Description
The creamiest, dreamiest honey butter mashed sweet potatoes you’ll ever make. This recipe is pure comfort food, perfect for holidays or a cozy night in.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Sweet Potatoes:
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 tbsp salt, for boiling water
- For the Honey Butter:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream, warmed
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- Finishing Touches (Optional):
- Extra butter for topping
- Toasted pecans, chopped
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Prep and Boil the Potatoes: First things first, give those sweet potatoes a good scrub. Then, peel them. I know, peeling is the worst, but it’s worth it for the smooth texture. Chop them into 1-inch chunks—try to make them roughly the same size so they cook evenly. Plop them into a big pot and cover them with cold, salted water. And I mean SALTED. Like the ocean. This is your first and best chance to season the potatoes from the inside out. Bring it all to a boil and let them cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until they’re super tender when you poke them with a fork.
- Make the Honey Butter Magic: While the potatoes are bubbling away, let’s make the good stuff. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt your butter. Don’t let it get too hot or brown! Once it’s melted, whisk in the honey, heavy cream, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Just let it warm through gently for a minute or two until it’s all combined and smells absolutely incredible. Seriously, your kitchen is about to smell like heaven. Don’t walk away from it—I once did and the cream simmered over. What a mess.
- Drain and Dry: Once your potatoes are fork-tender, drain them really, really well in a colander. Let them sit for a minute or two to let some of the steam escape. This is a little trick I learned to prevent gummy mashed potatoes. You want to get rid of as much water as possible so they can soak up all that buttery, creamy goodness you just made. A little patience here goes a long way, trust me. I’ve been impatient before and ended up with slightly watery potatoes. Sad.
- Mash ‘Em Up!: Return the drained potatoes to the hot, empty pot. Now it’s time to mash! You can use a hand masher for a more rustic texture (my secret favorite) or a potato ricer for an ultra-smooth, silky result. If you’re using a hand mixer, be so careful not to over-mix, or they can get a weird, gluey texture. I learned that the hard way. Mash them until they’re at your desired consistency before you add any of the liquid.
- Combine Everything: Okay, here comes the best part. Pour about half of your warm honey-butter-cream mixture into the mashed potatoes. Gently fold it in with a spatula. Don’t go crazy stirring! Just gently combine. Then, add the rest of the mixture and keep folding until it’s all incorporated and the potatoes look creamy and glorious. This is where you get to see it all come together. It’s so satisfying. The color turns into this beautiful, rich orange.
- Taste and Serve: Give it a taste. This is the moment of truth! Does it need more salt? A tiny bit more honey? You decide. Adjust the seasonings until you literally want to eat the entire pot with a spoon. I usually add a little more salt at this stage. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a serving bowl, maybe make a little swirl on top with your spoon, and top with an extra pat of butter if you’re feeling fancy. Serve them hot and watch them disappear!