Sweet Potato Stacks

These sweet potato stacks are made with thinly sliced sweet potatoes layered with butter, garlic, thyme, and melty Gouda cheese, then baked in a muffin tin until the centers are tender and the edges are golden and crispy. They’re an easy side dish for weeknight dinners but elegant enough for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any holiday meal.

This recipe is a variation of my Parmesan Potato Stacks that are made with russet potatoes. Both are great side dishes!

Quick Look at these Sweet Potato Stacks

• Ready In: 50 minutes
• Serves: 6
• Flavors: Savory, buttery, lightly sweet, and cheesy
• Equipment: Muffin tin and mandoline slicer
• Great For: Thanksgiving, Christmas, dinner parties, and weeknight meals

The Best Way to Slice Potatoes

Uniform slices are the secret to this layered sweet potato recipe, giving you those neat stacks with tender middles and crisp edges. If the slices are too thick, the centers may still be firm before the edges become crispy. When buying sweet potatoes, look for ones that are similar in size and that have a smaller diameter so they fit well in the muffin tin. Sometimes a petite variety is available.

If you can’t find smaller potatoes, trim the sides or half the sweet potatoes so they fit in the muffin tin. The look won’t be exactly the same, but the taste will!

To slice the potatoes 1/16 inch thick, a tool called a mandolin is going to be your best friend. You will end up with perfectly even slices and it’s often safer than a knife (as long as you use the guard!). This is one kitchen tool I think is definitely worth investing in. I use it all the time for slicing vegetables.

How To Make Sweet Potato Stacks

Step 1: Make the spice mixture – Whisk together melted butter, brown sugar and spices. Combining these before adding them to the potatoes allows you to better distribute the spices onto the sliced potatoes.

Step 2: Combine with potatoes – Add the butter mixture to a large bowl with the sliced sweet potatoes. Mix until the potatoes are well coated, then add the cheese. A pair of clean hands are the best tools for this, but a rubber spatula works too.

Step 3: Stack – Place “stacks” of potato in 12 greased muffin tins. Stack them about an inch taller than the top of the tin as the potatoes will shrink when cooking.

As you are stacking, work to evenly distribute the shredded cheese in between the layers as it can tend to clump together.

Step 4: Bake – Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes. The stacks are done when a knife slides easily through the center and the edges are golden brown and beginning to crisp.

Serving Tips

Serve these sweet potato stacks as you would another potato side dish. They would elevate your Thanksgiving table (sorry sweet potato casserole) and present beautifully on a plate alongside proteins like roast turkey or chicken, ham, steak or my popular Pot Roast recipe.

Storage & Reheating Tips

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.

Freezer: Freeze fully cooled stacks on a parchment-lined sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag. Store up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating.

Reheating: Oven or air fryer is best for crispy edges. 350°F for 20–25 minutes (oven) or 8–10 minutes (air fryer). Microwave works in a pinch, but edges won’t crisp.

Looking for an easy Thanksgiving potato side that a change from the norm? These stacks are make-ahead friendly and look stunning on any holiday table.