Sweet Potato Butter

Although homemade sweet potato butter is so simple to make, it feels like such a sophisticated spread to keep in the fridge for when the moment calls. That “moment” is whenever you want to dress up savory biscuit recipes, mile-high turkey sandwiches or morning bowls of warming oatmeal. This sweet potato butter recipe is just sweet enough to be used in ways both sweet and savory, and thanks to dark brown sugar and cozy fall spices, it has a few touches of fall.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Butter

• Sweet potatoes: Always peel the sweet potatoes first, then dice them fairly small. The smaller the pieces, the quicker they’ll cook!
• Apples: The best tart apples for this sweet potato butter recipe are Granny Smith, Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious.
• Orange juice concentrate: The frozen section at the grocery store has orange juice concentrate. Thaw it first, then measure it for the butter.
• Brown sugar: Dark brown sugar has a lovely caramel-molasses flavor that adds a deep sweetness to this sweet potato butter. You can use light brown sugar if you seek a lighter flavor.
• Spices: The final flavor addition is a mix of fall spices—cinnamon, nutmeg and clove—to create a truly autumnal sweet potato butter.

Directions

Step 1: Combine the ingredients

In a heavy saucepan, combine all the ingredients: the sweet potatoes, apples, water, orange juice concentrate, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Mix everything together very well.

Step 2: Simmer the mixture

Bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the mixture is thickened and about 1 cup of liquid remains, about 2 hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes. Stir occasionally during the process so nothing sticks to the bottom.

Step 3: Puree into butter

In a blender, process the mixture in batches until it’s completely smooth. Transfer the sweet potato butter into jars or containers.

Allow the sweet potato butter to chill for at least two hours before serving. Store it in the refrigerator.

Ways to Use Sweet Potato Butter

Now that there’s fall-spiced sweet potato butter sitting in your fridge, what do you do with it? Sweet and savory uses abound. Here are a few of our favorites:

• Spread on bread: Spread a generous helping of sweet potato butter on morning toast, English muffins or homemade buttermilk biscuits.
• Layer into breakfast: Spoon sweet potato butter into your morning oatmeal or layer it into a parfait. Bonus points if you include pumpkin pie-spiced granola!
• Add to a sandwich: Fall sandwiches have to be some of my favorite sandwiches of all time. Spread sweet potato butter onto a sandwich loaded with accoutrements like turkey, Gouda, arugula and onions. It is a nice autumnal addition to a grilled cheese or a turkey and cheese panini too!

How to Store Sweet Potato Butter

Once the sweet potato butter has cooled, store it in airtight containers. The butter can be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Can you freeze sweet potato butter?

Yes, you can freeze sweet potato butter. Transfer the cooled butter to airtight containers, leaving a 1-inch headspace so there’s room for expansion. Sweet potato butter can last up to six months in the freezer. Thaw it overnight in the fridge to enjoy again.

Sweet Potato Butter Tips

Can you mash the sweet potatoes by hand?

Yes, you can mash the sweet potatoes by hand if you don’t have a blender. Use a potato masher to break up the mixture until it reaches an even, smooth texture. You could also use an immersion blender if you have one!

Can you use a slow cooker to make sweet potato butter?

Yes, you can use a slow cooker instead of a pot to make sweet potato butter. Set the slow cooker to low and vent the lid to allow steam to escape, which will help thicken the butter. Keep in mind that this may take the same amount of time or a few hours more than the stovetop method.

What type of sweet potatoes should you use to make sweet potato butter?

The best sweet potato for sweet potato butter is Beauregard. Its super sweet flavor and texture make it best for mashing. Luckily, it’s the most common sweet potato variety at the grocery store, so you won’t have a hard time finding it. Jewel sweet potatoes are the second-best variety for sweet potato butter. They are not quite as sweet but will do the job well.