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.
This sweet potato fries recipe was a huge disaster for me. They were a clumpy mess.
I’m sorry to hear that, Lisa! Did you rub the starch into the fries?
I had the same issue. I added the amount of olive oil that the recipe stated but they all still stuck to the pan and when I tried to get them off they were mushy. So sad :(
Hi Jess, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you use parchment paper?
j used 1.5 tblsp instead n it worked for me
No idea what I did incorrectly , thought I followed the the recipe perfectly but after almost 1/2 hour I got limp dry fries…
Oh no! I’m sorry to hear that. How thick did you cut them and did you have them too close to a heat source?
These were the crispiest sweet potato fries I have ever made. Thank you very much for the recipe — it’s a keeper
I made these and was BBQ’ing at the same time so didn’t check on the fries until the half-way point. I used my upper oven and when I went to flip the fries, they were already burned. The few that were edible were very tasty so I will try this again and use my lower, and much larger oven. I think the small upper oven browned everything too quickly. Thanks for the tips. I’m sure it will work out much better next time.
I followed your instructions and made these minor additions:
1 I added / whisked in 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt to the Cornstarch before adding and coating the Sliced Sweet Potatoes
2, I added 1 tablespoon of Maple Syrup to the Olive Oil before added it to the Cornstarch coated sweet potatoes
The result was delicious
I love this recipe so much. First time in my life successfully making crunchy sweet potato fries in the oven. Thank you so much!!! The detail and precision really helped. I truly appreciate this recipe. Thank you :)
Like many others, I’m afraid just a mushy mess of fries for me, very disappointing.
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. Are you sure you cut them small enough and that they weren’t overcrowded in the pan?
Made these last night and they were delish First time visitor to you site and now a subscriber. Thanks for the great tips.
You’re welcome, Charlene! Thank you for your review.
The fries turned out limp/soft for me… I followed the recipe so not sure what happened.
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. How thick did you cut them? Did you place the oven racks as stated?
I ended up using a lot of cornstarch after not being able to find the recommended amount with all the pop ups, and just tossed them around an arbitrary amount.
They came out a messy mush, but at least the mush tasted good.
I don’t usually leave reviews for recipes but after reading so many disappointed reviewsI felt it necessary to do so for this recipe. This is an excellent baked sweet potato fries recipe. I think some inexperienced cooks may not realize the importance of following this recipe EXACTLY! If you do exactly as written you will have success! This recipe is an example of the importance of quality tools. You must use quality baking sheets and half sheets are a must for this recipe. It’s important not to crowd the fries on the pan. Also, you must use parchment paper. If you don’t have parchment paper, don’t try to make these! I have a quality convection oven and so I reduced my temperature to 400 degrees as I always reduce by 25 degrees when I use the convection. Mine were excellent and I will make them again because it is the easiest method I’ve found for making crispy sweet potato fries. Another word of advice is not to expect baked fries to be just like ones fried in hot oil. Thank you for creating and sharing this recipe. Well done!
Thank you, Erika! I’m delighted this turned out so well for you. Yes, it is important to follow the recipe exactly to guarantee results. I appreciate you trying it and for your detailed comment!
Did follow the recipe exactly but they turned out the worst. Just baking with some sea salt and olive oil works much better than this.Maybe it works for you cos looks like you are more experienced but not for me atleast
I’m sorry you didn’t like this one, Piya.
Thank you Erika. I want to experiment with my smaller Cuisinart convection/fryer oven. I tried today and I now see the temp of 380F wasn’t high enough (diff recipe), will try the cornstarch, used the basket instead of tray with parchment paper, and need to go much much thinner. Also may try olive oil spray for a lighter touch. Well… we’ll see. Thanks Erika and Kate and others.
I followed instructions and checked on my fries after 15min and they were all burnt on the side they were laying on. So disappointed! Confused at what happened. :(
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that. How did you place your oven racks? Does your oven tend to run hot?
The recipe worked well. Crispy sweet potato fries at last – something I’ve been trying to get right for a while with no success. Thanks for sharing the recipe. :)
You’re welcome, Sarah! I appreciate your review.
What sauce do you recommend for this recipe? Is it barbeque sauce in the video?
