Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Cream
Roasted sweet potatoes hollowed and filled with a spiced cream cheese and brown sugar mixture, then baked until golden. This soul food classic delivers warmth and comfort with aromatic cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Serve as a holiday side dish or casual weeknight vegetable. The Neely's version stands out for its balance of savory potato flesh with sweet-spiced filling and creamy texture.
Ingredients
- 6 sweet potatoes, scrubbed
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 0.0 salt
- 0.0 black pepper, freshly ground
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 375F.
- 2
Place sweet potatoes on sheet tray and bake until soft, about 1 hour.
- 3
Cool potatoes until handleable.
- 4
Split potatoes lengthwise and scoop flesh into bowl, reserving skins.
- 5
In separate bowl, mash together brown sugar, butter, cream cheese, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and pepper.
- 6
Fold spiced mixture into sweet potato flesh until combined.
- 7
Fill reserved skins with mixture and arrange on sheet tray.
- 8
Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Tips
Let potatoes cool before handling to prevent burns and make scooping easier.
Room-temperature butter and cream cheese blend smoothly without lumps for a silky filling.
Don't scoop too aggressively; leave thin shell (1/4 inch) so skins hold shape during second bake.
Good to Know
Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered in 350F oven for 10-12 minutes until warmed through.
Prepare through filling stage, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake from cold, adding 5-10 minutes to final bake time.
Serve warm as side with pulled pork, ribs, or roasted chicken. Pairs well with collard greens or cornbread.
Common Mistakes
Scoop aggressively to avoid collapsing skins during second bake
Use room-temperature dairy to avoid lumpy texture when mixing
Don't underbake potatoes or filling will taste raw and unblended
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
Vegan Options
FAQ
Can I make these ahead?
Yes. Assemble through the filling step, cover, refrigerate up to 24 hours. Final bake from cold takes 20-25 minutes instead of 15.
Can I freeze twice-baked sweet potatoes?
Freeze filled potatoes on tray uncovered until solid, then wrap individually. Bake from frozen at 375F for 30-35 minutes until heated through.
What if my potatoes are different sizes?
Arrange by size on tray. Smaller potatoes finish first; remove and keep warm while larger ones complete cooking, or cut extra-large ones in half.