These baked sweet potato fries are crispy, salty-sweet and coated in savory spices! Easy to make in the oven, they are full of flavor and a favorite healthy snack.
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Crispy Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Once I started making baked sweet potato fries in the oven at home, there was no going back. I now make all kinds of sweet potato sides like roasted sweet potatoes or air fryer sweet potato cubes but these are always the most requested.
As much as I love french fries or potato wedges, homemade sweet potato fries are hard to beat. They come out perfectly crispy in the oven and seasoned to perfection. I love dipping them in fry sauce or burger sauce, but honestly any of your favorite dipping sauces work great!
“This recipe is absolutely amazing and super delicious 🤤… the best healthy snack in my opinion!!!”
Recipe Ingredients
Baked sweet potato fries only require a few simple ingredients! Here is what you will to make these fries.
- Sweet potatoes: Four medium sweet potatoes work best. Look for ones that are longer and less curvy so they cut into even fries more easily.
- Oil: Olive oil or canola oil both work great. Canola oil gives slightly crispier results.
- Seasonings: I love the classic combination of kosher salt, pepper and garlic powder. Sea salt could be used in place of kosher salt.
- Cornstarch: The secret to extra-crispy fries! Toss the fries in a little cornstarch before baking for the best results.
Favorite Seasoning Ideas
There are so many different ways to customize your fries! I took the classic approach in this recipe, but below are a few of my other favorite spices.
- Spicy: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika (or chili powder, cayenne pepper or easy chili seasoning).
- Cinnamon-sugar: Oil, kosher salt and cinnamon sugar.
- Rosemary: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary.
- Italian: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning.
How To Make Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Follow these simple steps for perfectly crispy oven baked sweet potato fries every time.
- Cut sweet potatoes into matchsticks. Peel your sweet potatoes and cut off both ends. Slice in half horizontally, then cut halves vertically into 4 pieces. Slice again each piece vertically into 8 pieces then finally cut the sweet potato pieces into thin sticks, about 1/4″ inch thick and 3″ inch long.
- Soak fries in cold water: For extra-crispy fries soak uncooked matchsticks in large bowl with ice cold water for 30 minutes. Drain then pat dry and place in a zip-top bag with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and shake until evenly coated.
- Place on baking sheet: Place the sweet potato sticks in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment. Toss with olive oil.
- Bake: Bake at 415°F for 15 minutes which is hot enough to crisp the edges without burning the natural sugars in the sweet potato. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the fries, flip and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp
Use the air fryer: Instead of sweet potato fries in the oven, air fry them in 2 to 3 batches so the fries have room to crisp up rather than steam. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F and cook for about 12 minutes, turning halfway through, or until crisp.
Expert Tips
- Thickness: Cut to 1/4 inch. Any thicker and the outside can’t crisp before the inside overcooks.
- Evenly sized: One of the main keys to making the fries crispy is to cut them into evenly sized matchsticks so that they all bake the same.
- Peeling: While I like to peel them for smoother fries, sweet potato skins are edible and add extra texture and nutrition. Some say it also makes them crispier!
- Cornstarch: Add the fries to a bag and shake 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch on top so you have a thin coating. The starch coating helps absorb surface moisture so the fries crisp while baking.
- Oil: Use canola, grapeseed, sunflower or peanut oil for a crispier edge.
- Bake on a metal rack over a baking sheet: Elevating the fries lets hot air circulate underneath so you get crispy edges on all sides without flipping.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Spread the fries in a single layer with space between each one. Crowding causes steam to build up which makes them soft instead of crispy. Flip halfway through so both sides get evenly browned.
Serving Suggestions
These sweet potato fries are so flavorful you might not even need a dipping sauce! Try ketchup, BBQ sauce, garlic aioli, ranch dressing, honey mustard sauce or buffalo sauce.
They also make a great side dish with:
Love potato recipes? Try this recipe for scalloped sweet potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes or best twice baked potatoes, too!
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Baked Sweet Potato Fries Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into thin sticks (about 1/4" x 3")
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika or chili powder , optional
- 2 Tablespoons oil (I use canola or olive oil)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 415°F. Line a baking sheet parchment paper. If using foil, lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray. (If making extra-crispy fries, follow instructions in notes before moving on.)
- In a small bowl, Mix together salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika, if using.
- Place sweet potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheet. Toss with oil and and sprinkle salt mixture evenly over the top. Bake 15 minutes. Flip and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp.
