Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Learn how to make crispy, oven baked sweet potato fries! Tossed with olive oil and sea salt, sweet potato fries are an easy and healthy homemade snack.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 10, 2024
These sweet potato fries will change your life. I’m serious! They are salty-sweet, crunchy, and spicy if you wish. Baked sweet potato fries have been one of my favorite snacks since I first shared the recipe eight years ago.
These crispy fries beat their fast-food fried Russet cousins in simplicity and ease. They require fewer cooking steps because they’re baked rather than fried.
Over the years, I’ve learned a few tricks to make my sweet potato fries even more crispy. Crispy fries or bust!
You’ll learn all of them as you make the recipe, but I’m sharing my top tips in more detail below. Are you hungry for sweet potato fries yet?
How to Make the Best Sweet Potato Fries
I’ve tried baked sweet potato fries every which way, and these elements really do make a big difference in the crispy factor:
1) Slice your fries thinly.
You want your fries to be about 1/4″ wide, or close to it. Thick fries never get crispy.
Here’s how to slice a sweet potato into fries: Rest your sweet potato on its side on a sturdy cutting board. Working lengthwise, slice off a 1/4″ thick slab from one of the sides. Turn the sweet potato onto the flat side so it’s more stable. It gets easier from there!
Continue cutting the sweet potato into slabs, and then cut the slabs into thin fries. As you’re cutting the slabs, you’ll eventually want to turn the sweet potato onto the now-larger flat side to maintain stability.
2) Toss your sliced fries in cornstarch before oil.
Cornstarch really helps to get the outsides crisp! It’s a little trick I learned from a commenter named Jeni (thanks Jeni). I’ve played around with various amounts of cornstarch and olive oil and found the perfect ratio.
I’ve experimented with arrowroot starch as well, and it produced fries that were somewhat less crisp, but it’s worth using if that’s what you have.
3) Divide your fries between two pans and arrange them in even layers.
Overcrowded fries steam each other and never get crispy! You can fit one pound of fries per pan.
Be sure that each fry lies flush against the pan, not piled on top of other fries. The fries develop crisp edges when they’re resting on a hot surface.
4) Bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Any lower, and your fries will be soggy. Any higher, and the oil will start smoking. Plus, at higher temps your fries will turn from crisp to burnt way too fast.
Halfway through cooking, you’ll flip the fries with a spatula and swap the pan positions (from lower to upper rack and vice versa). This helps ensure that they bake evenly, turning perfectly golden on the outside and cooking through on the inside.
5) Season last, if desired.
Add salt before baking the fries, but wait to add any spices until after baking. Otherwise, the spices will burn and lose their flavor. I love to balance the sweetness of the fries with a little cayenne pepper and garlic powder, and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
Another benefit of seasoning last? You can add spices to taste, so you won’t overdo it.
The Great Soaking Debate
I wondered if sweet potato fries would benefit from a soak in water like my crispy potato wedges do. Those wedges are made with Russet potatoes, and soaking them for 10 minutes in hot water helps release some of the starch in the potatoes and lets them absorb moisture, which leads to ultra-crisp outsides and moist interiors.
So, I tried soaking batches of fries in hot water, and batches in cold water, and baking them with and without cornstarch. You know what? It wasn’t worth the effort. Hot water actually seemed to inhibit crispiness. When I compared a batch of cold water and cornstarch fries with un-soaked cornstarch fries, the un-soaked actually fared better.
I hate extra steps as much as you do, so I’m pleased to report that you do not need to soak your sweet potato fries for great results!
Sweet Potatoes are Nutritious
Unlike regular deep-fried French fries, these baked sweet potato fries have a lot of redeeming nutrition properties. Standard orange sweet potatoes provide an excellent source of beta-carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A.
Sweet potatoes are also full of antioxidants and fiber, and have some beneficial blood sugar-regulating properties. Plus, they’re a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6 (source). Winning!
Serving Suggestions
- These sweet potato fries would be awesome with my sweet potato veggie burgers (if you have a copy of my cookbook, Love Real Food, check out the updated version on page 177).
- I bet they would be nice with black bean soup or pinto posole.
- I’m happy eating them with just about anything, but they’d be especially fun with Mexican food, like tacos and quesadillas.
Recommended Equipment
You’re going to need some basic equipment to make these fries. Chances are, you already have everything you’ll need! These links are affiliate links.
- Sharp chef’s knife: Essential for safely slicing the fries into thin shapes.
- Vegetable peeler: Optional. I always peel my sweet potatoes, but you can leave the skin on if you prefer. Just give your sweet potatoes a good scrub and pat them dry before slicing.
