Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Made with tender sweet potatoes, buttery maple glaze, and toasted nuts, Hasselback Sweet Potatoes deliver show-stopping results with minimal effort.

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes deliver the same flavors as Sweet Potato Casserole, with much less effort.

Inspired by Hasselback Potatoes, this recipe for Hasselback Sweet Potatoes swaps out the russet potatoes for sweet potatoes and the savory seasonings for an irresistible sweet glaze. Earthy sweet potatoes are sliced, fanned out, glazed with a buttery maple glaze, and baked until the potatoes are tender and the glaze has caramelized. Topped with nuts for a bit of crunch, this is one easy sweet potato side dish that you won’t forget.

Not only will the rich maple, warming cinnamon, and toasted nuts make you swoon, but Hasselback Sweet Potatoes have a show-stooping appeal as well. They deserve to be featured at your holiday dinner alongside Baked Ham or Instant Pot Turkey Breast, yet are simple enough to enjoy any night of the week.

Notes on Ingredients

• Sweet Potatoes: Select sweet potatoes that are uniform in size and shape to ensure even cooking.
• Butter: Butter will give the glaze a rich finish, but I have also used melted coconut oil many times in place of the butter with delicious results.
• Maple Syrup: Maple syrup helps to add moisture and sweetness to sweet potatoes. It also gets gooey and a bit sticky when baked, giving the potatoes a delightful texture after being baked.
• Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Cinnamon and nutmeg add a warming flavor to the maple glaze and complement the earthy flavor of the sweet potatoes.
• Nuts: Use chopped pecans or walnuts as they pair best with the flavor of sweet potatoes. Alternatively, omit the nuts for a nut-free recipe.

Recipe/Flavor Modifications

• Dairy-Free: Use coconut oil in place of the melted butter to keep these Hasselback Sweet Potatoes dairy-free and vegan-friendly.
• Spice it Up: To balance out the sweetness of the maple glaze, you can add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika if desired.
• Cinnamon Sugar: Brush the sliced sweet potatoes with melted butter and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake as directed.
• Garlic Herb: Swap out the sweet maple glaze for a savory buttery glaze. To do so, combine ¼ cup melted butter with 1 clove of crushed garlic and ½ tablespoon of finely chopped rosemary. Glaze and bake as directed.

How to Make Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

• Scrub the sweet potatoes and let them dry.
• In a small bowl combine the melted butter (or melted coconut oil), cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper together until well combined.

• In order to achieve the accordion-like slices, you want to thinly slice the potatoes across the top to the sweet potato, being sure to leave at least ½ inch of the potato intact at the bottom. Use dowels or wooden spoon handles on either side of your sweet potato when cutting, as this will top your knife from cutting through the potato fully.

• Place the sliced potatoes onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The parchment paper will make clean-up MUCH easier!
• Using a pastry brush, generously brush about half the glaze over the sweet potatoes, allowing the glaze to drip in between each slice.

• Bake the sweet potatoes for 35 minutes, or until beginning to become tender.
• After 35 minutes, remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and gently use a fork to spread open the potatoes from the top, fanning them out slightly.
• Brush the sweet potatoes generously with the remaining glaze, getting deep into each slit now that the potato is fanned out. If you don't use all the glaze, refrigerate what is left in an airtight container and use it to drizzle over Sweet Potato Pancakes or Whole Wheat Pancakes.
• Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired.

• Return the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Serving Suggestions

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes make a perfect holiday side dish when served alongside Instant Pot Honey Baked Ham, New York Strip Roast, or a Brined Turkey. However, don't just reserve these gems for the holidays they are an easy enough side dish to make during busy weeknights. These Hasselback potatoes pair well with homemade steak or Honey Garlic Pork Chops.

More Sweet Potato Recipes

• Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes
• Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole 
• Baked Sweet Potato Fries
• Sweet Potato Tacos
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

If you enjoyed this easy recipe for Hasselback Sweet Potatoes, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.

This recipe was originally published in 2017 but updated in 2022 with new photos.