Let’s be honest, Thanksgiving sweet potatoes deserve way more than a lonely pie cameo. I’m talking about the kind of silky, caramelized, marshmallow-topped magic that makes everyone hover near the kitchen. I’ve rounded up 22 of my favorite ways to make them the real star of your holiday table.

1. Southern Sweet Potato Cake

This gorgeous layered cake was made for feeding a happy crowd. The sponge is ultra-soft and carries sweet potato with a warm swirl of cinnamon. Between each layer sits a honey cinnamon buttercream that also gets slathered thickly over the top. Organized bakers, take note: you can make the layers ahead and freeze them, which actually gives the finished cake an even denser, more moist crumb.

Go to Recipe →

2. Mini Sweet Potato Pies

Thanksgiving gets wild, especially when you’re feeding a big crowd. That’s exactly why these make-ahead minis are such a lifesaver. There’s a tiny bit of prep and assembly, but you can handle it a few days before the big day. Feeling extra organized? Make the filling weeks ahead and stash it in the freezer until you’re ready to bake.

Go to Recipe →

3. Cranberry Sweet Potatoes

I love the way tart cranberries swoop in to balance all that natural sweetness. This side is a little unexpected because it brings fruit three different ways: cranberry juice, dried cranberries, and cranberry sauce. The berries tumble over the sliced sweet potatoes while the juice and sauce cook down into a glossy, tangy glaze.

Go to Recipe →

4. Candied Sweet Potatoes

These glossy, caramelized gems show up on my table for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, honestly any day I’m craving something sweet and cozy. The sauce is buttery and creamy with little whispers of vanilla, warm spices, and maple syrup running through it. It sounds familiar, sure, but this recipe delivers way more than your average candied potato moment.

Go to Recipe →

5. Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Butter

I’m already dreaming about these caramelized beauties. They roast until tender and deeply browned, then get tossed in a maple cinnamon butter that clings to every edge. Sticky, sweet, and impossibly soft, they’re the ultimate side for a beautifully decadent Thanksgiving feast.

Go to Recipe →

6. Sweet Potato Marshmallow Bars

I love these bite-sized treats because they feel like single serving sweet potato casseroles. A biscuit crumb base gets topped with sweet potato puree and a blanket of toasted marshmallows. Think cheesecake bar energy, but softer and cozier. I like them best chilled with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Go to Recipe →

7. Sweet Potato Apple Butter Casserole

This one is pure gooey, fruity goodness in a baking dish. It’s a wonderfully rich Thanksgiving side built from apple butter, sweet potato puree, cream, honey, and brown sugar. Right before serving, I scatter a handful of pecans over the top. Then I grab a spoon and dive straight in.

Go to Recipe →

8. Sweet Potato Bread

I am completely head over heels for this chunky, sweet bread. It’s ridiculously moist and a sneaky little way to get more veggies onto the plates of picky eaters. There’s a bit of carrot cake charm and a touch of pumpkin bread energy. Warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves do all the heavy lifting here.

Go to Recipe →

9. Sweet Potato Cheesecake

This cheesecake tastes light as air and practically melts on your tongue. The filling is soft and sweet potato-kissed, while the crust is buttery and made from gingersnaps. It’s always a hit at parties. Enjoy a slice after dinner, or if you’re too full from turkey, save it for a midnight snack. I won’t say a word.

Go to Recipe →

10. Sweet Potato Bites

These cute little rounds are the perfect balance of adorable and totally appetizing. They’re almost too easy: thick slices of sweet potato get topped with maple syrup and marshmallows. That’s it. Pop them in the oven and watch them turn into sticky, golden little wonders.

Go to Recipe →

11. Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

Sometimes the most simple casseroles are the ones I get asked for again and again, and this one is proof. It comes together in a flash, but it’s loaded with that toasty, autumnal flavor everyone craves. Short on time? Grab canned yams instead of sweet potatoes and no one will know the difference. Just spread the mashed potatoes into a dish, pile on marshmallows and a brown sugar streusel, and let it turn golden.