- Half-sheet pans: These are large enough to accommodate 1 pound of fries each, and they have rims around the edges so no fries fall off. Half-sheet pans are the professional standard—all legit chefs and recipe writers use these when they create recipes, so if your baked recipes don’t turn out right, it might be your pan!
- Parchment paper: I recommend lining your pans with parchment paper so the fries don’t get stuck to the pan (there go your crispy edges).
Watch How to Make Sweet Potato Fries
Please let me know how these sweet potato fries turn out for you in the comments! I’m obsessed with them and hope you are, too.
Craving more crispy and salt snacks? You do not want to miss my ultra crispy baked potato wedges!
Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Learn how to make crispy, oven baked sweet potato fries! Tossed with olive oil and sea salt, sweet potato fries are an easy and healthy homemade snack or side dish. Recipe yields 4 side servings.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 medium-large or 3 medium)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Optional spices: freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper and/or garlic powder
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit with racks in the lower and upper thirds of the oven (make sure the top rack is about 6″ from the heat source and no closer). Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper so the fries don’t get stuck to the pans.
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Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into fry-shaped pieces about ¼″ wide and ¼″ thick. Try to cut them into similarly sized pieces so the fries will bake evenly. Transfer half of the uncooked fries to one baking sheet, and the other half to the other baking sheet.
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Sprinkle the sweet potato fries with the cornstarch (use 1 ½ teaspoons per pan) and salt (¼ teaspoon per pan). Toss until the fries are lightly coated in powder. Drizzle the olive oil over the fries (1 tablespoon per pan) and toss until the fries are lightly and evenly coated in oil, and no powdery spots remain (use your fingers to rub visible cornstarch into the fries as necessary).
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Arrange your fries in a single layer and don’t overcrowd; otherwise they will never crisp up. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the fries so they can cook on all sides. (The easiest way to flip them is with a metal spatula. Section by section, scoop up about ten fries and flip them with a quick turn of the wrist.)
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Arrange the fries in even layers across the pans again, moving any particularly browned fries more toward the middle of the pan so they don’t get overcooked. Return the pans to the oven, swapping their positions (former top pan goes to the lower rack and vice versa).
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Bake for 10 to 18 more minutes, or until the fries are crispy. You’ll know they’re almost done when the surface of the fries change from shiny orange to a more matte, puffed up texture. Keep an eye on them, as they can turn from crisp to burnt quickly. Sometimes the lower pan will be done a few minutes before the top pan. Don’t worry if the edges are a little bit brown; they will taste more caramelized than burnt.
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If desired, toss the baked fries with seasonings, to taste. I like to use lots of freshly ground black pepper, and a scant ¼ teaspoon each cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Serve warm!
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I’ve made these a bunch of times + they always turn out wonderfully delicious. Thank you! =)
Hooray! Thank you, Amy!
I live in La Sierra Gorda, and cornstarch itself is not readily available at local markets, but Masa Maseca (nixtimilized very fine corn flour) is everywhere. It’s the stuff you make tortillas with. Will that work in lieu of cornstarch, for making the fries crispier?
Hey Albert, that’s a really good question and I’m afraid I don’t have a definitive answer for you. Maybe? Please let me know if you give it a try!
Hi Kate —
Thanks so much for the prompt reply. My landlord, a Mexican chef, insisted it wouldn’t work, and that we use regular flour instead. That sounded hinky to me, but he claimed masa maseca wouldn’t work in a deep fryer, and he didn’t know about the oven. Plus, he was going to be loading up the deep fryer with oil anyway, to make some flautas for the next day. So I put some ginger ale in the flour, cooked the sweet potato fries once at about 325, then dried them and cooled them, and bathed them in the batter, turned the deep fryer up to about 380, and dropped them in. They all glommed together, into an alien spider monster of deep fried sweet potato.
I had prepared a bowl of garlic powder, arbole, cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, and a whisper of curry. I dumped it on the spider monster, then hacked away at it with a chef’s knife, and tossed the mal-formed chunks around in the flavorful dust.
It was absolutely heavenly. But clearly I’ve got some things to learn about battering fries in a deep fryer. As for using masa maseca in lieu of cornstarch (called maicena) in your oven version, I can’t yet answer your question.
Hi Albert, thanks for getting back to me! Your spider monster sounds absolutely amazing to me! Better luck next time. :)
If you double battered the oil needs to be nice and hot – the glom came from too much moisture but i think you just created the first blooming potatoe – if it’s yummy sell it baby sell it!!!
