Sweet Potatoes With Bourbon and Brown Sugar

By Melissa Clark

Updated December 10, 2025

  • Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Courtney de Wet.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
1¼ hours, plus cooling
Rating
5(932)
Comments
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These silky mashed sweet potatoes are spiced with cloves, nutmeg and a little black pepper, brightened with lemon zest, and spiked with bourbon (or orange juice, if you'd prefer). Puréeing them in a food processor yields the smoothest, airiest texture, but for something a little more rustic, you could mash them by hand. Whichever you choose, these reheat well, either in a microwave or in a pot over low heat.

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Ingredients

Yield:10 to 12 servings

  • 3 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, pricked with a fork (10 to 12 sweet potatoes)

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 3 to 4 tablespoons dark brown sugar, or to taste

  • 1 ½ tablespoons bourbon or orange juice

  • ¾ teaspoon grated lemon zest

  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper

  • Large pinch of ground cloves

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 to 12 servings)

30 grams carbs; 15 milligrams cholesterol; 176 calories; 2 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 6 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 192 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap potatoes in foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Let rest until cool enough to handle but still warm, then remove the foil and peel off the skins.

  2. Step 2

    Add sweet potatoes to a food processor, along with butter, brown sugar, bourbon or juice, lemon zest, salt, nutmeg, pepper and cloves. Purée until smooth. (Or, for a chunkier texture, mash them by hand.) Taste and add salt, sugar or both if you like. Serve while still warm or reheat before serving.

Tip

  • This recipe can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat just before serving, either in the microwave or in a pot on the stove over low heat.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
932 user ratings
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Comments

Michael

Melissa must live somewhere where they grow tiny sweet potatoes. There's no way 3.5lbs is 10-12 potatoes for me. I bought 5 red garnet sweet potatoes that totaled almost 4 lbs. Also, an hour at 350 is nowhere near enough to make them tender.

dimmerswitch

Being among "those" who wonder why people post about recipes they have not yet made, I become one of "those" to do that thing. To say it was ingredients that drew me in. What's not to like for in a household where we eat lots of sweets? Not to mention Thanksgiving on the horizon. But what leads me to post now is recommend "WATCH THE VIDEO!" With that emphasis. Ina and Jeffrey? I'll raise you Melissa and Daniel! And adorable Dahlia too!

Ruth M.

I loved the video, but that was *never* 1.5 T of bourbon. LOL More like 1/2 C . . . but in this Louisville household of bourbon lovers, that wouldn't be a problem. Looking forward to making this.

Diana

Great Video! Made me laugh. I will try these this weekend, having an early Thanksgiving.

Gia

Any used canned sweet potatoes ? Don’t think less name just asking …

David

I didn’t have a lemon and used an orange instead and it matched the flavor pallet perfectly

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