Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Chips
These Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Chips are a fun snack to make on a cool, Autumn afternoon!
This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.
Saratoga Springs, New York. 1853. A small restaurant on the shores of Saratoga Lake. A grumpy customer ordered fried potatoes, but sent them back to the kitchen complaining that they were too soggy. He got a new batch, and once again he sent those back. The chef was determined not to get those potatoes back a third time, so he figured he’d show that grumpy customer. He sliced the potatoes super thin and salted them heavily. The chef figured the paper-thin, salty potatoes would be inedible, and he would get the last laugh over the customer. Turns out he was wrong. The chef had inadvertently created a delicious snack, and the customer requested a second batch.
Potato chips were indeed created in Saratoga Springs, or at least that’s what the local legend around here claims. And I just so happen to love potato chips! I mean who doesn’t love the crunchy, saltiness of a good kettle chip? We have to purposefully hide chips here in our house (1) to keep us from eating them all and (2) to keep Robbie from seeing them. Because once Robbie sees the bag of chips, his only goal for the rest of the night is getting us to open that bag!
Saratoga Chips is a local potato chip company, and they make some darned good kettle chips. While Laura and I both love a good, classic kettle chip, we recently discovered their “Dark Russet” variety. We’ve also turned Laura’s mom onto these dark russets, and she has been known to stuff her trunk full of these chips when she comes to visit. (I can’t blame her one bit as we stuff our trunk full of pretzels from the pretzel bakery in Laura’s hometown whenever we go to visit!)
But here’s the thing: what exactly is a dark russet? It’s not a variety of russet potato (I checked). I think they’re literally just potato chips that are slightly burnt. And I love ’em! (On a somewhat related side note, Cheez-Its now sells an “extra toasty” variety. And they’re amazing!)
We always keep sweet potatoes in stock here at home as they are one of Robbie’s dinner staples. But the other day, I decided to grab one of those sweet potatoes and try to bake some chips. And it worked! I’ve been known to pull out the fryer, but I only do that a couple times a year. Plus, baked chips are a bit healthy than fried chips. The key to making these Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Chips at home is a mandolin. Seriously. I don’t think you can use a knife to slice those sweet potatoes as thinly as they need to be sliced. Unless you are crazy good with a knife…in which case, I need to see a video of you in action cutting a sweet potato!
These baked sweet potato chips were quite addicting, too. I topped ’em with a bit of spicy seasoning blend, but you could absolutely mix up the seasonings that you use. (I actually left a couple plain for Robbie.) And these baked sweet potato chips can go from floppy to burnt in a heartbeat, so keep a close eye on them. (You’ll need to flip them occasionally, too.) Of course, slightly burnt potato chips aren’t the worst thing in the world as several chip companies have proven lately! Mmm…dark russets!
Love sweet potatoes? Try these Chipotle Parmesan Baked Sweet Potato Fries, too!
Spicy Baked Sweet Potato Chips
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp chili powder
- pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Using a mandolin, slice sweet potatoes as thinly as possible. (The thinner, the better! Mine were somewhere less than 1/8”.)
- Place the sliced potatoes in a large bowl. Add olive oil and toss until well coated.
- Sprinkle seasonings (salt, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder and salt) evenly across potatoes; toss until well coated.
- As best as possible, spread slices into a single layer on prepared baking sheets. (You’ll be flipping these anyways, so don’t worry if they overlap just slightly.)
- Bake for 38-45 minutes, flipping with a spatula every 10 minutes. (Note: Baking time will vary based on thickness of chips. Keep a close eye on them to prevent burning!)
These look super crispy David!! Who doesn’t love potato chips..And I personally try to keep it healthier by choosing sweet potato over the starchy potato..Love that these are baked and not fried..I should buy a mandolin sooner to make these :).
These “chips” turned out so well, Deepika! I love sweet potato fries, so of course sweet potato chips were right up there on my list, too. But, yes, you’ve got to use a mandolin to make these chips happen. I don’t pull out my mandolin very often, but this is one of those recipes! 🙂 Thanks so much for the comment, my friend!
I didn’t realise that potato chips were an American invention. I’ve had a bag of the extent dark sort. They’re pretty cool, but for me, it’s BBQ kettle chips all the way … UNLESS sweet potato is an option!
