A Cozy, Make-Ahead Holiday Side with a Fun Backstory

Every family has that one dish that becomes your responsibility forever, but this one didn’t start that way for me.

The very first time I made these twice-baked sweet potatoes, I wasn’t exactly a trusted Thanksgiving cook yet. In fact, the host told me I could bring the sweet potatoes… but “not too many, because no one really likes them.” Challenge accepted.

I decided if I was going to show up with sweet potatoes, I was going to make the very best version I could. Warm spices, creamy butter, a little brown sugar, and a generous scoop of cream cheese…I went all in. And the funniest part? They were the hit of the entire meal. That tiny tray I brought disappeared in minutes, and from that year on, I was officially assigned the sweet potato dish for every Thanksgiving that followed.

These twice-baked sweet potatoes are cozy, creamy, lightly sweet, and beautifully spiced. The kind of side that feels special without being fussy. They look pretty on the table, reheat well, and always get a “wait, who made these?” from someone at the gathering.

Ingredients

• 6 sweet potatoes, even in size and scrubbed
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Bake the potatoes:
   Place the sweet potatoes on a sheet tray and bake for about 1 hour, or until soft.
   Remove from the oven and let stand until cool enough to handle.
3. Prepare the filling:
   Split the potatoes and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl, reserving the skins. Try not to scrape all the way down to the skin and leave some flesh. This will help the skin hold its shape.
   In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, butter, cream cheese, and spices. Add this mixture to the sweet potato flesh and mash everything together. I like to use a simple hand masher. It leaves little bits of potato throughout the creamy filling, which gives the dish a great texture. If you prefer a perfectly smooth, whipped filling, a hand mixer works beautifully too.
4. Refill and bake:
   You have two options here for getting the filling back into the potato skins:
   • Option 1:
     Spoon the filling back into the skins and place them on a sheet tray.
   • Option 2 (my preferred method):
     Fill a food storage bag with the sweet potato mixture, snip off one of the bottom corners, and pipe the filling neatly back into the skins. It makes the process cleaner, faster, and gives each potato a pretty, finished look.
5. Place the stuffed potatoes on a sheet tray and bake for 15 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden.

Chef on the Side Notes

• Make them ahead: Cut back on your ‘day of’ prep. You can fully assemble the filled potatoes (before the second bake) up to a day in advance. Just cover, refrigerate, and bake an extra 5–10 minutes when ready to serve.
• Use a piping bag for pretty presentation: If you want a clean, swirled look, transfer the filling to a piping bag with a large tip instead of a storage bag. It’s not necessary, but it does make them look bakery-worthy.
• Don’t fear the overstuff: If you end up with a sweet potato that’s too small to refill, don’t worry ! Just add all of its flesh to the mixing bowl and discard the skin. Having a little extra filling is actually a good thing; it lets you overstuff the remaining potato skins so every serving looks full, generous, and delicious.!
• Add a touch of crunch: Top with finely chopped toasted pecans or a drizzle of maple syrup before serving for a little sweetness and texture.
• Reheat like a pro: Leftovers reheat beautifully in the oven at 350°F for about 10–12 minutes. Avoid microwaving if you want the skins to stay crisp.