Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée (Easy & Healthy)
Prepare to experience pure indulgence with this Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée, where a caramelized, crackable topping gives way to a luxurious, custard-like filling! Is your mouth watering yet?!
This elegant dessert has all the hallmarks of classic crème brûlée you know and love, but with a nutrient-rich twist. Sweet potatoes blend seamlessly into the custard, creating a smooth texture and gentle sweetness that means you don’t need much added sugar to make it shine. The creamy base is fabulous on its own, but the real magic happens at the finish…OMG.
A light sprinkle of coconut sugar melts and caramelizes under the broiler, forming a glossy, snappy shell that crackles with every spoon tap. That contrast—cool and velvety beneath, crisp and golden on top—is what makes each bite so satisfying. It’s a dessert experience that feels restaurant-worthy, yet it’s so much healthier and completely achievable at home!
If you’re drawn to desserts that feel indulgent and nourishing, you’ll also want to explore a few other favorites from my kitchen. My 2-Ingredient Chocolate Fudge Cakes are made with pumpkin purée (but sweet potato purée works beautifully here, too), while Pumpkin Pie Shots deliver all the fall comfort without the fuss of baking. For a fruit-forward finish, 5-Minute Apple Pie brings that warm, nostalgic vibe in an easy format. And don’t miss my Single-Serve Sweet Potato Casseroles—they’re always a crowd pleaser! (No need to wait for Thanksgiving to have ‘em!)
As a nutritionist, I love desserts that love you back. Sweet potatoes deliver fiber, potassium, and antioxidant-rich carotenoids, helping add balance to an otherwise classic treat. Translation? You get all the joy, with a little extra goodness baked right in… and a deliciously unique way to reap the health perks of the beloved orange spud!
Try my Sweet Potato Parfait next!
Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée (Easy & Healthy)
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons coconut sugar, divided
- 1 heaping tablespoon vanilla yogurt
- Pinch coarse salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- Prepare 1 medium sweet potato by washing and poking a few holes in the skin with a fork or knife (this will allow air to escape while baking). Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 40 to 60 minutes until very soft to touch. Alternatively, you can wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 2 ½ to 3 minutes on each side (for a total of 5 to 6 minutes) until fork tender.
- While potato is baking, prepare the cream mixture: In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons sugar until blended. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of yogurt and mix.
- Remove the potato from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Then, cut potato in half lengthwise and using a spoon, scoop out ¾ flesh on each side, maintaining the 2 halves as “boats.” NOTE: you will only use the flesh from one half in your cream sauce mixture. So be sure to keep them separated when scooping out. You can enjoy the leftover flesh on its own, it’s delicious.
- Add ½ of the sweet potato flesh into your cream mixture and mash until it’s smooth as possible. This will take a few minutes; do your best to break down the chunks of sweet potato. It’s okay if you’re left with small pieces here and there.
- Gently pour the cream mixture evenly between the 2 halves. Place back in the oven for ~15 minutes until the middles are slightly firm (it’s okay to have some jiggle).
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle 1 tsp of coconut sugar on each of the halves, and place back in the oven on broil for ~3 mins to caramelize the sugar (watching carefully so the tops don’t burn!)
- Remove when the top layer is beautifully browned and crystallized. Sprinkle a small dash of salt (kosher or sea salt) over the tops and enjoy!
I’ve looked everywhere on your page for the instructions to make the
Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée
I’ve found the ingredients but no instructions. Really want to try this.
Hi Marjorie. Thanks for your comment…and apologies for the oversight! We’ve have updated the recipe, and the instructions are now included on the page. If you decide to give it a shot, please let us know what you think. We’d love to hear your feedback! 🙂
—Team Joy
Creme brulee and sweet potatoes OMG
Hi Andrea. So glad you love the combo…we do, too!
—Team Joy
Joy, your recopes are delicious. I have a purple sweet potato and would like to make in individual custard cups, do you think that will work?
Hi Denise. Joy hasn’t tried it yet, but thinks it should work as long as you stick to the “filling” measurements mentioned in the recipe. If you decide to give it a try, we’d love to hear how it turns out!
—Team Joy
I was looking for a sweet potato recipe that’s not loaded with sugar and this sounds delicious. I only use a sweetener. Can I use a sweetener sugar instead of coconut sugar?
HI Sandy! Just to be clear, I’m assuming you’re referring to a non-calorie sugar substitute (like monk fruit, stevia, Truvia, etc.), so I’m answering with that in mind. Here’s what I found after lots of testing:
-For the sweet potato filling:
Yes, you can use a non-calorie sweetener instead of coconut sugar inside the custard. A sugar-free maple syrup works especially well as a 1:1 swap for the coconut sugar and bakes up beautifully. You can also experiment with monk fruit or stevia, but because they’re sooo much sweeter than sugar, you’d need far less than the amount called for. And since the mixture contains raw egg yolks, it’s not something you want to taste and adjust as you go — so a bit of experimentation is required.
For the brûléed topping: This is the tricky part. I tested honey, maple syrup, and other alternatives like granulated sugar, and only coconut sugar gave that classic crackly, caramelized brûlée top. Non-calorie sweeteners (and liquid sweeteners) just don’t caramelize the same way under a torch or broiler.
My suggestion is to use a non-calorie sweetener for the filling, then either:
-Add a small sprinkle of coconut sugar on top purely for the brûlée effect, or
-Skip the sugar topping altogether and finish with a light drizzle of sugar-free maple syrup or another favorite topping
Thanks so much for the thoughtful question!!
Could you use cottage cheese instead of yogurt?
Yes, Elaine! Just be sure to blend the cottage cheese first so it’s silky-smooth (like yogurt) before adding it in. The final dish will be slightly less sweet, since you won’t get that vanilla note from the yogurt, but it should still turn out delicious.