No Holiday is complete without the sweetest side there is, Candied Melting Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows and Walnuts! They’re so easy, incredibly impressive, and will be the show stopper of your dinner!
Just like the crispy corners of macaroni and cheese are the best part of the dish, the super crunchy toothsome bits of these Candied Melting Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows and Walnuts are going to be fought over.
For as long as I can remember, we have had sweet potatoes for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. My papa makes them not from a recipe, but years of making them in his head.
His don’t include marshmallows but instead, a generous splash of heavy cream. No nuts, no sticky caramelized maple, just pillowy soft and sweet potatoes. These Candied Melting Sweet Potatoes are my enhancement 😉 of his dish.
It’s worth noting that these are very sweet. My grandma always saves her sweet potatoes for her dessert plate for a reason. I love to add a sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of mine, but if you’re not into the sweet/salty thing then that’s your business! Seriously though, these are roll your eyes back in your head good. Try them, won’t you?
Ingredients
unsalted butter
olive oil — The combination of olive oil and butter helps keep the butter from burning and adds a lovely savory note.
sweet potatoes — Try to find sweet potatoes that are uniform in shape so that you get rounds that are all roughly the same size.
maple syrup
cinnamon
sea salt
walnuts — You could definitely use pecans! Hazelnuts would also be delicious!
mini marshmallows — You could use full-size marshmallow, but I would recommend cutting them in half horizontally and placing on the sweet potato round cut-side down.
Flaky sea salt (optional)
How to Make
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the first side is golden brown, about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk the maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts in a small bowl until combined. Flip the potatoes carefully with tongs, then pour the maple mixture over the top. - Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake on the center rack until the potatoes are very tender and the sauce has reduced and slightly candies around edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and preheat the broiler to high. Top each piece of potato with mini marshmallows. Broil on the top rack until the marshmallows are puffed and lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Watch closely to prevent burning. Alternatively, you can toast the marshmallows with a kitchen torch, as I did.
How to Store
Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Any longer than this and you may have a mushy mess.
Hot Tip
If your skillet isn’t big enough to make the full batch of sweet potatoes, you can also make them on a sheet pan! You may not get those super candied crispy bits, but they’ll still be just as delicious!
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- Instead of browning the sweet potatoes in the butter in the skillet, melt the butter in the microwave first and then toss the sweet potatoes in the butter and olive oil, place in a single layer on a metal baking sheet, and bake in a preheated 425ºF until golden brown and crispy on both sides, about 15-20 minutes per side. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, bring the maple syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, add cinnamon, salt, and walnuts, bring back to a simmer, and remove from heat.
- Pour the maple walnut sauce over the sweet potatoes and top with the mini marshmallows. Broil on the top rack until the marshmallows are puffed and lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Watch closely to prevent burning. Alternatively, you can toast the marshmallows with a kitchen torch, as I did.
I highly recommend getting a kitchen torch! I use mine so much more than you would think and they’re pretty affordable!
More Side Dishes You’ll Love!
Air Fryer Salt and Vinegar Brussels Sprouts
Sour Cream and Cheddar Deviled Eggs
Acorn Squash Stuffed with Chicken Apple Stuffing
Sweet Potato Salad with Spiced Pecans
Green Bean Casserole with Crispy Beer Battered Onions
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Take a browse around the site and please let me know if you make anything by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, concerns, or requests!
Candied Melting Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, ends trimmed, and sliced into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
- Flaky sea salt, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until the first side is golden brown, about 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and walnuts in a small bowl until combined. Flip the potatoes carefully with tongs, then pour the maple mixture over the top.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake on the center rack until the potatoes are very tender and the sauce has reduced and slightly candies around edges, 20 to 25 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and preheat the broiler to high. Top each piece of potato with mini marshmallows. Broil on the top rack until the marshmallows are puffed and lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Watch closely to prevent burning. Alternatively, you can toast the marshmallows with a kitchen torch, as I did.
Notes
See the blog post above.