Just think, Jeff. Sweet potato BBQ kettle chips. Is that a thing? If not, we need to make it a thing! We’ll make millions!
I knew, I knew! Some genius ideas are developed only when you’re angry or irritated. I’ll need to try making something when I’m grouchy – who knows maybe I’ll create something fantastic, and your grandchildren would be telling my story (Do you think my masterpiece would be with lavender or Irish cream?) on their blogs;) I do like sweet potato chips, but I normally sprinkle with just a little of salt. Also, smoked paprika works well too. Besides, I believe these chips can stay fresh for a while which makes them perfect food to ship somewhere not too far, like to Canada. Just saying.
Hah! You’re right, Ben. I guess we owe a grumpy cook all the thanks for inventing potato chips. Does that mean that the next time I’m grumpy in the kitchen, then I might be about to invent something amazing?? (Wouldn’t that be nice if that’s how it worked!) I really enjoyed the spice mix on these sweet potato chips, but truth be told, plain salt is my favorite way to top these. Thanks so much, my friend!
I, too, love baked sweet potato chips! Boy, you’re right – they go from slightly brown to black in an instant if I’m not on alert. I like using cayenne and cinnamon for a spicy/sweet flavor, along with S&P, as well. I’m going to try your method of baking at a lower temp for longer because I think mine start to burn too quickly, before the rest of the chip is baked. Friday night test plan!
Hey there, Bonnie! You know, a slightly burnt sweet potato chip isn’t the worst thing in the world! Heck, companies are catching on to that idea, and I for one am loving the ‘slightly burnt’ flavor options. Who would’ve thought slightly burning something would make it taste better!? Anyways, I’ve gotta try these with cayenne + cinnamon next time. What a fun combo of flavors! I hope these chips turn out well for you this weekend…yummy experiment for sure. 🙂 Thanks so much for commenting, too!
Pleeeeease send me a bag of those dark russet chips! I love potato chips when they’re a little burned. Actually I love potato chips pretty much any way I can get them :). My mom is coming for a visit soon and sweet potatoes are one of her favorite foods. I’m going to have to make a batch of these for us to snack on!
Oh, I will gladly ship you a bag of those dark russets, Kelsie! Just send me your address! 🙂 Or maybe I should send them to the Phoenix Curling Club and make you go pick ’em up. See what I did there?? Anywho, the only problem with sending you a bag is that you’ll get addicted…and then you’ll have to move to upstate New York to feed your addiction…and then you’ll have to share all of your desserts with me. Man, I’m killing it with the logic this morning! Do give these chips a shot. You’ll need a mandolin to get the sweet potatoes paper thin, though. But watch out…the entire batch will disappear in no time flat!
Hahahah! So loved reading this line “once Robbie sees the bag of chips, his only goal for the rest of the night is getting us to open that bag!” You gotta give him kudos for being so determined – eh?! Seriously, it’s hard to resist a good chip! Lil Shashi fell in love with Tyrrells Spicy chips when we were in London – only problem is we cannot seem to find them this side of the pond – so, she plans on doing what your mom did the next time we head on over yonder! But – till then, I think I might be able to keep her satisfied with your version of sweet potato chips! Now, am off to get me a mandolin! Happy Wednesday, my Upstate NYC friend!
Oh my goodness, that kid is so determined when he sets his mind to something! Unfortunately, that usually means getting into the bag of chips (before dinner) or not putting his coat on or some other perfectly normal activity. Ugh! Toddlers! So I don’t think I’ve tried Tyrrells Spicy Chips, but now I want to try ’em. Guess I’ll be heading to London soon. Haha! Yes, a mandolin is unfortunately a requirement for this one as the chips need to be paper thin. But once you get that, you can have endless batches of chips coming out of your oven! Happy Thursday back at ya, my Athens friend!
What a fun story, David! And I’ll be trying this recipe immediately (I just bought two Japanese sweet potatoes yesterday!) because it looks to me like you’ve perfected the baked chip!
