3-Ingredient Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Chips
Most homemade sweet potato chips turn out either soggy in the center or charred at the edges. These ones come off the sheet pan thin, golden, and loud when you bite.
A quick soak pulls out the starch that makes them steam, and a hot oven does the rest. No fryer, no sugar, just a little oil, salt, and a few minutes.
Why These Chips Always Work
The soak is the quiet hero here. Just ten minutes in cold water gets rid of that sticky surface starch, so the slices dry out and fry in the oven’s heat instead of turning limp.
Once they are on the pan, the only real rule is not to crowd them. Give every round its own space and they all crisp at the same rate, with those caramelized dark edges that taste almost candied next to the salt.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 lb total), scrubbed clean: long, skinny ones give you the most even rounds
- 2 tbsp olive oil: or avocado oil, both handle the heat well
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt: plus a little more for sprinkling right after they come out of the oven
Variations / Substitutions
- Smoky: toss the slices with 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and a pinch of garlic powder along with the oil
- Spicy: add 1/4 tsp cayenne or a heaping pinch of chipotle powder for a slow burn
- Sweet and spiced: skip the salt and instead toss with 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp sugar, then sprinkle a little more after baking
- Herby: dried rosemary, finely crumbled, goes well, but add it halfway through the bake so it does not scorch
- Root swap: thin parsnips or beets work the same way, just watch the beets because their sugar content darkens faster
If you want something you can dip, try the same idea with store-bought wonton wrappers to make Baked Wonton Chips.
How to Make Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Chips
Step 1: Slice the Sweet Potatoes
Use a mandoline or a very sharp knife to cut the sweet potatoes into paper-thin rounds, aim for about 1/16 inch thick. If your knife skills are solid, go slow and keep the slices as even as you can.
You want the rounds so thin they are almost translucent. Thicker pieces will bake up chewy in the middle, even after the soak.
Drop the slices into a big bowl of cold water and let them sit for 10 minutes. Drain them well, then spread them out on a clean kitchen towel and pat until they feel dry to the touch.
Step 2: Season the Slices
Return the dry sweet potato rounds to the bowl. Pour the 2 tbsp olive oil over them, add the 3/4 tsp salt, and toss with your hands until every slice looks glossy and no dry spots remain.
The oil is what carries the heat from the pan into the potato, so do not skimp or you will get leathery rounds.
Step 3: Arrange on Baking Sheets
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment.
Arrange the seasoned slices in a single layer, no overlapping. They can be close, but if they touch, that spot will steam instead of crisp. A second sheet pan is worth the extra dish.
Step 4: Bake Until Golden
Slide both sheets into the oven, one on the middle rack and one on the lower rack. Bake for 8 minutes, then rotate the pans and flip any slices that are starting to curl.
Keep baking another 7 to 12 minutes (15 to 20 minutes total), checking often in the last few minutes. You are looking for edges that have browned and centers that are dry and crisp. The thinnest ones will finish first, so pull those early and let the rest keep going.
Step 5: Cool and Serve
Lift the chips off the baking sheets with a thin spatula and set them on a wire rack. They will feel a little pliable right out of the oven but will snap as they cool, so give them about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with a pinch more salt while they are still warm and pile them into a bowl while they are still a little warm, they never last long anyway.
A Few Things To Know Before You Start
- A mandoline is the easiest way to get that uniform 1/16-inch slice, but a steady hand and a sharp chef’s knife work if you go slow.
- After the soak, dry the slices like you mean it. Any extra water becomes steam and kills the crisp.
- If you only have one sheet pan, bake in batches. Crowding will give you a pan of soft, wrinkled rounds.
- Convection ovens run hotter, so drop the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and start checking a few minutes earlier.
- The chips will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days, but they do soften over time. A quick minute in a hot oven brings back most of the crunch.
Bake times by slice thickness:
| Slice Thickness | Bake Time at 400°F |
|---|---|
| 1/16 inch | 15–18 minutes |
| 1/8 inch | 20–25 minutes |
| Thicker rounds | Still chewy; recut |
Keeping Chips Crisp
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature, not the fridge. They will stay crisp for about two days and then gradually soften.
To re-crisp, spread them on a baking sheet and pop them into a 350°F (175°C) oven for 3 to 4 minutes. The microwave will just make them tough, so skip it.
Frequently Asked Questions
My chips turned out soft, not crispy. What did I do wrong?
Usually it is one of three things: the slices were too thick, the pan was overcrowded, or the rounds were still damp from the soak.
Can I make these without a mandoline?
Yes. Use the sharpest chef’s knife you have and cut slowly. Expect some irregular pieces and pull the thinner ones out of the oven early.
Can I use yams instead of sweet potatoes?
You can, but their flesh is starchier and the bake time may shift slightly. The flavor will be less sweet and a little more earthy.
Will this work in an air fryer?
Arrange the seasoned slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook at 375°F (190°C) for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway. They crisp up nicely, though in smaller batches.
Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Chips Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Slice sweet potatoes 1/16 inch thick, soak in cold water 10 minutes, drain, and pat completely dry.
- Toss slices with olive oil and salt until evenly coated.
- Arrange in a single layer on two parchment-lined baking sheets, no overlapping.
- Bake at 400°F for 15 to 20 minutes, rotating pans and flipping slices halfway, until edges are browned and centers are crisp.
- Transfer to a wire rack, cool 5 minutes, sprinkle with extra salt, and serve.
