Topping fries with an array of fun seasonings and sauces makes snacktime simply satisfying. Although typically of the savory variety, there’s something to be said for subverting sensory expectations and giving a sweet twist to your fry time. Starting with a base of homemade oven-baked sweet potato fries, you have the ideal setting for a dessert of epic and adventurous proportions. Give sweet potato fries a dessert-inspired upgrade akin to s’mores or ice cream nachos, using your fries as fantastically fulfilling dippers to hold all manner of clever toppings.
The natural sweetness of these fries comes from the fact that they are both in name and taste sweet potatoes. You can choose to use either the standard orange sweet potatoes or dress up your dessert even more with roasted purple sweet potato fries, provided you extend the roasting time longer to accommodate their increased density. From there, it’s up to you to choose a variety of delicious toppings, ranging from nutritious to decadent, to make this the ultimate shareable dessert.
Tips for the absolute best sweet potato dessert fries
Whether you make your own or use one of many frozen sweet potato fry brands, make sure your sweet potato fries are prepared to perfection for a crispiness that provides the utmost structural integrity. Because sweet potato fries are rich in vitamin A and possess a fair amount of nutritional value, you might want to err on the healthier side of topping options. Try plain yogurt as a saucy addition, along with chunks of fresh fruits like sliced kiwis and bananas or a sprinkle of pomegranate arils. Dried fruits like apricots and mangoes and nutrient-rich nuts such as walnuts or pecans would also add wholesome value to your sweet potato fry dessert. Swinging the pendulum in the opposite direction, however, you can also feel free to get as outrageous as you want with your dessert toppings, too.
Use a generous drizzle of rich peanut butter or caramel sauce atop your sweet potato fries, or add a chocolate ganache for even more luxurious flavor. If you want to switch up to candied nuts, using pecans will give your sweet potato fries a pie-inspired taste. If you want to add even more of a sweet potato pie flourish to your fries, go with marshmallow fluff, sauce, or brûléed mini marshmallows as your fry topping, adding a sprinkle of brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin-pie spice as well. Just remember that, as over-the-top as you make your dessert fries, such dishes are always better when shared among friends.