I loved this recipe!
I decided to try baking them on a wired rack and they turned out super crispy in half the bake time, I didn’t have to turn them or anything.
Thank you! Glad your fries turned out great!
I suddenly decided to make these fries this morning, and I absolutely loved them! They turned out incredibly crispy, even without cornstarch, although some of the smaller pieces were burnt. I used cumin powder and chili powder, and they were very, very yummy. I’ll definitely be making this recipe again!
Awesome! Thanks, Anjali!
These fries are why they invented chipotle mayo. Depending on the size of your serving of fries mix mayo with about 5 or 6 to 1 with a good chipoltĺe salsa ( i prefer que pasa brand ) your mouth will think it has died and gone to heaven.
Oh boy, I believe you! Will have to try chipotle mayo, stat.
These were perfect. I followed the recipe and they turned out great! I dont even care for regular fries. These were addictive. Thanks!
Awesome, thanks Adrienne!
…aaaaaand now I’m hungry. Can’t wait to try these out tonight.
Mine weren’t as crispy as they should have been – I over crowded the pan. But – GREAT IDEA to add garlic salt! Omg what a perfect addition to the flavour. We just used olive oil, seasoning salt and garlic salt and it was awesome :)
Thanks, Carla! Hope your next batch of garlicky sweet potato fries turn out just right.
I made these with cumin, chipotle, cinnamon, and a little brown sugar, then dipped them in low fat sour cream. I have found heaven.
Ohhh, that sounds like a great idea!
My gosh- what a great method – never thought of cornstarch – will dry up any liquid and help with the crust – im making this now and rating it 5 for technical- season as blogger states is up to us – i left the skin on mine buts thats just me -and for all the gmo and non gmo – really? Cook with what you feel comfortable and if you want to have a scientific discussion why not create your own blog? Most of us want to see the reviews for tips on seasoning and bake times and such – dont hijack the bloggers recipe – peace-
Found this recipe today and made them straight away. A big hit in this house. I made them without the cornstarch as I didn’t have any, apart from that followed the recipe/ instructions, I am glad you have the step by step photos it reassured me that I wasn’t going wrong as they did look burnt but tasted amazing! So easy to do I will be making these again, glad I chose this recipe.
Found this recipe today and made them straight away without the cornstarch. They were still amazing. Definitely will be making these again!
Hooray, thanks Sam!
Hi. Just went to turn these over after 15 mins and they mushed up on me and started falling apart. Yikes. I used he olive oil and the cornstarch and a dark pan.
Hmmm, I’m sorry to hear that! Were the fries sticking to the pan? Dark pans tend to cook foods faster. It also could have been your sweet potatoes, some are better than others!
I’m going to try this recipe — which might be very good — but please Kate, learn some science and do the math before making statements like “sweet potatoes are complex carbohydrates that contain protein, which pretty much means that you can eat these fries with abandon.” 100 grams of sweet potato has less than 2 grams of protein and more than 20 grams of carbs. To get a meager day’s worth of protein, you’d have to eat 5.5 pounds of sweet potatoes. And that would cost you over 2000 kcal, way more than most women burn in a day.
I’m sorry, you must have been having a bad day, Saskia. I’m plenty proficient in science and math, and I certainly wasn’t suggesting that a person eat only sweet potato fries all day long.
Hi Kate: Do you HAVE to peel the sweet potatoes? I am about to make some and wondered if there is a reason they have to be peeled. Thank you!
Hi Anita, no, you don’t have to if you don’t mind skin on your fries! It is generally a safer idea to buy organic sweet potatoes if you are not going to peel them.
I make mine all the time with the peel on!
Hi Kate!
Thanks so much for posting this great recipe. It’s been my go-to sweet potato fries recipe ever since I found it over a year ago (sorry it took me so long to say thanks)! We love to add a little brown sugar, garlic and onion powder and cayenne pepper. Making them again tonight! You have a lovely blog – thanks again for sharing.
Thanks, Chelsea! Your version sounds stellar. Now I want sweet potato fries!
Hi! Made these today, but unfortunately I had some trouble. Though tasting great, they were not crispy at all. I used starch and went with the tip of baking them on the rack. I also had them in the oven longer than the recipe says. Still soft. Where did I go wrong?
Oh yeah forgot to mention – I also baked them in batches to make sure they were not too crowded. It is true however that I baked them at a slightly lower temperature (200 deg. centigrade), though I can’t see why that would matter…
Hmmm! I’m sorry your fries didn’t turn out well. It could have to do with your baking pan or your oven. If you try again, I would definitely bake them at the recommended temperature. Sometimes vegetables need higher heat to crisp up.
