What's The Best Temperature Range For Baking Sweet Potatoes?

Baking sweet potatoes is an art, and preparing them at the right temperature allows you to reap their sweet, creamy rewards. By consulting some of our recipes, including baked sweet potatoes and fully loaded baked sweet potatoes, we determined that the best temperature for baking these tubers ranges from 400 to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

For tender sweet potatoes, you should bake them in a way that breaks down their hard, starchy interiors. To do that, the internal temperature must reach around 200 F. Setting the oven's temperature to approximately 400 F is ideal for achieving this in about 35 minutes. Lower temperatures such as 300 F will require a longer baking time to tenderize them — sometimes over two and a half hours.

As sweet potatoes bake within this temperature range, they become softer and sweeter as starch breaks down into simple sugars. Cranking up the oven temperature to around 425 F gives sweet potatoes a crispy skin without burning their exterior. 

However, the best temperature range for a simple baked sweet potato can be subjective. It all depends on your goal. Do you want it slightly tender and fluffy or mushy and extremely sweet? The lower the baking temperature, the longer it takes to cook sweet potatoes. This gives them ample time to soften and sweeten, so the low and slow approach works for some. Baking at around 325 F results in a honey-sweet potato with a melty texture.

For a crispy exterior, temperatures around 450 F provide a quicker route but may produce a slightly less sweet result. If you want the best of both worlds, start at a low temperature such as 300 F and then finish at 450 F. 

You can also use a microwave to bring up the internal temperature of sweet potatoes. They'll only take 10 minutes to reach 200 F. Then, pop them in the oven at 425 F for an hour — at most. Using this approach produces results that are similar to longer, slower cooking times, delivering sweet flavors and a lovely golden hue.