Maple Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Let me introduce you to a little magic called brown butter. If you thought butter makes everything better, wait until you try the nutty, caramel-scented version of butter. It takes just a few minutes to make, requires no fancy ingredients, and adds phenomenal flavor wherever it’s drizzled. So, if you want to take your mashed sweet potatoes up a notch this Thanksgiving without having to buy even more specialty ingredients, these simple Maple Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes are the answer. Because I know you all are busy and can’t make another trip to the store for last-minute ingredients before the big day! Chances are you have everything you need for this already. I paired the brown butter in this recipe with a little bit of real maple syrup because its flavor is unique and undeniably fall-like. The deep flavor of the maple syrups matches perfectly with the nutty brown butter. Real maple syrup is expensive though, and if you can’t spring for it this time around you can use a little brown sugar in its place (their sweetness levels are not equal, so add the brown sugar to your liking).

Ingredients:
3 lbs sweet potatoes
6 Tbsp butter
¼ cup real maple syrup
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ cup chopped pecans

Instructions:
Peel and dice the sweet potatoes. Add them to a large pot and cover with water. Place a lid on the pot and bring the water up to a boil over high heat. Boil the potatoes until they are very tender when pierced with a fork (5-10 minutes depending on the size of your sweet potato cubes). Drain the sweet potatoes and then mash until mostly smooth. Set the mashed sweet potatoes aside.
Cut the butter into equal-sized pieces. Place the butter in a light colored skillet or pot. Place the skillet over medium-low heat and let it melt and being to foam. Continue to cook the butter, stirring constantly, until the butter solids begin to brown. Watch the butter closely once it begins to change color and remove it from the heat when it reaches a deep brown color and smells nutty or caramel-like. Immediately pour the butter into a separate bowl to stop the cooking process.
Stir the maple syrup into the butter. Pour the maple syrup and butter mixture into the mashed sweet potatoes. Reserve 1-2 Tbsp of the maple brown butter to drizzle over top as a garnish. Also add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to the mashed potatoes, then stir to combine. Taste the sweet potatoes and adjust the syrup, spices, or salt if needed. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over top and drizzle the remaining maple brown butter just before serving.

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