Hm, didn’t think it mattered that much so I suppose I should really have the temperature higher next time. I will definitely try again – they were delicious (salt, paprika and garlic version) so the wrong texture didn’t actually matter so much ;)
After reading comment number 10 I am so utterly put off by this site I will get my recepe’ somewhere else.
I want to read about cooking I don’t five a cent about all the keyboard health warrior and goodie gooddoer comments below it.
If it’s not pertaining to the topic, is it or is it not a nice dish then take your whining somewhere else.
Sorry Kate, but this is now the upteenth time I come across this sort of arguments while all I want is some nice relaxed cooking time.
I’m sorry to hear that, Rennie. You don’t have to scroll down and read the comments. You won’t find rants in my posts. :)
If you opt out on the corn starch, you should hold off on the seasonings until after fries are fully cooked. The seasonings is what makes em “soggy” so apply your seasonings after fries are cooked for a better crispy effect! The Olive Oil will assist with the crispness while baking.
Great recipe!
mine did not work out but I don’t give up easily!
I’m sorry to hear that, Jane! You might try a different baking pan next time. They cook faster and get crispier on darker pans.
Hi there this sounds lovely but was wondering if you could do without the peeling as I love the skins .?.
Yes! You can leave the peel on. Shouldn’t require any other adjustments.
Amy, may I ask why President Obama will only eat & feed his family organic produce that is grown within The White House if GMO’s are safe?! The GMO’s he’s ‘supporting’… And, it’s only America that is embracing test tube food, most of the rest of the world is shunning GMO’s & sticking with Mother Nature. I think that’s wise, don’t you, seeing as humans destroy all that we touch for MONEY!
Kate, these fries are great! I’ve tried a few times to make them & they never come out quite right, but the batch I made to go with Caribbean chicken & corn in the cob last night went down a treat with my nearly 3yr old & my 9 month old :)Thank you! I’m definitely going the whole hog & doing a sweet version with sugar & cinnamon next XD
Also, I have read that if using corn starch (cornflour in the uk) to lightly coat the fries BEFORE any oil, salt, sugar, etc. Not sure how much of a difference it makes to the crispness, but always handy for people to test it out :)
These were delicious with salt pepper, cumin & cayenne!
Yay, thanks Kati!
Any substitute for the olive oil? I would like to use something with less fat.
Sorry, Taya, you’ll need some oil to make these fries crispy, and all oils have about the same number of calories/grams of fat per ounce. Olive oil improves the absorption of quite a few vitamins, though! It’s so good for you!
Oh yeah, I discovered you because of this recipe. I used Cajun spices. Love it!
I’m glad you did! Yay!
Didn’t have a dark cookie sheet but used a cast iron stovetop grill/giddle in the oven. Shook fry cuts in plastic bag with corn starch, cumin, cinnamon, sunflower oil. Cast iron griddle pre-heated with oven, fries put on after 425F reached. Turned fries over a couple times during cooking. Perfect! Better than I ever achieved in sweet potato ff by frying. Dipped baked fries in fresh sour cream/chopped chive/sea salt combo, and it works. The accompaniment; turkey burgers cooked on an outside bbq grill with natural lump wood charcoal and soaked hickory chips–w/alfalfa sprouts, red lettuce, orange tomatoes, homemade guac, on butter-cooked hamburger rolls–and a salad, with a beautiful rose wine (La Vielle Ferme 2014) was glorious. Sorry you weren’t here. Summer eating all the way!
Thank you, Pam! Your fries sound perfect!!! Wish I could have been there for the feast!
These were fantastic. I make fries like this often but have always used aluminum foil and never corn starch. The corn starch and absence of aluminum foil made all the difference. Crunchy on the outside but still moist on the inside. The cumin and cayenne were great too! I also added Tapatio to my ketchup. Highly recommend.
Thank you, Jennifer! Glad to hear it! Adding Tapatio to ketchup sounds like a brilliant idea to me.
The fries were glorious! I served them with my spicy aioli alongside a pabbo burger and arugala ensalada con ceballa escabeche. Everyone was quite pleased! I added a sneeze of rosemary to the fries while they were baking.
Thank you, Kevin! Happy to hear it!
TIP: Try cooking 5 to 10 minutes each side to avoid the blackening/burning issue! Also, we used smoked paprika and sea salt and they were so tasty! Another good combo is cumin, sugar and chili powder, yum!!
Can I used something else instead of cornflour? Can I use baking poweder?