Hi! Whatever sauce you love with your fries. This is ketchup, or mayo would be delicious too. Or try my Cheater’s Aioli too!
I love these fries with a honey mustard sauce. I don’t have a recipe, but mix a couple of T honey with Half cup mayo, then add Dijon mustard to taste. You could also add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
What is the dipping sauce you have in the picture?
Hi! Just ketchup :)
I made these today and they never got crispy. I followed all the steps, baked 20 min, flipped them and switched places in the oven. I baked for 10 more min and had to remove them because they were starting to burn. Even then, they weren’t crispy, just charred :-(
Hi April, I’m sorry to hear that. How did you place your oven racks?
The directions indicate preheating oven @425. Is this convection oven temp. Or normal oven temp?
Hi! Standard oven. I hope that helps.
How long do you bake them for?
Hi Rayy! See step 4 & 6.
Yes, they were crispy – because they all burned after 20 mins! I followed the recipe exactly (except the final 10 minutes) and my oven does not run hot. I will try again at a lower temp and less time. And maybe a fatter fry.
Hi Jennifer! I’m sorry to hear that. What type of oven to do you have? Where were your oven racks placed?
I can’t say this will be a repeat, even though I cut them 1/4” and spaced them apart and baked at 425 convection, they were mostly limp. I couldn’t leave them in any longer as the ends were beginning to burn. Even limp sweet potatoes are better than no sweet potatoes at all however. We ate every one.
Hi Linda, I’m sorry this didn’t turn out for you. It may be the convection oven as this was with a non fan oven.
I was looking for a good sweet potato recipe for the oven, since my air fryer was busy with the main dish. I followed all the directions to a T and these still turned out awful! Nearly all were already burning, and weren’t crispy, but soggy. When I tasted them they were so starchy and just not edible. A huge disappointment!
Hi! Did you use parchment paper? Do you have a conventional or convection oven? If convection you will get a soggy result. Let me know as I would love for you to enjoy them!
Loved it! Recipe worked perfectly – we were careful not to put the indivudual fries too close together so they could cook properly. I had heard that preheating the trays and parchment paper in the oven as it preheat helps with crispness so we did that too. Great recipe – thank you!
Hi! Can you sustitute the cornstarch for potato starch or Tapioca starch.
Hi! This works best as written, sorry to disappoint!
Same as most of the others, complete disaster. I used parchment paper, correct temp, starch and they just burned. A charred, limp, inedible mess. I had to throw it all away and scramble to make a new side for my large party. Not upset at the recipe creator, just warning others to have a back up ready.
Hi Jarrett, I’m sorry you had issues with these. I have made these several times. Are you using a convection or conventional oven?
I followed the directions exactly and these fries were fantastic! I was very careful to cut the fries 1/4 inch wide by 1/4 inch thick and per your directions I was sure to use parchment paper on the pans. They came out perfectly. I didn’t even have to add any seasoning after they were baked. Just the bit of salt prior to baking was perfect. Thank you for a fantastic recipe.
You’re welcome, Monica! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Would rice flour work instead of corn starch?
Unfortunately this one works best as listed. Sorry!
This recipe completely failed. I followed it to a T. I should have listened to my gut and not toss everything on the pan. All the fries were stuck to the parchment and burnt from all the oil left on the pan from tossing. Thumbs down
Hi Rachel, I’m sorry to hear that. Did you cut them too small? If not cut right correctly.
Followed the recipe to a T. It worked out wonderfully!Thank you so much for sharing the corn starch tip
Hooray! I’m delighted you loved it, John.
I must have done something wrong. Too much corn starch. They were awful. I was so disappointed
Crisper than other attempts at baked fries, but still not very crisp and I could taste the cornstarch–not pleasant. I made sure none was visible before putting them in the oven. Maybe mixing the cornstarch into the olive oil before drizzling would help? I may test a half batch.
I’m sorry you didn’t love these. I have been baking them for years without an issue.
I saw an episode of America’s Test Kitchen last weekend that showed cornstarch mixed with water, then microwaved briefly, making it into a pudding-like paste, before adding it to the fries. Now, this was for regular oven fries, not sweet potatoes, but I bet it would work the same. I’m sorry I don’t recall the particulars, but I’m sure you could look it up. They said this would get the fries crispy while avoiding any powdery-ness on the finished product.
