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Who doesn’t love french fries?! These sweet potato fries are some of the best homemade fries we’ve ever had! They’re crispy & flavorful and a whole lot healthier because they’re oven-baked to perfection.

We fell in love with baked sweet potato fries just a few years ago when the hubby ordered them at a restaurant. They are now our FAVORITE, and we are so happy we can make them at home now. Having said that, homemade fries that aren’t fried are often hard to get nice and crisp.

Thankfully, we’ve got a few tips and tricks for you that will help you bake these beauties to perfection. No more soggy fries!!

We frequently order sweet potato fries as a side dish whenever we go out to eat. They’re SO tasty, especially served on the side of a burger, bbq pork sandwich, or grilled chicken!

For more of our favorite sweet potato recipes, try Sweet Potato Skins, Hasselback Sweet Potatoes, and Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

Why we think you’ll love it:

  • A perfect crisp texture. Follow our simple steps for perfectly crispy fries!
  • Just add your favorite dipping sauce. We love to dip these in ketchup or Chick fil A Sauce. They are even tasty all on their own!
  • So easy. The prep is simple, and they bake up in 30 minutes for one of our favorite, easy sides!
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Ingredients for baked sweet potato fries on a kitchen counter.

Baked Sweet Potato Cubes Ingredients and Substitutions

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼” sticks – Learn the difference between a yam and a sweet potato.
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons paprika – Use smoked paprika to add a smoky layer of flavor.
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper – add more for spicy fries
  • ⅛ teaspoon coriander
  • ⅛ teaspoon cumin
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (or vegetable & olive oil blend)
  • sea salt flakes, optional

How to Make Baked Sweet Potato Fries

  1. PREP. Place the raw sweet potato sticks in a large bowl, add enough cold water to cover the fries, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the salt over the top. Allow to sit for 1 hour, or more time if possible.
    • Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet (standard size) in the oven to heat. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the sheet and set aside.
  2. SEASON. Drain the fries and place them in a large plastic bag with the cornstarch, paprika, garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, and cumin. Leave a little bit of air in the bag, zip. Shake the fries in the seasoning until evenly coated. Use the same bowl to toss the fries in the oil.
  3. BAKE. Remove the sheet from the oven and place the parchment paper over the top. Carefully toss the fries on, making sure they have space in between to bake (you don’t want them to steam).
    • Bake for 20 minutes, toss, then bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until crisp and golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy immediately!
  • Don’t skip the soak. The 1-hour salt soak helps draw out excess starch from the potatoes, which is key for crispiness.
  • Maintain the ¼-inch stick size for even cooking. Consistency is key for an even bake!
  • Eat them plain or with a dipping sauce. We like classic ketchup, Ranch Dressing, Chick Fil A Sauce, or Fry Sauce.

Air Fry Directions

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and lightly spray the basket with oil. Place the fries in the basket in a single layer. 
  2. Fry for 8 minutes, flipping them halfway. 
A plate of baked sweet potato fries served with ketchup.
4.75 from 4 votes

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

If you love sweet potatoes, you'll adore these baked sweet potato fries—they're simple, flavorful, oven-baked, and the perfect side!
Servings: 6
Prep: 1 hour 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼” sticks
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • teaspoon coriander
  • teaspoon cumin
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, (or vegetable & olive oil blend)
  • sea salt flakes, optional

Instructions 

  • Place the raw sweet potato sticks in a large bowl, add enough cold water to cover the fries, then sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the salt over the top. Allow to sit for 1 hour, or more time if possible.
  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Place a rimmed cookie sheet (standard size) in the oven to heat. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the sheet and set aside.
  • Drain the fries and place them in a large plastic bag with the cornstarch, paprika, garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, coriander, and cumin. Leave a little bit of air in the bag, zip it, and shake until evenly coated. Use the same bowl to toss the fries in the oil.
  • Remove the sheet from the oven and place the parchment paper over the top. Carefully toss the fries on, making sure they have space in between to bake (you don't want them to steam). Bake for 20 minutes, toss, then bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until crisp and golden brown.
  • Remove from the oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

Recipe tips.
  • Don’t skip the soak. The 1-hour salt soak helps draw out excess starch from the potatoes, which is key for crispiness.
  • Maintain the ¼-inch stick size for even cooking. Consistency is key for an even bake!
  • Eat them plain or with a dipping sauce. I like classic ketchup, Ranch Dressing, or Fry Sauce.
  • Air Fry. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F and lightly spray the basket with oil. Place the fries in the basket in a single layer. Fry for 8 minutes, flipping them halfway.
Prep ahead freezer fries. 
  1. Blanch. Peel, cut, and soak the sweet potatoes. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the cut sweet potatoes, and boil for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately put fries into a bowl of ice water for 3-5 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and toss with the cornstarch and spices. 
  2. Flash Freeze. Place fries in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Put them in the freezer until they begin to harden, 1-2 hours. Remove and place in an airtight freezer-safe container for 3-6 months.
  3. To Heat: Preheat oven to 450°F and bake the frozen fries for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through. 
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat in the oven at 400°F for 5-8 minutes or until hot.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Sodium: 1199mg, Potassium: 242mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 9615IU, Vitamin C: 1.6mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Recipe FAQ

How to make freezer fries?

Peel, cut, and soak the sweet potatoes. Bring a pot of water to a boil, add the cut sweet potatoes, and boil for 2 minutes. Drain and immediately put fries into a bowl of ice water for 3-5 minutes. Drain, pat dry, and toss with the cornstarch and spices. 
Place fries in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Put them in the freezer until they begin to harden, 1-2 hours. Remove and place in an airtight freezer-safe container for 3-6 months.
Preheat oven to 450°F and bake the frozen fries for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through. 

How to store?

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Reheat in the oven at 400°F for 5-8 minutes or until hot.

This recipe was originally published May 2018.

About Kristyn

Kristyn Merkley is a published cookbook author, wife, mom of six, and major food enthusiast! For the past 15 years, she has been sharing foolproof, family-friendly recipes—each one tested in her kitchen—that anyone can master. As a seasoned recipe creator, she loves making cooking simple, stress-free, and totally doable for everyone!

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4.75 from 4 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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11 Comments

  1. Jancy says:

    4 stars
    I love potato snacks. Thank you for the tip.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      You are so welcome!! I do too! Hope you like them!

  2. resorts in vagamon says:

    The sweet potato is used daily snacks. this is sucha delicious crispy food. it include vitamin. this is such a very tasty food. i hope you include more post. Thanks a lot for sharing this post.

    1. Kristyn Merkley says:

      You are so welcome & thank you!! I love sweet potatoes!

  3. Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats says:

    Holy Moly girl! These are so stinky crispy, I just want to take the bucket of fries right now! YUM!

  4. tanya says:

    These looks so crispy and delicious, I would love to be munching on them now!

  5. Sylvie says:

    They look perfect, thin and crisp on the outside!

  6. Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet says:

    I will take sweet potato fries over white potatoes any day! Love these!

  7. Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says:

    I love sweet potato fries, but they can be hard to get crispy. These look perfect!

  8. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says:

    Okay, these are seriously the best looking sweet potato fries I’ve ever seen! They look fabulous!

  9. Nancy | The Bitter Side of Sweet says:

    Definitely adding this one to the weekly meal plan! My family would love it!