These Maple and Molasses Spiced Sweet Potatoes are the perfect Thanksgiving side dish. Packed with so much holiday flavor, you’ll want to serve these for Christmas too. Offering incredible depth from molasses, espresso powder, allspice and more, these roasted sweet potatoes are bound to stand out amongst the many other side dishes at the table.
These roasted sweet potatoes were inspired by both my Mother’s classic Thanksgiving recipe and an incredible dish I had at Borough in Minneapolis with my sister, brother-in-law, and Greg.
My mother’s recipe strikes the perfect balance between sweet, savory, and just a bit tangy. And, without fail, every year my sister and I both get a frantic call from her wondering if we knew where the recipe lived in her house or if there was a chance we could find it somewhere in the depths of the internet. Neither of which we usually are able to find for her. Yet every year she somehow either finds the recipe or recreates it from memory. And every year it’s just as satisfying.
The sweet potatoes Borough offers are very different from the dish my mom makes, the only resemblance is that they’re both cubed and roasted. These jewel-like potatoes are lacquered with an incredibly deep-flavored, almost black, sweet and spicy coating. And when I say spicy, I don’t mean heat, I mean a mix of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. For me, this dish is more about the coating than the sweet potatoes themselves.
My sister will tell you that I have a love-hate relationship with these sweet potatoes. Well, love-hate might be a bit strong, I have a skeptical love for these sweet potatoes. Since they’re tossed in such a big, bold coating, the delicate flavor of the sweet potatoes tends to get lost. Dare I say, sometimes it’s possible to have too much flavor. I may not be doing a very good job of selling them, but don’t be fooled, I adore them.
My hybrid of a recipe features the best of both dishes, bold and flavorful—but not overboard—and perfectly nuanced thanks to a bit of mustard and orange juice. They might not be the prettiest things you’ve ever seen, but they just might be the tastiest. Add these spiced sweet potatoes to your Thanksgiving or holiday menu for a dish that couldn’t be more seasonal.
Maple & Molasses Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Offering incredible depth from molasses, espresso powder, allspice and more, these roasted sweet potatoes are bound to stand out amongst the many other side dishes at the table.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients
3 pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons smoked paprika, divided
Black pepper
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon espresso powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Toss sweet potatoes with oil, 1½ teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon paprika in a bowl; season with black pepper. Arrange potatoes in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, do not wash bowl. Roast sweet potatoes until nearly fork-tender, 20–25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in same bowl whisk together maple syrup, molasses, mustard, orange juice, all-spice, cinnamon, espresso, cayenne pepper, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon paprika.
Scoop potatoes into bowl with maple syrup mixture and toss to coat. Transfer potatoes back to baking sheet and roast 5–8 minutes more, tossing every few minutes, until caramelized and tender.
Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with olive oil.
