Orange Whipped Sweet Potatoes

Christmas week. The tree is up. The ornaments are on — the ones the children made in school, the angel Earl Jr. fashioned from pipe cleaners in 1984, the glass ball Michael painted in third grade. The star is on top. Crooked. Same as last year. I will never straighten it. The crookedness is Earl's — he put it up crooked every year and I complained every year and now the crookedness is the thing I love most about this tree.

The house is ready. The ham is in the brine. The pound cake is on the counter. The sweet potato pies — two, because I learned from the year I only made one and Earl Jr. and Darnell nearly came to blows over the last slice — are cooling. The greens are washed. The mac and cheese is assembled. I have been cooking for three days and my knees are screaming and my hands smell like onion and nutmeg and I am exactly where I need to be.

Everyone is coming. Earl Jr. and Carolyn are driving down with Amara — thirteen months now, walking for real, getting into everything. Patricia and Wayne and the kids. Denise and Robert. Monique and James Carter. Kayla and Devon. The plywood table is out. I need it this year. The family doesn't fit at one table and I am grateful for the overflow because overflow means abundance and abundance means the grief hasn't won.

Devon asked me, very formally, for permission to bring his mother to Christmas dinner. His mother is in Augusta and doesn't have family in Savannah. I said, "Devon, any mother who raised a man who brings flowers and eats three helpings of greens is welcome at my table. Bring her." He looked relieved. He also looked like a man who is about to become part of this family permanently, and I approve, though I still haven't said so officially because timing is everything and Christmas dinner is the perfect stage.

I wrapped the hot sauce jars tonight. Twelve jars, twelve ribbons, twelve labels: "2019 — Still Here." The jars are lined up on the counter like little soldiers of love and heat. Tomorrow I deliver them. Tomorrow I fill the house. Tomorrow I cook the last Christmas of this decade, in the kitchen where everything happened and nothing ended.

Now go on and feed somebody.

The sweet potato pies are cooling — and yes, there are two, because I will not repeat 2014 — but when Devon’s mother comes all the way from Augusta, I want something on that plywood table that says welcome before she even sits down. These Orange Whipped Sweet Potatoes have been my secret weapon for years: they’re bright and silky and they smell like Christmas itself, and every single person who tries them asks if there’s more. There always is. That’s the whole point.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 45 min | Servings: 8

Ingredients

3 lbs sweet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled and cubed
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy cream or whole milk, warmed
Fresh orange slices or candied orange peel for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Boil the potatoes. Place cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook 20–25 minutes, until completely tender when pierced with a fork. Drain thoroughly.
Dry them out. Return the drained potatoes to the hot pot over low heat for 1–2 minutes, shaking gently, to evaporate excess moisture. This keeps the whipped texture from going watery.
Whip the base. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add butter and beat on medium until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the flavor. Pour in the orange juice and add the orange zest, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed.
Adjust the texture. Stream in the warmed cream or milk a little at a time, beating on medium-high, until the potatoes reach a light, silky consistency. You may not need all of it — stop when it looks right to you.
Taste and season. Adjust salt, sugar, or orange zest to your preference. The orange should be present but not overpowering; the spices should be warm and round in the background.
Serve warm. Transfer to a serving dish, swirl the top with the back of a spoon, and dot with a small pat of butter if desired. Garnish with fresh orange slices or candied peel. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a covered dish in a 200°F oven for up to 45 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Orange Whipped Sweet Potatoes — The Dish That Almost Started a Family War