These Baked Sweet Potato Tots with Cinnamon & Sugar are a fun twist on the original savory version! (Gluten-Free + Dairy-Free.) They're the perfect fall treat! The flavors remind me of my favorite Sweet Potato Casserole I make every Thanksgiving. In my opinion, sweet Potato and cinnamon were meant to be together. These little tots can be served as an afternoon snack, dessert, or with your fall inspired meals! They're crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside, and bursting with flavor! You can make them in the oven or air fryer, but they come out much crispier in the air fryer! (And take less time.)
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What I love about these Sweet Potato Tots
These crispy little tots are made with healthy whole food ingredients! Sweet potatoes are relatively high in fiber, and are a great source of vitamin c, and potassium! For this recipe I also used Cassava Flour, which is a gluten-free flour alternative! It has a very light, powdery texture, and it’s made from Yuca. I used a small amount of coconut sugar in this recipe, but you can certainly skip the sugar! See the FAQ section for more details.
BONUS – Cooking + cooling your potatoes has shown to increase the resistant starch load. (Resistant starch is great for gut health!)
🍴Ingredient Notes
Sweet Potato Filling
- Mashed Sweet Potato - It must be completely cooled or else it will be too mushy.
- Cassava Flour - If you're not familiar with cassava flour, it's a great gluten-free flour alternative! It has a very light, powdery texture, and it’s made from Yuca. You can find it on amazon, or at most natural markets. (Whole Foods!) I use the brand Terrasoul Superfoods! They have a high quality organic Cassava Flour for a great price! (Plus free shipping with Amazon Prime!)
- Coconut Sugar - You can substitute with Lakanto Monkfruit for a lower sugar option. I've also skipped the sugar altogether and they're still delicious!
- Cinnamon - You can also add a little pumpkin spice! (I usually do ½ Teaspoon.)
- Whipped Egg - I would not recommend making these with an egg replacement.
- Finely Shredded Coconut - I like using the brand Terrasoul.
🍠 How to cook sweet potato
Place your sweet potatoes on a pan or parchment paper, and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when you can easily stick a fork in them. Baking is my favorite way to make them because it’s an easy way to meal prep extras for later!
The second way you can make mashed sweet potato is by peeling the potatoes, chopping them into small chunks, and steaming them until they become tender! It usually takes a little less time to cook, but I’m not a huge fan of peeling potatoes.
Mashing Sweet Potato Tips
- Once you have your sweet potatoes baked to perfection, let them cool to room temperature. Peel off the skin, add them to your mixing bowl, and whip them with hand mixer or handheld potato masher.
- If you steamed them, you wont have to peel the skin, just add them directly to your bowl to cool. From there, you can measure out your 1 + ⅓ cup!
- The texture of your sweet potato will thicken up as it cools. Once they’re at room temperature, I usually place mine in the refrigerator. (Overnight is even better!) The cooler they are, the easier they will be to mold. If they’re warm still, it will be a looser consistency that’s harder to mold.
🍴Step by Step Instructions
Preparing the sweet potato mixture
- Add 3-4 small/medium sized *peeled* and cooled baked potatoes into a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or fork to blend them until creamy.
- Next measure out 1 + ⅓ cup of mashed sweet potato. Add it to separate mixing bowl with the cassava flour, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and salt. Use a spatula to fold it all together. It should form a thick dough.
- Use a teaspoon to scoop out the mixture, then use your finger to push it off onto a plate. They should be about 1+½ inches by ½ inch. Don't worry, they don't have to be perfect! It should make about 18-20 bites! Once they're all on the plate, place it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to set.
Outer Coating
- While it's setting, we can prep our crispy coating ingredients! In a small bowl, whip your egg and set aside. In a separate bowl, add your shredded coconut flakes, coconut sugar, and cinnamon.
- Once your sweet potato is set, use a fork to scrape them off one at a time. Roll in egg, then roll in shredded coconut mixture, then place on your baking sheet or in your air fryer.
Baking + Air Frying
- Once they're all prepped, it's time to bake them! If you're using a regular oven they will bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. If you're air frying them, set it to 350° for about 12-15 minutes. You'll know they're done when the outside gets golden brown and crispy! They will cook fast in the air fryer so keep an eye on them!
