There is no better comforting fall side dish than Whipped Sweet Potatoes. Heavy cream and warm spices puts these over the top. The simple recipe is easy & can be made in under 30 minutes with my short cut tip which makes my recipe the BEST!
Why this Creamy Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe is Amazing: They are beyond fluffy & has a touch of nutmeg & vanilla, like the filling of a delicious Southern sweet potato pie.
When my kids were little I used to steam all sorts of cubed organic veggies for their little fingers to grasp & eat themselves. One favorite was making sweet potato cubes in the Instant Pot.
The soft tiny bites almost mash themselves since they are so tender. One day I decided to get out my hand mixer, a few spices, & what I came up with is the fluffiest sweet potato mash ever.
This whipped sweet potato recipe has a satisfyingly rich, savory, and spiced flavor. Like my Graham Cracker Crust Sweet Potato Pie, it's great for Thanksgiving, holidays, and all autumn or winter long. Ok, now we cook!
Jump to:
Ingredients for Whipped Sweet Potatoes
To make this recipe, you only need is 4 simple ingredients plus salt and pepper. The star is fresh sweet potatoes for the best flavor, consistency, & beautiful color.
This recipe has no added sugars or marshmallow. For something sweeter try my recipe for Candied Yams & Marshmallow Casserole instead.
Here are the ingredients needed for making this Southern-Style side dish:
- Sweet Potatoes - Jewel or Garnet varieties work best but can use any color or type (try purple for a fun color). You will want them peeled & cut into large 2" cubes.
- Heavy Cream - for creamy silky texture.
- Salted Butter - for rich flavor.
- Vanilla - the extract is great in pie & makes this extra yummy.
- Nutmeg - the warm spice add depth and enhances the flavor of sweet potatoes.
- Salt & Pepper to taste -
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, egg-free, & nut-free. See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Whipped Sweet Potatoes
There are only a few simple steps that even a beginner cook can follow. The small chunks of sweet potatoes speeds the process up so you aren't waiting hours for them to bake & cool off before handling.
These require no baking, with the use of an Instant Pot pressure cooker to steam cubed sweet potatoes quickly, in just 20 minutes. So FAST, versus 40-60 in the oven or 30+ using my Air Fryer Sweet Potato recipe.
I do share other cooking methods in the FAQ section below.
Here are the easy steps for making this recipe for Old-Fashioned Whipped Sweet Potatoes:
- Pressure Cook the Sweet Potatoes
- Whip with other Ingredients
- Season & Serve
See the step-by-step instructions with photos below plus the recipe card at the end of the post.
1 - Pressure Cook the Sweet Potatoes
Add a cup of water to the Instant Pot insert. Place a steamer basket inside and add the sweet potato cubes. This follows my basic recipe for Instant Pot Cubed Sweet Potatoes or cook as follows:
- Close the lid and set it to pressure by making sure the valve is closed. Select MANUAL on the Instant Pot and then set for 10 minutes. The Instant Pot will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure beforehand and then start cooking and counting down.
- Once the 10 minutes cooking time is up, release the pressure manually. Be careful, steam will be hot.
- They should be fork tender when ready. Lift out the steamer basket carefully and set aside.
2 - Whip with Other Ingredients
Place the cooked cubes & butter into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer on low, begin to whipe the two ingredients together.
Once the butter and sweet potatoes are combined, slowly add in the heavy cream. Mix on low-medium speed with the hand mixer.
Scrape the edges with a rubber spatula as needed to fully combine. This should take only about 30 seconds.
You will notice it becomes a bit more fluffy and airy as the heavy whipping cream gets incorporated into the sweet potato mixture.
Next, add the nutmeg and vanilla and mix again with the hand mixer for about 15 seconds.
3 - Season & Serve
Add salt & pepper to taste. You can also add pats of butter on top if desired.
Serving, Storing & Reheating
For holidays, transfer them to a large serving bowl. A sprinkling of fresh herbs like fresh parsley, chives, or thyme go well with sweet potatoes.
This recipe is easy to double, triple, and more to feed a crowd. Plus it's perfect with a Thanksgiving 23-pound turkey or cooked turkey breast, Christmas roast, Easter ham, & any family Sunday Supper.
Store leftovers for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds. Add a bit more cream if needed to refresh it.
What to Serve with Whipped Sweet Potatoes : Fall & winter comfort food main courses go best with this recipe. I love it with any of Grilled Tri-Tip, Air Fryer Pork Chops, or Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Breast.
And try some of these vegetable side dishes to complete your meal too:
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here's my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, fun stories, recipe history, and more.
- #1 Tip - cut the potatoes the same size so they cook evenly
- Do not replace the heavy cream with low-fat or fat-free dairy, it will not be as rich & thick.
- If you don't have a pressure cooker, see the FAQ section below for other cooking methods.
- If you have extra sweet potatoes, use them in my Slow Cooker Chicken & Sweet Potato Curry Recipe.
- Toddlers, kids, & adults love this recipe, my twins could not get enough of this when they were 2-3 years old.
FAQ
You can still make this recipe using other cooking methods. You can cook the Sweet Potatoes in the Air Fryer. Or swap out the russet for the sweet potato and make a baked potato in the toaster oven.
Or find out How to roast sweet potatoes in the oven. Both will take longer but still just as delicious.
Mashed (or riced) potatoes are done by hand where the mashing takes place with a masher and then butter and/or milk are added at the end and stirred in. For whipped potatoes, the potatoes are whipped or beaten with a hand mixer with the butter and cream added and whipped together.
Mashing tends to not activate too much starch and holds them intact for a lumpier recipe. Whipping adds air and can activate starch for a soft or fluffy texture.
These need to be made with a hand mixer only. DO NOT blend, process, or use an immersion blender. It will come out gummy.
RECIPE NOTE: this recipe was originally published October 2021. It has been updated to include calorie and nutritional information, substitutions, reheating tips, concise steps, and main dish ideas for republishing in 2025.
Whipped Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes about 2# total
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons salted butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in an electric pressure cooker per the INSTANT POT CUBED SWEET POTATO recipe shared above. (an alternate way is roasted in the oven - link also above)
- Once the sweet potatoes are done, add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and it will start to melt a bit as the potatoes are hot. Using a hand mixer set on low-medium, begin to whip the butter into the sweet potatoes.
- Once the butter and sweet potatoes are combined, slowly add in the heavy cream. You will again mix on the low-medium speed with the hand mixer. Scrape the edges with a rubber spatula as needed to fully combine. This should take only about 30 seconds.
- For the final step, you will add the nutmeg and vanilla and mix again with the hand mixer for about 15 seconds. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, depending on amount.
- Use drained canned yams instead of fresh sweet potatoes - heat in the microwave until hot & then add ingredients & whip. But FRESH is best!
- Use coconut milk & vegan butter instead for a vegan version.
- Add a tablespoon of orange juice for a citrus punch of flavor.
- Do not use low-fat or skim dairy, heavy cream is best for rich thick texture.
- Instead of steaming, roast the potatoes in the oven or air fryer.
Nutrition
More Potato Side Dishes
Here are some similar recipes using different kinds of potatoes:
Regina says
I am not a fan of the sweet marshmallow casseroles so I made this. A new favorite with pork chops.
Katie says
I was shocked by how light these were. They almost melted when you ate then. My 18 month old would yell whenever I stopped feeding her them too. So funny & she must love them.
Angela says
So cute, she has good taste already. Another foodie in the making!