recipe

Sweet Potato Sticks: Crunchy, Delicious, and Appetizing!

Total time: 100 mins.

Difficulty: Low

Serves: 6-8

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By Ojonugwa Lawrence

This dish is a ribbon of caramelized sweet potato flavor wrapped in a shell. These sweet potato sticks are great as an appetizer, party finger food, or a comforting side that pairs brilliantly with spicy dips, creamy aiolis, or a tangy yogurt sauce.

Lightly sweet from the potato and sugar and tender inside from butter, these sticks hit the sweet and savory balance and look irresistible on a platter. Anyone who loves fries, gnocchi-like textures, or homemade snacks will fall for them.

What are Sweet Potato Sticks?

Sweet potato sticks are small, stick-shaped bites made by turning mashed sweet potato into a dough-like mixture, chilling it so it firms up, then cutting and baking until lightly crisp on the outside and soft in the center. They’re not deep-fried French fries or traditional potato croquettes, but similar to a tender gnocchi, a potato finger, and a baked snack.

This technique, steaming, mashing, binding with butter, flour, and a touch of sugar, then freezing briefly, creates a uniform shape that browns attractively.

Pro Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Sticks

Steam and don’t overboil. Steaming preserves sweetness and prevents the mash from getting too watery, which would weaken the binding.
After peeling, let the hot mashed potato sit for 1-2 minutes to let excess steam evaporate. Drier mash binds better with flour and butter.
Smooth is key, so work the mash until silky before adding flour so the texture inside becomes uniformly tender.
Freezing the shaped square for about 40 minutes firms the mixture so you get sharp, consistent sticks instead of ragged pieces.

Frequently Asked Questions

What texture should I expect inside the sticks?

The interior should be soft and tender, and slightly, while the exterior is lightly crisp. Avoid overworking the mixture, which can make it gummy, and ensure your mash is not too wet.

Can I deep-fry or air-fry instead of baking?

Deep-frying will yield a crispier result. Air-frying works great too, just preheat to 200°C/400°F and air-fry for 6-10 minutes, turning halfway.

Do I have to freeze the mixture?

Freezing or firm chilling is strongly recommended. It makes slicing precise sticks possible and helps them keep their shape while baking.

How do I prevent them from falling apart while baking?

Make sure the mash is well combined and not too wet, the sticks are well chilled, and you don’t overcrowd the baking sheet. The egg wash also helps by creating a surface seal.

How to Store Sweet Potato Sticks

Store cooled, baked sticks in the refrigerator and re-crisp in an oven or an air-fryer.

Ingredients

medium sweet potato

1 (around 200g)

all-purpose flour

100g (¾ cup)

sugar

20g (1 ⅔ tbsp)

butter

50g (¼ cup)

egg wash

How to Make Sweet Potato Sticks

Step 1

Place the whole, unpeeled sweet potato in a steamer basket over boiling water. Steam for 22 minutes until a toothpick slides easily into the center.

Step 2

Spoon the mixture into a heavy-duty plastic bag or between two sheets of parchment and roll it flat into an even square. Freeze for 40 minutes until firm, but not rock hard.

Remove the sweet potato and peel the skin. Transfer to a bowl, add the softened butter, sugar, and flour, and mix until a firm dough forms.

Step 3

Remove the chilled square from the bag or parchment and, using a sharp knife, slice into sticks.

Spoon the mixture into a heavy-duty plastic bag or between two sheets of parchment and roll it flat into an even square. Freeze for 40 minutes until firm, but not rock hard.