Oh man, these chips were SO good, Marissa! I loved the spicy combination on top, but truth be told a good sprinkle of salt is all these bad boys need. This entire trey of chips disappeared in a flash! 🙂
You are indeed right, I’ve never met that ONE who does not like potato chips!. Sweet potatoes are considered kind of dessert where I came from. It is hard for me to think of it in a savory recipe but this one will definitely make me change my mind. I just need to get a mandolin first hehehehe.
Exactly! Chips are one of those universally loved things. I mean open a bag of chips and suddenly a bunch of friends just show up. 🙂 So I agree that these sweet potato chips could be turned into dessert using a bit of cinnamon + sugar, but try them out with salt instead. The salty and sweet combination is absolutely addicting! But, yes, you’ll sadly need to invest in a mandolin for this one. I can’t imagine trying to cut those potatoes thin enough using just a chef’s knife. Put that mandolin on the wish list! Thanks, Amira!
I love sweet potato fries so I know I would devour these sweet potato chips, and they are diet friendly so I’m really on board. I’ve never heard that potato chip invention story but I do like it. Now I want to visit Saratoga Springs 🙂
I love sweet potato fries, too, Mary! See, we really do share the same taste buds. 🙂 Whenever sweet potato fries show up on a menu, I always ask for them…even if it’s an extra $1 or $2. Totally worth it! But these chips? These chips are amazing! And they can be made right in your kitchen. Of course, if you come up to Saratoga, you can taste the “original” chips…so put that on your bucket list of things to do! 🙂 Happy Thursday, my friend!
Amazing that a grumpy customer was the reason for something so wonderful. A bag of chips combined with some good TV can be so comforting, especially this time of the year when it’s getting cold outside. I like that you oven baked them instead of frying, they look so crispy & delicious! Have a great weekend, David!
Tell me about it, Miriam! Who would’ve thought that a grump customer (and grumpy chef) would lead to such an amazing snack. A good bag of chips (Shashi was singing the praises of Tyrrells above!) and some TV time really is a great way to relax. In fact, I’m putting that on my agenda for this weekend when Robbie is taking his nap! 🙂 Thanks so much, my friend…and I hope you have a great weekend ahead!
Haha! What an interesting story about chips! Boy, oh boy, do I love chips. Though, I don’t make at home very often. I think I prefer salty chips over a chocolate bar. Like Robbie, I love sweet potato too 🙂 I have got to give these chips a try. Pinning and trying soon on the weekend to have with a glass of vino or pint. I have a feeling that I may have to make a double batch 😉 Cheers, my friend!
You’re talking my language, Dawn! I love chips, too, and we have to be careful about opening bags of ’em around here. After all, once the bag is open, it’s fair game to keep on snacking! But I gotta say that these sweet potato chips are a winner. And since baked chips don’t stay crispy for a long time like their fried cousins, that means you have an excuse to eat the whole tray! 🙂 Hope you had a great weekend, my friend!
haha that’s quite a story, never heard about it! I love chips and can have them anytime..sweet potatoes are my favorite 🙂
I love hearing about fun stories like this one about chips! Plus, it involves food, so that makes it more fun if you ask me! 🙂 Thanks so much, Manali!
Yum, I love baked sweet potato chips! Definitely satisfies my salty chip craving. And I totally did not know where chips originated from – that’s kinda funny that they resulted from a pain in the butt customer, ha!
Yeah, who would’ve thought that a grump customer and an annoyed chef would end up creating such a huge industry! I mean there’s whole aisles at the store dedicated to chips. Baked sweet potato chips are definitely a favorite around here, too! Thanks, Nicole!! 🙂
Gah….sweet potato fries are a huge weakness of mine. So I’m all over these chips! Who knew the history of chips? Well….obviously you did! 😉 But who else knew the history behind chips? Fascinating!
Oh my gosh, sweet potato chips (and fries!) are such a huge weakness for me, too, Kathy. Let’s just say these chips didn’t last long around here. And guess what I saw in the store yesterday? Sweet potato tots!! I hope you had a great weekend, my friend! 🙂
I love sweet potatoes. Love these chips. The story that you told about the beginning of the potato chip was great!
Why thank you very much, Dawn! I happen to love chips, too (a lot!), and I’ve gotta say that it was fun making these sweet potato chips here at home. I appreciate the comment, my friend!