Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Streusel are a delicious addition to your Thanksgiving table! Baked until tender, mashed with butter and brown sugar, then topped with a sweet, crunchy walnut streusel, they’re a tasty alternative to classic mashed sweet potatoes and sweet potato casserole.
Best Thanksgiving Side!
I love a good sweet potato, and this one definitely won’t disappoint! It’s dressed up with a sweet, buttery filling and a crunchy walnut streusel that makes it extra special.
Sweet potatoes are baked until tender, then scooped out and mashed with butter and brown sugar. The filling goes back into the skins before getting topped with a sweet, crunchy walnut streusel. Make them ahead or the day of Thanksgiving for a delicious side dish alongside your turkey and stuffing!
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few pantry staples to make these sweet potatoes with their buttery walnut topping.
- Sweet potatoes: Look for large ones so there’s plenty of room for the filling and streusel on top.
- Brown sugar: Adds just the right amount of sweetness to the filling.
- Butter: Makes the sweet potato filling smooth and creamy.
- Cinnamon: Adds a little warmth that pairs perfectly with sweet potatoes.
- Walnut streusel: A simple mix of flour, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, butter, and brown sugar that bakes into a buttery, crunchy topping.
How to Make Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
This recipe is simple to prepare, and you can do most of the work a few days ahead. Refrigerate them until you’re ready to finish them in the oven. Full instructions and measurements are in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Bake Sweet Potatoes Until Very Soft
Prick sweet potatoes with a fork or sharp knife. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until very soft. (Baking time will depend on the size of your sweet potatoes.) Remove from oven and cool.
Step 2: Cut Lengthwise + Scoop Out Flesh of Sweet Potatoes
Once the sweet potatoes are baked and cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/2-inch border inside the skin.
Step 3: Mash the Sweet Potatoes
Mash the sweet potatoes together with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mash until mostly smooth and the butter has melted.
Step 4: Add Mashed Sweet Potatoes Back into Skins
Pipe or spoon mashed sweet potatoes back into the skins. Keep in mind that you won’t fill all the skins back up. Count on 1 less. For example, I cooked 3 sweet potatoes, giving me 6 halves. The filling I scooped out will only fill 5.
Make-Ahead Tips: You can prepare these sweet potatoes 3–5 days ahead, refrigerate them covered, and store the streusel separately. For longer storage, freeze the filled sweet potatoes for up to 6 months and keep the streusel in a separate freezer-safe container. When ready to serve, add the topping and bake. Frozen sweet potatoes will need about 45–60 minutes, or until heated through and golden.
Step 5: Make the Streusel Topping
In a bowl, mix the butter, salt, flour, brown sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon until crumbly.
Step 6: Add Streusel Over the Tops + Bake
Sprinkle the streusel over the filled sweet potatoes and bake 20-30 mins, or until the edges are crispy. Serve warm.
Tips for Success
- Don’t scoop too much out: Leave a little potato around the edges so the skins hold their shape when you add the filling back in.
- Mash while warm: The butter melts right in, making the filling smooth with little effort.
- Don’t overmix the streusel: Mix just until it’s crumbly. You want those little buttery chunks on top!
- Use a piping bag for a pretty finish: Spoon the filling into a piping bag to make the tops look extra nice, or just use a spoon if you’re keeping things simple.
- Keep an eye on the walnuts: They can brown quickly, so check the topping toward the end of baking to make sure it doesn’t get too dark.
What to Serve With Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
I love serving these alongside a Thanksgiving turkey and a few classic sides. Here are some favorites that go really well with the sweet, buttery filling and crunchy walnut topping.
- Thanksgiving Turkey: Juicy roasted turkey makes a perfect main dish.
- Sausage Stuffing: Savory sausage, bread, and herbs balance the sweet filling.
- Green Bean Casserole: A creamy, classic Thanksgiving favorite.
- Turkey Gravy: Delicious drizzled over sliced turkey.
- Cranberry Sauce: Adds a tart, fruity contrast to the sweet potatoes.
If you love sweet potatoes, these Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes are a must for your holiday table. Save or pin the recipe so you can make them for Thanksgiving, too. Printable recipe card below!
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- 4 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter
- pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
for the streusel-
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
Instructions
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Prick sweet potatoes with a fork or knife and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft. You can also microwave the sweet potatoes on high for 13-15 minutes as well.
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Once sweet potatoes are cooked, slice in half and scoop out the centers into a bowl leaving a 1/4 inch border of sweet potato with the skin.
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Mix in brown sugar, butter, salt, and cinnamon until smooth.
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Using a large tipped pastry bag, pipe filling back into sweet potato shells. {Or spoon it back in.}
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In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the streusel and mix together until butter starts to warm and ingredients start sticking together.
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Top the filled sweet potatoes with the streusel and bake 20-30 minutes. Serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
Variations
It’s easy to change up the streusel or add a little extra spice to the filling with these simple swaps.
- Pecan Streusel: Swap the walnuts for chopped pecans for a buttery, nutty topping.
- Maple Sweet Potatoes: Replace some of the brown sugar in the filling with maple syrup for a hint of maple flavor.
- Ginger Spice: Add a pinch of ground ginger to the filling for extra warmth alongside the cinnamon.
- Chopped Almonds: Replace the walnuts with chopped almonds for a different crunch in the streusel topping.
More Sweet Potato Recipes to Try!
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Perfect Sweet Potato Pie
- Sweet Potato Cookies with Homemade Streusel
- Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover twice-baked sweet potatoes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. The streusel may soften after storage, but reheating in the oven will help crisp it up a bit.
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tag me @laurens_latest.
