Kentucky Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

This Kentucky bourbon sweet potatoes recipe is spiked with toffee-oak notes, balanced with caramelized sweetness, and topped with crunchy pecans. Swoon.

Why this recipe works

Kentucky bourbon sweet potatoes have changed the game! My family is huge on their sweet potatoes come Thanksgiving. Candied yams, sweet potato casserole, you name it. So obviously, this southern bourbon sweet potatoes recipe fits snugly in our binder now. You can top them with pecans, streusel, marshmallows, or a combination of the three. They’re incredible every which way!

Last year, one of our readers, Bob, told us about one of his favorite dishes (Kentucky bourbon sweet potatoes). Since loves his bourbon, he had to put his own spin on it. Bob’s version was mashed, but we decided to go with cubed potatoes instead. So here’s an extra special thanks to Bob for introducing us to this masterpiece of a recipe!

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

SWEET POTATOES – We like to roast the potatoes first, but you can boil them until fork-tender instead.

BOURBON – Instead of suggesting a non-alcoholic option for the bourbon, we suggest trying our candied yams instead. If you like the idea of pecans instead of marshmallows, you can use this recipe as a guide to make adjustments. The bourbon is what makes this recipe what it is! Bourbon isn’t added for the purpose of being a boozed up dish, but rather to add warm, caramel-oak flavoring that is seriously to die for.

MAPLE SYRUP – Honey or agave nectar would be good substitutes for the maple syrup.

How to Make Kentucky Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place peeled, cubed sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
3. Add seasoned sweet potatoes in a single layer to a baking sheet and place in preheated oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until easily pierced with a fork.
4. Meanwhile, while potatoes are baking, make the sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Whisk in bourbon and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
5. Add brown sugar and maple syrup, bring back to a boil. Turn heat down to medium and continue boiling for 2-3 minutes, until slightly thickened.
6. Place chopped pecans in a bowl and add enough of the sauce to coat the nuts.
7. To a large mixing bowl, add the baked sweet potatoes and remaining sauce and stir gently to combine.
8. Pour sauced potatoes into a square baking pan and top with sauced pecans.
9. Bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes.

QUICK TIP – While we don’t do this for this particular recipe since we are roasting the potato cubes, I wanted to share this tip with you anyway! To easily peel sweet potatoes, score the skin with a knife, starting at the center of the potato and going all the way around it. Drop scored potatoes into a pot of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain and drop potatoes into an ice bath. Once cool enough to handle, but still warm, you should be able to easily slide the skins off with your fingers.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Yes, you can taste the bourbon in this recipe. The alcohol content cooks off during the process, but it leaves behind that rich, oaky, caramelized vanilla flavor. It truly adds depth to regular ole sweet potatoes!

Choose a smooth, vanilla or caramel based Kentucky bourbon for this recipe. It certainly doesn’t have to be top shelf, but grab something you enjoy the flavor of!

Store cooled leftovers covered tightly with an air-tight lid or plastic wrap kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Yes, you can prepare everything up until the point of baking it then store it, covered, in the refrigerator up to a day in advance. Though I would recommend holding off on tossing the pecans with the sauce until the day of so they don’t get soft.

Serving Suggestions

Serve your Kentucky bourbon sweet potatoes topped with either pecans (like we did), mini marshmallows, or a brown sugar crumble. This recipe is super popular for Thanksgiving, but it’s honestly amazing year-round with everyday dinners as well. Hope you love it!

More Sweet Potato Recipes

• Sweet Potato Souffle
• Sweet Potato Pie
• Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes

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