- Let cool for a couple minutes, then ENJOY! (The center gets super hot!!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely! I have tested them without sugar, and they still have a great flavor! If you're on Whole30, or sugar free you can skip the sugar, just keep the rest of the recipe the same. The great thing about sweet potato is that it's naturally sweet! You can also sub the coconut sugar for Lakanto Golden Monkfruit.
I have not tested this recipe with any other flours. If you have a gluten-free 1-1 flour, it might work but you would need to use less. If you have almond flour, you
I use finely shredded coconut because it’s light, and creates a nice “breadcrumb” coating on the outside. I’ve tried thicker shredded coconut, and it doesn’t have the same consistency. It will work, but in my opinion, it’s not as good.
I actually enjoy them on their own as a little snack! You can also serve them as a side dish. The flavors remind me of my Sweet Potato Casserole that I make on Thanksgiving! I also have a savory version that you might like too.
How to store and reheat leftovers
It’s best to store leftovers in an air tight glass container in the refrigerator. They will last 5-7 days. Any longer, and I would suggest freezing them in a freezer bag or air tight Tupperware container. You can reheat leftovers in the microwave, but I find they can get a bit soggy. My favorite way to reheat them is in the air fryer because it’s fast, easy, and they stay super crispy! If you don’t have an air fryer, you can also reheat them in a small frying pan on the stovetop, or in the oven.
More sweet potato recipes!
Recipe
Sweet Potato Tots with Cinnamon and Sugar
Equipment
- Hand mixer
- Potato Masher
- Air Fryer
- Oven
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Filling
- 1 + ⅓ Cup Mashed Sweet Potato It must be completely cooled or else it will be too mushy.
- ¼ Cup Cassava Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar You can substitute with Lakanto Monkfruit!
- 1+½ Teaspoon Cinnamon Feel free to add a little pumpkin spice to the filling mixture! I usually do ½ teaspoon.
- ¼ Teaspoon Salt
Outer Coating
- 1 Whipped Egg
- 1 Cup Finely Shredded Coconut
- 2 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Add 3-4 small/medium sized *peeled* and cooled baked potatoes into a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer or fork to blend them until creamy.
- Next measure out 1 + ⅓ cup of mashed sweet potato. Add it to separate mixing bowl with the cassava flour, cinnamon, coconut sugar, and salt. Use a spatula to fold it all together. It should form a thick dough.
- Use a teaspoon to scoop out the mixture, then use your finger to push it off onto a plate. They should be about 1+½ inches by ½ inch. Don't worry, they don't have to be perfect! It should make about 18-20 bites! Once they're all on the plate, place it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes to set.
- While it's setting, we can prep our crispy coating ingredients! In a small bowl, whip your egg and set aside. In a separate bowl, add your shredded coconut flakes, coconut sugar, and cinnamon.
- Once your sweet potato is set, use a fork to scrape them off one at a time. Roll in egg, then roll in shredded coconut mixture, then place on your baking sheet or in your air fryer.
- Once they're all prepped, it's time to bake them! If you're using a regular oven they will bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. If you're air frying them, set it to 350° for about 12-15 minutes. You'll know they're done when the outside gets golden brown and crispy! They will cook fast in the air fryer so keep an eye on them!
- Let cool for a couple minutes, then ENJOY! (The center gets super hot!!)
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
How to store and reheat leftovers
How to cook sweet potato
Place your sweet potatoes on a pan or parchment paper, and bake at 375 degrees for about 40 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when you can easily stick a fork in them. Baking is my favorite way to make them because it’s an easy way to meal prep extras for later! The second way you can make mashed sweet potato is by peeling the potatoes, chopping them into small chunks, and steaming them until they become tender! It usually takes a little less time to cook, but I’m not a huge fan of peeling potatoes.Nutrition
After you make these Sweet Potato Tots with Cinnamon & Sugar, make sure to leave a comment & rate the recipe! Your feedback is helpful for me, and for anyone planning to try this recipe. I hope you love them as much as I do! xo Mariah
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A family favorite!!
Glad to hear it! I have a savory version as well.
Wow they came out so good! Even my husband liked them.