Meanwhile, I definitely plan to try this recipe, as is, to see how it works for me.
These turned out fabulous. Light, crispy and flavorful. The family fought over them, they were that good. It made me feel bad for all the sorry frozen/deep fried sweet potato fries I’ve served in commercial and home kitchens. So much better!
Pointers:
-Verify your oven temp with a quality probe thermometer and leave the probe inside the oven for entire cooking time. I use a probe with an alarm when the oven strays from correct temp. Adjust temperature as necessary. Recognize your oven likely has hot and cold spots. Follow the rack placement instructions carefully. Change tray position and back to front as well. I’ve ruined too many recipes with inaccurate ovens. And no convection – they’ll go right from soggy to burn.
-give each fry a little love with the cornstarch and olive oil steps to make sure each is coated evenly. This wasn’t a quick stir for me but a gentle little rub down with individualized attention. I used an olive oil sprayer because I’m not a good “drizzler.” It took some time, but these absolutely won’t work if they are not neatly placed with no overlap whatsoever. Arrange in neat rows (OCD tendencies come in handy here) to be able to turn them and bake each one evenly on both sides.
-Tools are everything. Sharp knife, ruler if you forget exactly what 1/4” thick looks like, good quality parchment paper that won’t burst into flames at 450 (make sure it’s marked as OK for high heat), thin metal spatula for turning, and decent half sheet pans – not the ones the kids have been burning nuggets on for the last five years. (I’ve been known to hide mine in the basement.)
In short, these take a little more time and attention than other baked veggie recipes, but you’ll be richly rewarded. If it’s too much trouble, there’s always the freezer aisle : P
Thank you for your tips and what worked well for you!
I loved the sweet potato fries! I added the garlic and cayenne at the end too. Thanks for the recipe!!
completely failed, thought the parchment paper was supposed to stop them sticking but they stuck to that anyway.. ended up with dry mashed potatoes. very disappointed
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that. Are you sure they were evenly coated?
Hello i dont see where you cook them for how long. When you say bake at 425 This is my firs time making fries.
Hi! Steps 4 & six give you the times.
Mine turned out just plain soggy and i don’t know why
Hi! I’m sorry to hear that, Joan. Did you get everything evenly coated? What type of oven to you have – convection or conection?
Very delicious. I hadn’t really thought about how to cut a potato so it looks like fries and it is quite simple. Thank you for this recipe. I just read a few other comments and wanted to mention that I used a bowl to toss the sweet potatoes with the cornstarch and then with the olive oil rather than tossing directly on the pan.
Thank you for reporting back, Allison! I’m glad you liked them.
I tried this and they turned out great. Curious though, aren’t those yams pictured here?
Hi! They are sweet potatoes :)
Thank you for this awesome recipe ! My husband loves sweet potato fries so I made them for Valentine’s Day. He didn’t believe that I made them ! He was so happy and excited so thanks to you for making his day.
Made these for supper. Best sweet potato fries I have made. I did make a couple of mistakes. I didn’t have parchment paper so used aluminum foil—should have lightly greased the foil because the fires stuck to the foil. I cut the fries a little too thin, so when they stuck some of them became shredded sweet potato fries. I will definitely make this recipe again. My husband couldn’t get enough of them.
I’m excited you loved them, Marion! Thank you for your review.
They turned out crispy. I cut mine around 0.6cm and I felt it makes it easier to crisp. And the key is keep peeping to make sure it doesn’t burnt. I kept mine in the middle rack in first 20min, and top rack at later stage for browning it’s the first crispy sweet potato, and moist in the inside. So grateful for your recipe. And I swap coconut oil, added salt to my cornstarch. Tq so much Kate
I made these tonight and they were delicious. I’ve played around with sweet potato fries before but this is the first time I’ve seen corn starch as an accessory so I was curious. I do think it helps with a little crisp! I think the easiest application for this was to run the starch in my hands and then toss the fries with the starchy hands. Seemed to help it apply more evenly than the first few that I just used a “sprinkle” method. Anyways, good recipe and good tips. Optional spices are (in my opinion) not optional. She lists out some good examples and may I add paprika to that list as well.