Hi Thea! I’m not sure baking powder will do you any good. You can skip it altogether. Arrowroot powder helps, but it doesn’t perform as well as cornstarch.
Great job.. Made these twice and I have to say the cornstarch is really important. I forgot it the second time and I missed that nice crust that it provides. Seasoned with paprika, cumin, coriander and a little salt they’re amazing dipped in ketchup with a little sirracha and a drop of liquid smoke mixed in
Thanks, Ian! Your version sounds so good. I never thought to add Liquid Smoke!
I used no cornstarch. Williams sonoma heavy duty cookie sheet – no parchment. Tossed evenly sliced sweet potatoes in oil in a bowl with generous quantity of seasalt, fresh ground pepper, montreal steak spice. Then spread potatoes on cookie sheet – do not crowd. 425 for 15 min, turn and bake 10 min more.
Delicious.
Thank you, Cathy!
Ps i used olive oil.
Loved this recipe! My fellas ate it up. Great new twist on this veggie.
Thanks Kate,
Malaika
Hooray! Thanks, Malaika!
The cornstarch is clutch!! I served mine with crispy Brussel sprouts, black garlic aioli and black garlic burgers http://www.thedailymeal.com/recipes/crispy-brussels-sprouts-black-garlic-aioli-recipe?_mobile=1
and
http://www.obisone.com/news/story/the-black-garlic-burger
Thanks, Lee! Sounds like a stellar meal.
Why are my sweet potatoes white and yours are orange?
PS – World hunger will not be alleviated until GREED is eliminated. All the GOM’s in the world will not change that…
PPS – Amy’s comments are direct, not rude. AND they actually point toward knowledge rather than feelings…a much more sound basis for decision-making
Instead of flipping them halfway through, I establish an air flow by putting them on a wire rack on the baking sheet. Takes about 5 min. off by doing this also, I believe.
Good idea, thanks Randall!
They tasted like GLORY! First time baking sweet potato fries since I normally bake yams/Dominican sweet potato chips but I had forgotten how much I loved spf’s!
Woohoo! Thanks, Vv.
I’ve been making sweet potato fries for absolutely ages and this is the first recipe where I’ve found myself truly satisfied with the results! Thank you!
Thank you, Abi! Glad to hear it.
Amazing! Using coconut oil instead of olive oil gave them a maple like flavor! No corn starch needed here.
Thanx! Gonna try the coconut oil. I’m kinda surprised about the use of cayenne, cumin, & garlic. Traditionally (baked whole) I’d usually put cinnamon and/or brown sugar (no more brown sugar going for a healthier route). But seriously you prefer cayenne, cumin & paprika over cinnamon?
I have tried this twice and can never get them crispy even with corn starch, please help, what am I doing wrong, I have an electric oven and I even tried the top broiler at 500 and still did not get crispy
Ohh! It Looks amazing I’m going to try it now, (I’m Sure it will be good) .
Thanks For your recipes. <3
Well Kate, I tried. Being the loving husband and father I am, I decided to prepare this wonderful treat for my family. Two hours in the kitchen, my crispy sweet potato fry expedition turned ugly. Black tips, bland flavor, burnt and chewy texture combined with disappointment from those who are patiently waiting. This is my 2nd attempt at these elusive wonder veggies. Now, I’m left with my disappointed kid and wife, and the sound of my hard work into the can. I praise you people who can prepare these suckers.
They stuck to the pan and turned into a mushy mess. I looked to see if I should have greased the pan but there is no mention. Such a disappointment and a waste of sweet potato. :(
These turned out great! and so crispy! We love this recipe at our house
Just made! Awesome-followed the recipe used the corn starch & spices plus dry cilantro, onion & garlic powder. Paired w/lamb burgers & a Blue Moon Beer. Delish!!!
These were awesome. The secret cornstarch trick has changed my life- my six year old son ate them, and had to ask if I made them because they were so good (my cooking is really not that bad, lol), but these apparently were especially good. Thanks for another great recipe. Your gluten free buckwheat pancakes are another staple in our house!
I thought I followed the recipe perfectly but clearly I screwed something up. They somehow managed to be both burnt and not crispy, even with the corn starch. Luckily my brother ate them anyway, but still. Crispy oven fries are the one thing that always elude me.
Olive oil should not be used in high temp oven as it turns carcinogenic. I have subbed coconut oil.
I just made these tonight and mine turned out either mushy and/or burnt. I can’t seem to get oven baked sweet potato fries right. Mine looked nothing like what is pictured. Any suggestions, I followed your instructions, except I did add a bit of cornstarch.