Honey Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Sweet potatoes seared in butter until golden crust forms, then tossed with honey, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Finished baking in the oven until tender with visual cues to catch doneness. Uses cast iron skillet for even sear. Substitutions and textures explained. Timing adjusted slightly from the original method; sensory details guide cooking instead of strict clocks.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
22 min
Total:
34 min
Servings:
4 servings
#sweet potatoes
#fall cooking
#cast iron
#honey glaze
#cinnamon
#vegetable side dish
#oven roasted
Start mid-task — the sweet potato dice, uneven and chunky, clattering into the skillet with a satisfying sizzle. Butter melts, foams, touching every cube, searing edges crisp. That caramelizing sound, it tells you things are happening. Honey joins after the initial sear, sticky, sweet, clinging to browned edges and dusted cinnamon. Oven kicks in next. Toss it in midway, let dry roasting coax tender veins inside while outside stays assertive. Watch, poke potato cubes with a fork – sometimes it’s done before you expect, sometimes a few minutes more. The smoky aroma, melting butter, warm honey make you lean in, no distractions. Kitchen sounds rise and settle, steady, irregular. This isn’t just cooking; it’s sensorial gathering. I’ve swapped some butter for coconut oil for a tropical note, or maple syrup when honey feels harsh. Timing is a guideline but look and smell guide the dance — crust thick enough, interior soft but united, bites begging for more.
Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet potatoes diced approx 1 inch
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or coconut oil as alternative
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup for twist
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
About the ingredients
Sweet potatoes can vary from dense to mushy — adjust sear time accordingly. Dicing uniform cubes help even cooking; about one inch is sweet spot. Butter is traditional, but coconut oil adds pleasant richness and slight nuttiness. Honey is sticky and intense; maple syrup mellows sweetness and adds complexity — swap without changing quantity. Cinnamon brings warmth but be careful not to overload or it dominates — start with one teaspoon, tweak to taste. Salt balances sweet and butter flavors, black pepper adds bite. If pressed for common alternatives — olive oil works but sacrifices searing quality, brown sugar can replace honey but won’t dissolve as well during searing. Room temperature ingredients transition easier, cold butter slows sear. Use heavy pan to develop crust rapidly without sogginess. Cast iron preferred but oven-safe stainless or nonstick pans can work; nonstick pans won’t crust as well expect lighter browning.
Method
- 1 Heat oven to 355°F, toss sweet potato cubes with no oil yet.
- 2 Warm a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, on medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking.
- 3 Drop butter in, let it melt fully till foamy and smelling nutty but not burnt.
- 4 Add potatoes in a single layer, resist crowding the pan. Sear until a golden brown crust forms on at least 2 sides, maybe 5-7 minutes. You want browning, not softness yet.
- 5 Sprinkle cinnamon, salt and pepper right over potatoes, swirl gently to disperse seasoning. Next, drizzle honey evenly to coat. Listen for soft sizzle.
- 6 Transfer skillet straight to the oven. Bake uncovered about 15-20 minutes. Doneness is when you pierce a cube easily with a fork and it yields but still holds shape. Look for slight caramelization on edges.
- 7 Remove from oven, smell deep buttery sweetness melded with warm spices. Serve immediately for best texture and aroma.
Cooking tips
Preheat to 355°F to give you a bit more heat cushion; sweet potatoes like it hot but need space to crisp. Avoid overcrowding pans or potatoes steam rather than sear — work in batches if needed. Wait for butter to foam and smell nutty but not dark brown before introducing potatoes — premature additions trap moisture, yield limp surfaces. Tossing honey with cinnamon and salt post-sear lets sticky sweet coat develop without burning. Immediately transfer skillet to the oven — heat and residual butter continue softening interiors evenly without drying. Oven times vary; poke potato cubes with fork—they should yield with gentle pressure but not collapse. If in doubt, bake longer by small increments. Remove immediately on doneness to preserve crust crispness. Leftovers lose texture fast; reheat in skillet over medium rather than microwave to restore surface texture. Don’t rush searing step; bad sear is a common rookie mistake affecting final result more than overbaking.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start pan hot, butter foamy, smell nutty but not burnt. Patience here saves texture. Avoid crowding cubes — steam kills sear. Toss potatoes single layer. Wait for crust, golden spots on minimum 2 sides. Crisp edges, not mush. If oily, blot with towel mid-cook; too wet = limp.
- 💡 Honey and cinnamon come after sear, drizzle gently. Too much honey burns fast; low and steady heat helps. Stir once to coat but avoid breaking crust. Smell tells when sugar caramelizing. Maple syrup swaps evenly — less sticky, more mellow sweetness. Salt balances grit, pepper punchy so add with cinnamon, not separately.
- 💡 Oven time varies; trust fork poke, not just minutes. Take potato cubes with fork, gentle pressure only — should yield but keep shape, not mash. If not soft inside, bake more by few mins increments. Don’t leave in too long or crusts collapse post-bake. Rest short, serve right away for texture.
- 💡 Butter adds nuttiness and sear; coconut oil works for tropical twist but milder aroma. Avoid olive oil unless no sear needed, skips crisp crust stage. Brown sugar can replace honey in pinch but won’t dissolve or coat the same way in skillet. Always use room temp butter/oil for quick foam action, cold fats slow sear.
- 💡 Work in batches if skillet too small. Crowded pan? Steamed potatoes, soggy, no crust. Heavy pan important — cast iron preferred, but oven-safe stainless ok. Nonstick won’t get deep crust, expect paler edges. Toss spices with salt and pepper after sear, honey last so sugars don’t scorch too early. Timing guides only, rely on senses.
Common questions
How to know when sweet potatoes are done?
Poke test best. Should yield with slight pressure but keep shape. Look for slight edge caramelization. Smell changes too. Not just time—oven temps and cube size vary. If fork slips in mushy, overdone.
Can I use other oils instead of butter?
Coconut oil for nuttiness, hint tropical. Olive oil works but sear lighter, less crust. Butter adds aroma and foaming helps crust. No oil slows sear, sticks then soggy. Room temp fats melt evenly, cold delays.
What if potatoes stick or burn in skillet?
Heat control key. Butter foam and smell nutty before potatoes. Too hot? Burnt edges. Too cool? No crust. Oil amount matters. Stir gently, don’t overcrowd pan. Cast iron holds heat steady, nonstick less effective for sear.
How to store leftovers and reheat?
Cool fast. Refrigerate covered but crispness lost fast. Reheat in skillet on medium to revive crust; microwave softens everything. If moist, try dry pan heat, shake pan to avoid sticking. Not great next day but better than soggy.
