Sweet Potato Balls

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Show: Food Network SpecialsEpisode: Paula's Southern Thanksgiving

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (253)

Cook Time:
20 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Times:

Prep: 5 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 20 min
Total:: 25 min

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Ingredients

4 large sweet potatoes
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups shredded coconut, sweetened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large marshmallow per potato ball

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake the potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them. Stir in the brown sugar, orange juice, zest and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, toss the coconut with the sugar and cinnamon. Press mashed potatoes around each marshmallow, creating a 2 to 3-inch diameter ball. Roll the balls in the coconut mixture. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully for the last few minutes of cooking; the expanding marshmallows can cause the potato balls to burst open.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Sweet Potato Balls
Kimberly Portageville, MO 01-17-2010
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WOW
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Paula my kids and grandkids loved these. They thought they were eating a cupcake. My oldest grandon who is three wanted... more. And he loved helping me hide the marshmallows in the sweet potato. He loves to be in the kitchen with me and help me cook. Right now he evev likes to help me clean. He is most happy when he gets to eat something that he help prepare. Makes him so happy. Mimi DooleyRead more
recipe Sweet Potato Balls
Margo Carlsbad, CA 01-10-2010
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Everyone love this!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

During the holidays we are used to serving the tradional sweet potatoe recipe with marshmellows and pecans. This year we... wanted something different and this recipe fit the bill. It was so good that my son took the leftovers to his friends house and they were gone in seconds. Thanks for sharing this recipe, it will be a new family tradition. Margo, CaliforniaRead more
recipe Sweet Potato Balls
Victoria Lusby, MD 12-30-2009
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Too sweet for me
Rated: 2 stars out of 5

I love Paula Dean's recipes, but this one was too sweet for me. If I try it again I think I would roll the balls in peacans... instead. The coconut was too much. I still love you Paula! Read more
recipe Sweet Potato Balls
Andrea Brownstown, MI 12-18-2009
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Excellent, especially with chopped walnuts!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made this recipe again this year for Thanksgiving, but also added chopped walnuts with the coconut on the outside of the... balls. It was WONDERFUL! However, the balls came out HUGE and we all ende up splitting them in half. I didn't cook them for the full time, though, because they were on the verge of bursting. You really, really have to watch them! Good one, Paula!Read more
recipe Sweet Potato Balls
gwen cleveland, OH 12-06-2009
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MMM MMM Good.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This was a huge hit at our family Thanksgiving dinner. Sweet and wonderful. I will make this a yearly tradition. Thank you... Paula Deen!!!!!!Read more
recipe Sweet Potato Balls
null null, null 12-02-2009
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not as easy as i thought it would be...
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

i watched her makes these on her show but when it came time for me to make them it was not as easy. the sweet potatoes ... stuck to my hands and almost every potato ball busted open in the oven. i think if it wasn't thanksgiving it would have been easier without the pressure for everything to come out right. the good news is it taste great even with the busted marshmallow. the coconut on the outside was interesting next time i will try it with a thinner shred of coconut. Read more