One thing that I’ve noticed is the odd reason that some people left negative reviews on here. First, please understand that baked will never be as crispy/crunchy as fried. An unfortunate but unavoidable truth. Secondly, please people, do not leave a bad review because YOU burn your fries. A recipe involving baking always can vary with the time suggested, so keep an eye on it until u get the hang of it. There are so many variables that vary from kitchen to kitchen. Ovens and their ever unreliable temperature, baking sheets and the color, altitude, oven rack position, just to name a few. So give this recipe a try, and if you make a mistake, learn from it and tweak accordingly. :)
Thank you for sharing your experience and detailed review, Carolyn!
I agree. Check on whatever is in your oven a few minutes before the end of the recommended cooking time. I used to have an oven that cooked 25 degrees too hot, so I either had to remember to turn down the temperature or cook for a little less time.
For those who say they have a clumpy mess or it tastes like cornstarch, you have to toss with the cornstarch for several minutes and make sure all the sweet potatoes are evenly and lightly coated. When you add the olive oil and toss again, the cornstarch should disappear.
I am making these again tonight at my husband’s request—and he is a super picky eater.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Marion! I appreciate your review.
No ma’am. Burned and tasted like corn starch. My toddler loves sweet potatoes and wouldn’t touch them after the first bite. I do have a convection oven but did not use that setting and followed the instructions. Back to the drawing board on finding a crispy recipe.
I’m sorry to hear that. If everything was evenly coated, you shouldn’t have tasted the starch.
Worked PERFECTLY! Just tried this recipe and followed instructions to the T. I’m no seasoned chef in the slightest but managed to make the most perfect crispy sweet pot fries which I’ve never been able to achieve in the oven, paired with your cheat olio . Thank you for sharing.
You’re welcome, Ellie!
Absolutely hate this recipe…. i ruined 3 perfect sweet potatoes because the cornstarch on them burnt almost instantly. Absolutely do not recommend.
Hi Taylor, I’m sorry to hear you didn’t have great results. Did you ensure all the fries were evenly coated?
Perfect crispy fries! I have made your recipe several times and they are a hit. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wonderful, Amanda! I’m happy you enjoyed these. I appreciate your review!
I’ve tried these twice now. Both times ending in a nasty burnt mess. I follow the recipe and directions perfectly and take care to check them, but it never fails, they end up charcoal black.
Oh no! Sounds like your oven may run warm. I would reduce your bake time prior to them burning.
I made 2 trays . I totally followed your recipe. The bottom 1 completely burned before the 20 minutes. The top tray made it through the1st 20 minutes. Then I turned them over. Half of them burned, & didn’t get crispy.
Hi, I’m sorry to hear that! You do need to keep an eye on them at the end, especially if you feel like they need more time. It’s important you have them placed in the oven exactly as stated otherwise they will burn.
Um…these turned out to be the absolute WORST in the world of potatoes. Burnt, awful blech. So bad.
Skip the corn starch. These were embarrassingly terrible
Burnt to a crisp…
Hi Annie, I’m sorry you had issues. Did you evenly distribute the corn starch? It’s important the racks on in the correct position, otherwise they will burn.
Mine just came out of the oven – totally limp. Still taste good. Followed the recipe exactly, as far as a know. There are different types of sweet potatoes and yams at the store, maybe that plays a role?
Hi! Be sure you cut your fries small enough, that can impact the doneness.
My family was fighting over the last of these! So very good! I took the time to make sure each fry was coated with oil and the corn starch was rubbed. I had quite a few, so I think too many were on the pan, so I just cooked longer, and they came out wonderful! Thank you!
That’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing.
First time making homemade sweet potato fries and I love them! I had them in the oven for waayy less time I never got the chance to flip them and they got a little brown but don’t really taste burnt. Perfect amount of crunch and soft
That’s great, Sarah! Thank you for your review.
These were prefect! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Amy! I’m happy you enjoyed them.
I love it. Thank you so much. I make often
thank you for all your advice, inspired to have another go tomorrow