Go to Recipe →

12. Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Let the deep South inspire your holiday spread with this simple but supremely satisfying pie. Fresh sweet potatoes mingle with sugar, eggs, flour, and a cozy blend of fall spices. It bakes up into a moist, almost cake-like pie that pairs beautifully with whatever else is on the table.

Go to Recipe →

13. Texas Roadhouse Loaded Sweet Potato

Why choose a plain baked sweet potato when you can go completely over the top? These beauties are loaded with honey cinnamon butter, ribbons of caramel, and a mountain of gooey marshmallows. It’s honestly more dessert than side dish, but hey, it’s the holidays. If you can’t eat dessert for dinner on Thanksgiving, when can you?

Go to Recipe →

14. Sweet Potato Pound Cake

Adding sweet potato to baked goods works the same kind of magic that bananas or applesauce do. You get this wonderfully moist texture and a soft, tender crumb every single time. This pound cake is no exception. Mashed sweet potato joins flour, butter, vanilla, and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg in the batter.

Go to Recipe →

15. Sweet Potato Muffins

If you’ve ever hosted Thanksgiving, you know the cooking doesn’t stop after the main meal. Suddenly there are breakfast requests, brunch guests, and people hunting for snacks at all hours. I’ve learned from experience that a batch of something easy and snackable is always your friend. These muffins fit the bill, with plenty of sweet potato flavor and warm spice in every bite.

Go to Recipe →

16. Sweet Potato Souffle

When I need to wow a table full of relatives or work friends, these airy little soufflés are my secret weapon. They’re light as a feather and quietly fancy without being fussy. Baked in individual ramekins, they bring an elegant touch to any holiday spread. With just a hint of pumpkin pie spice, each spoonful tastes like a soft, pillowy cloud.

Go to Recipe →

17. Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I’m a huge fan of keeping things beautifully basic, and this roasted version is my go to. Sweet potatoes honestly don’t need a big production to taste incredible. A drizzle of oil, a shower of fresh herbs or a hit of spicy seasoning, and a hot oven are all it takes. Simple, honest, and always satisfying.

Go to Recipe →

18. Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole

Between hosting, greeting family, and juggling all the little party details, no one has time to babysit the oven. Enter your trusty slow cooker. Toss in sweet potatoes, butter, brown sugar, spices, and marshmallows, then walk away. A few hours later you’ll lift the lid to find a bubbly, golden casserole ready to serve. No stress, no mess, just pure Thanksgiving joy.

Go to Recipe →

19. Sweet Potato Soup

This thick, creamy soup is a lovely way to open your Thanksgiving meal. Coconut milk, coriander, ginger, and paprika come together for a surprisingly complex flavor that feels like a welcome break from the usual holiday lineup. Smoky, sweet, and incredibly filling, it works just as well as an appetizer, a light lunch, or a late-night bowl after the party winds down.

Go to Recipe →

20. Garlic Butter Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

If you like your sweet potatoes leaning savory, this herby number is absolutely for you. The slices soak up all that aromatic garlic butter goodness while they bake. Then cream and parmesan step in to make the whole dish devastatingly creamy and smooth. It’s the kind of comforting casserole that disappears fast.

Go to Recipe →

21. Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

Baking sweet potatoes twice gives you a second chance to make them even more irresistible. The insides turn extra soft and fluffy while the skins get wonderfully crispy and chewy. Brown sugar, pecans, and cinnamon work their way through the filling here, making this a totally addictive twist on the usual casserole or plain roasted sides.

Go to Recipe →

22. Sweet Potato Casserole

This one is miles away from the old school version, but it still feels like a warm hug on a chilly day. The base is impossibly smooth and creamy, then it’s crowned with a brown sugar and pecan topping that shatters a little when you dig in. I love the way the buttery crunch plays against that soft, cozy center. It’s a full-on celebration of texture in every single spoonful.

Go to Recipe →