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An inside-out sweet potato coated in corn flakes, with a marshmallow center.
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4.88 / 8 votes

Inside-Out Sweet Potatoes

Inside-out sweet potatoes are, quite simply, the best thing to happen to Thanksgiving since sweet potato casserole.
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 380

Equipment

  • Deep-fry or candy or instant-read thermometer

Ingredients

  • 6 sweet potatoes, unpeeled
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon, sherry, or vanilla extract
  • 1 cup crushed cornflakes
  • 8 large or jumbo marshmallows
  • Canola oil, for frying (1 1/2 cups)
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  • Grab a fork and pierce each sweet potato several times all over. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender and easily pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 40 minutes, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes. Allow the sweet potatoes to cool in their skins. When cool enough to handle, use a knife to halve the potatoes lengthwise and then scoop out the insides from the skins into a bowl. Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
  • Combine the mashed sweet potatoes with the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking powder, flour, orange juice, and bourbon, sherry, or vanilla extract.
  • Place the crushed cornflakes in a shallow dish or pie plate. Beat the egg with 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl.
  • Working with your hands, smother each marshmallow with some of the sweet potato mixture, forming a ball. If the sweet potato mixture seems too soft to hold its shape, stir in some of the cornflake crumbs to thicken it. (You can cover and refrigerate the sweet potato-smothered marshmallows for up to 24 hours.) Dip each ball in the egg and then roll it in the crumbs. Refrigerate just until the oil is hot.
  • Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat until it registers 375°F (190°C) on a deep-fry or candy or instant-read thermometer. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 200°F (93°C).
  • Fry the inside-out sweet potatoes a couple at a time, turning as needed, until lightly browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the wire rack and transfer the entire baking sheet and wire rack to the oven to keep the inside-out sweet potatoes warm while you're frying the rest. Serve warm.

Notes

Baked Inside-Out Sweet Potatoes Variation

If you have the oven space on Thanksgiving, you can skip the time-consuming deep-frying and bake these little lovelies instead. [Editor’s Note: We know, we know, everything is better fried. But we have this on good authority—actually, it’s from cookbook author Martha Hall Foose, who developed this recipe herself.] Simply follow steps 1 through 3 per the recipe above and then preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with Silpat or parchment paper and generously spray the inside-out sweet potatoes with nonstick cooking spray. Bake until browned.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 327mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 23g