- Serve fries while hot! These are best served right away. Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
- Classic: Oil, kosher salt, pepper and garlic powder
- Spicy: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika (or chili powder or chili seasoning)
- Cinnamon-sugar: Oil, kosher salt and cinnamon sugar
- Rosemary: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary
- Italian: Oil, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning
- Peel the sweet potato and then cut off the ends.
- Slice in half horizontally, creating two equal-sized pieces about 3 inches long.
- Next, cut the pieces in half vertically. Once you have 4 pieces, cut each piece in half vertically again to make 8 pieces.
- Slice each piece vertically into 1/4 inch fries. Each piece should produce about 3-5 fries.
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Brandy
The fries taste good but we’re not crispy. I followed the instructions. I’ll try out again.
Molly
Thank you for this great recipe! I love the seasonings.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Thank you for making the baked sweet potato fries!
Arlene
The best sweet potato fry recipe I ever used!!!
Delish
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad you love the sweet potato fries!
Donna
Love these fries. I make a dipping sauce with mayo and maple syrup. so yummy.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Yum! So glad you love the sweet potato fries!
Molly
Enjoyed this recipe very much. Used chili powder instead of paprika.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad you loved the sweet potato fries!
Louisa
Darigold whole milk cottage cheese was very runny. Nancy’s low fat probiotic was thicker and gave a much better result.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Hi Louisa, am confused was that for the fry sauce to accompany the sweet potato fries?
Olivia N McIntosh
So my niece and I made them tonight, we made our own seasoning .is with head country, seasoning salt, garlic powder, and pepper mixed that together and sprinkled it over them after drizzling the sweet potatoes fries with olive oil and even my picky 8 year old loved them.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad you loved the baked sweet potato fries!
Janee
Made these on New Years. Easy, delicious and perfect with roasted shrimp!
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Sounds like a delicious dinner!
Ione L Ishii
This is our new trusted and delicious recipe for sweet potato fries. Love ’em.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So happy to hear you loved the sweet potato fries!
Mary
The flavor is good but following the directions to a T, they were soggy. After 30 minutes in the oven, I had to toss them in my air fryer to crisp them up a bit. The ice bath intrigued me but I’ll be going back to my old oven recipe.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
The fries after the ice bath really need to be patted dry super well to ensure proper crisping.
Gabi
Avoid Using Cornstarch for extra crispy if you have problems with weird textures.
We made it both ways with cornstarch and within as we wanted crispy fries and my autistic daughter struggled with having the corn starch.
If u do the cold water, don’t just pat dry, wrap ever piece in a paper towels
We used olive oil as we are allergic to canola oil. We did rosemary, black pepper and garlic.
Mary O’Brien
I think the cornstarch gave it a strange powdery texture. Maybe too much. Not sure. Flavor was good. Just couldn’t eat them.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Hi Mary, sorry the cornstarch did not work for you. We have tested this multiple times and it always turns out for us. To note, though, the cornstarch is optional.
Cheryl
Can extras be frozen and reheared I n air fryer or oven later?
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Hi Cheryl, the recipe has not been tested frozen, if you try let us know.
RW
Great recipe. Made the spicy version with just one sweet potato for myself—delicious!
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
So glad you enjoyed the baked sweet potato fries!
Deb
Red Robin seasoning is delicious on These fries! Thanks for the specific notes to make them even better!
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Sounds delicious Deb we will have to try that seasoning! So glad you found it all helpful for making the baked sweet potato fries perfect!
MamaMS
I plan to make these tonight. I am so excited as we love sweet potato anything in my house. However, could you clarify the steps when choosing to use cornstarch for crispness? After soaking them in cold water and then shaking them in a bag with cornstarch, when would I spray with oil? Also, would coconut oil still work with the cornstarch option, or should I use canola oil spray only? Thank you so much in advance!
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
After soaking, patting dry and shaking with cornstarch then continue with the recipe – placing on pan and spraying with oil. I would use canola oil here! Enjoy!
Marilyn
The video shows to bake the fries 15 min, then add the salt mixture and does not show flipping the fries. I will add salt mixture before baking and let you know how it goes.
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Salt should be added before baking the fries as instructions in the recipe indicate.
Gail
I made these last evening. They were good, but not very crispy. Question…early on you say 2 teaspoons of cornstarch but in the notes in the recipe it says 2 tablespoons. I did teaspoons as I wasn’t sure. If you can make the correction to clarify and then I will try them again. Thank you!
Sarah @IHeartNaptime
Thanks for that catch! We recently re-tested the recipe and determined that 2 teaspoons was not enough for the amount of fries. Two tablespoons works best! I have updated the text to match the recipe card.