Oven-Baked Sweet Potato Chips 🍠

I can't get enough of these oven-baked sweet potato chips! They're delicious on their own, but also incredibly versatile—you can season them with your favorite spices or use them as a crunchy topping to elevate any dish. They add a pop of colour, texture, and flavour, making them the pièce de résistance of any meal.

But sweet potatoes can be tricky to work with. They have a high moisture content and natural sugars that can make it challenging to get them perfectly crisp without burning. After testing different methods, I found the best approach: salting the sweet potato slices to draw out moisture, draining them in a colander, and baking at a low temperature. This technique results in vibrant, crispy chips that maintain their beautiful orange colour without turning too dark.

Science Behind the Perfect Sweet Potato Chip 🔬

Sweet potatoes are unique because they contain more moisture and natural sugars compared to regular potatoes. These two factors make achieving that perfect crunch a bit of a science, but once you understand the chemistry, it's easy to get consistent results.

- Why Do Sweet Potatoes Burn Easily? Sweet potatoes have a high sugar content, primarily in the form of sucrose. As they cook, these sugars caramelize at around 320°F (160°C) and burn above 350°F (175°C). This means that while you're trying to get them crispy, you can end up with burnt edges if the oven temperature is too high. Keeping the oven temperature lower allows the moisture to evaporate slowly and the chips to dry out without scorching.

- Drawing Out Moisture One way to reduce moisture is by salting the sweet potato slices and letting them drain in a colander. Sprinkle the slices with about 1/2 teaspoon of coarse kosher salt and let them sit for 20-30 minutes. The salt draws out excess water through osmosis, which helps the chips crisp up more evenly. Once the slices have been salted and drained, pat them dry with a paper towel to remove any residual moisture before cooking.