes in a 400˚F (200˚C) oven. 

Vanilla beans are available in the spice section of most large grocery stores, but usually only have 1-3 inside a small jar. During this time of year, I usually order a larger amount online to make vanilla extract and vanilla sugar for holiday baking.

Make sure you pack the vanilla beans in an airtight container to keep them from drying out and in a dark cabinet away from sunlight.

If you don’t have vanilla beans available, substitute with about 2-3 teaspoons vanilla bean paste.

Looking for more sweet potato recipes?

Try my:

• Sweet Potato Waffles
• Spiced Sweet Potato Fries with Maple Mustard Dipping Sauce
• Goguma Mattang (Korean Caramelized Sweet Potatoes)

Vanilla Whipped Sweet Potatoes Recipe

Adapted from Food and Wine (Gerry Hayden)

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Vanilla Whipped Sweet Potatoes

A recipe for Vanilla Whipped Sweet Potatoes! Roasted sweet potatoes are pureed until smooth and blended with a vanilla-scented cream.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine N/A

Keyword cream, sweet potato, Thanksgiving, vanilla, vanilla bean

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

0 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 -8 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms) sweet potatoes
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons (57 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 vanilla bean
• Salt to taste
• Ground cinnamon for sprinkling, optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C) and place the sweet potatoes on large rimmed baking sheet.
• Poke each sweet potato a few times with a fork and bake in the preheated oven until tender through the thickest part, 35-45 minutes. Allow to cool until able to handle.
• Peel and place sweet potatoes in large food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
• In a small saucepan, place the cream, brown sugar, butter, and a large pinch of salt over medium heat. Scrap and whisk in the seeds from the vanilla bean and add the pod to the cream.
• Once simmering and the brown sugar has completely dissolved, remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean pod.
• Turn on the food processor with pureed sweet potatoes and slowly pour in the cream. Add any vanilla bean seeds that remain in the pan. Season to taste with salt as needed.
• Serve immediately (dusted with cinnamon if desired) or allow to cool to room temperature, store in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to a day.