Bourbon sweet potatoes are a classic Southern holiday side dish. A little bourbon and some warm spices elevate your sweet potatoes into a side dish that is decadent, nutty and comforting. Mashed bourbon sweet potatoes are perfect for fall holiday gatherings.
Confession time: I've never liked marshmallows on my sweet potatoes. Marshmallows are great for s'mores, but on sweet potatoes? Not so much. Also, I don't like canned yams drowned in maple syrup either. So at holiday gatherings, the sweet potato side dish was the one I usually skipped. Until, one day, a friend introduced me to bourbon sweet potatoes. Not too sweet, and also warm with a depth of flavor. They were so good that I think I went back for thirds that first Thanksgiving. These baked mashed bourbon sweet potatoes quickly became a family favorite, so I've been making them ever since. Almost 20 years now!
Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes
- Salted butter
- Brown sugar
- Bourbon
- Orange juice
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Salt
- Pecan pieces
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions
- Bourbon - if you don't have bourbon, you can substitute a different type of whisky. If you don't have bourbon or whisky, then you can substitute 1 tablespoon of vanilla for a similar flavor profile. However, most extracts are alcohol based, so using vanilla does not eliminate the alcohol.
- Pumpkin pie spice - if you don't have pumpkin pie spice already made, you can substitute ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of cloves, ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon of allspice and ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg for the one teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
- Pecans - pecans are the perfect nut for this recipe. However, you can substitute another favorite nut or leave them out entirely.
Equipment
You'll need a stand or hand mixer, or a hand masher, to mash the sweet potatoes.
Storage
Store any leftover mashed bourbon sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for for up to 5 days.
Next Level Tips
- Did you know that Crockpot brand inserts are typically oven safe (without the lid) up to 400 degrees? Learning this was a game-changer for me! For any baked side dishes that I want to keep warm, I bake it in the Crockpot insert and then put it straight into the Crockpot on warm. No more sad, cold sweet potatoes! It also means you can make these ahead of time which is always helpful when you're trying to pull a large holiday meal together.
- You can buy little bags of finely chopped nut, but they are expensive. Instead, you could buy the larger pecan halves and pule them in a food processor for 30 seconds.
FAQ
You can follow my homemade pumpkin pie spice recipe. Or for this bourbon sweet potato dish, you can substitute ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon of cloves, ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon of allspice and ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg for the one teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
No, you can also bake the sweet potatoes at 400 degrees for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the sweet potatoes chunks. Bake them until the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Then proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Yes, this recipe can support up to ½ cup of Bourbon. After that, you're just better off drinking the Bourbon!
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
Bourbon Sweet Potaotes
Ingredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes (4 pounds = 4 large or 6 medium)
- ½ cup salted butter
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
- 2 tablespoons orange juice fresh squeezed or ready made
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice*
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup pecan pieces (optional) chopped in small pieces
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the sweet potatoes into similar sized, large chunks. Carefully add the sweet potatoes to the boiling water. Boil until fork tender, approximately 30 minutes.
- Remove the sweet potatoes to a strainer. Allow the sweet potatoes to cool. Once cooled, remove the skins from sweet potatoes.
- Add the sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl and use a stand or hand mixer to mash. [Or you can also use a hand masher to mash the sweet potatoes.]
- Add all the other ingredients, except the pecan pieces, to the mixing bowl and combine with the sweet potatoes.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Spray a baking dish (6-8 cups) or crockpot insert with cooking spray. Add the sweet potatoes to the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the pecan pieces around the edges for a pretty look. [Most often, I just cover half of the dish with pecan pieces so that there is half with nuts and half without.]
- Bake for 45 minutes.
Notes
- ½ teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of cloves
- ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon of allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg
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