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Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

Scalloped sweet potatoes baked with thin, overlapping layers and a creamy garlic-maple custard that soaks in as it thickens. Finished with a golden, bubbly Gruyere and parmesan topping for a caramelized, edge-to-edge crust.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

sweet potatoes
  • 3 lb sweet potatoes peeled and thinly sliced
garlic
  • 3 clove garlic minced
cream and milk
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 0.5 cup whole milk
maple thyme custard
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
cheeses
  • 2 cup Gruyere cheese shredded
  • 0.5 cup parmesan grated
butter
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter for buttering the baking dish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and butter a 9x13 baking dish with the unsalted butter. Lightly coat the base and corners so the potato layers release cleanly.
  2. Whisk the heavy cream, whole milk, minced garlic, maple syrup, fresh thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a bowl until smooth. The mixture should look evenly speckled with thyme.
Layer and bake
  1. Layer the sweet potato slices in overlapping rows in the baking dish. Aim for an even thickness so they cook tender at the same pace.
  2. Pour the cream mixture over the sweet potatoes evenly, making sure most slices are moistened. Spoon any pooling liquid back over dry spots.
  3. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375F for 40 minutes. The edges should be steaming and the top should look set but not browned.
  4. Uncover and scatter the Gruyere and parmesan over the top. The cheese should form a thick layer that will melt into a crust.
  5. Bake uncovered for 20-25 more minutes at 375F until the sweet potatoes are completely tender and the topping is golden and bubbly. Look for browned spots and bubbling around the edges.
Rest and serve
  1. Rest the scalloped sweet potatoes for 10 minutes before serving. This sets the creamy layer so it slices neatly and stays together.

Notes

For the most even tenderness, keep the sweet potato slices consistently thin and overlap them tightly so the custard can soak through. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days and reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through. Freeze is not recommended because the dairy can break when thawed. For a dairy-light swap, use evaporated milk plus half-and-half-style substitute and a lower-melt cheese blend, but expect a softer top crust.