Outback Sweet Potato Recipe (Honey Butter Copycat)

I know it sounds simple, but Outback Steakhouse’s baked sweet potato stopped me in my tracks the first time I ordered it. The potato itself is perfect – properly fluffy all the way through with a slightly caramelized skin – but the real magic is the honey cinnamon butter melting into every crevice of the opened flesh. It is warm, sweet, fragrant, and just a little bit indulgent in a way that feels completely appropriate alongside a big steak. After some testing, I discovered the secret is a two-step process: a short burst of high oven heat builds that caramelized skin, then the temperature comes down to cook the interior to a properly fluffy texture without turning dry.

The honey butter takes about three minutes to make and is genuinely one of the most versatile things you can keep in your refrigerator. I use it on toast, cornbread, pancakes, and biscuits long after any Outback inspiration has worn off. Make a double batch – you will be glad you did.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• That signature honey cinnamon butter that melts into the fluffy potato flesh and pools in the center
• Almost entirely hands-off cooking – the oven does all the work while you prep the rest of dinner
• The honey butter recipe is so good it becomes a permanent fixture in your refrigerator
• Naturally sweet, satisfying, and infinitely customizable with different toppings
• A genuinely beautiful side dish that looks impressive on the table with zero technical skill required

About This Multi-Brand Favorite

Outback Steakhouse built their side dish lineup around the idea that comfort food deserves as much attention as the main course. The baked sweet potato with honey butter became one of the chain’s most beloved sides not because of any culinary complexity, but because of the precise combination of textures and flavors: the naturally sweet flesh of a properly baked sweet potato paired with warm, spiced compound butter. The dish reflects the same philosophy behind Outback’s whole menu – take familiar, satisfying food and execute it a little better than everyone else expects. The sweet potato at Outback is notably large and properly cooked, which sounds basic but is something many restaurants get wrong. Underbaked sweet potatoes have a starchy, dense texture rather than the cloud-like fluffiness that defines the best versions. The honey cinnamon butter is clearly housemade and applied generously, and many regular customers have noted that the butter alone justifies the side order. Home cooks have been requesting a copycat version for decades, and the good news is that this one is genuinely simple to replicate with the right technique.

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

• 4 large sweet potatoes, roughly 8-10 ounces each, scrubbed clean
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt for the skin
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Honey Cinnamon Butter

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3 tablespoons honey (good quality, local honey preferred)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon allspice
• Pinch of fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional Toppings

• Brown sugar for sprinkling over the butter
• Mini marshmallows for a sweet potato casserole feel
• Pecans, toasted and roughly chopped, for crunch
• Sour cream if serving alongside savory toppings
• Fresh thyme or rosemary for an herbal, savory version

Ingredient Substitutions

• Salted butter works fine in the honey butter – just skip the added pinch of salt in the recipe
• Maple syrup can replace honey for an equally delicious but subtler sweetness with woodsy depth
• Japanese sweet potatoes (white-fleshed) can be used for a less sweet, more starchy result with the same technique
• Vegan butter (like Miyoko’s) works beautifully in place of dairy butter if needed – whip it the same way
• Pumpkin pie spice can replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice blend at 1 teaspoon total for a shortcut

Equipment You’ll Need

• Baking sheet lined with foil for easy cleanup
• Wire rack to set potatoes on inside the baking sheet
• Fork for piercing and testing doneness
• Stand mixer or hand mixer for whipping the butter (or just a bowl and fork for a rustic version)
• Plastic wrap for rolling and shaping the compound butter log
• Sharp knife for slitting the finished potato open

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Honey Butter First. Beat the softened butter in a bowl with a hand mixer, stand mixer, or vigorous fork-work until pale, fluffy, and increased in volume, about 2-3 minutes. Add honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, and salt. Beat again until everything is fully incorporated and the butter looks smooth and uniform in color. Taste and adjust – more honey for sweeter, more cinnamon for spice. Transfer to a small serving dish or roll in plastic wrap to form a log. Refrigerate if making ahead, but bring to room temperature before serving.
2. Prep the Sweet Potatoes. Scrub each sweet potato under running water until the skin is completely clean. Dry thoroughly with a clean towel – wet skin does not crisp up properly in the oven. Pierce each potato all over with a fork, about 10-12 times, going at least halfway through the flesh. These holes allow steam to escape as the potato bakes; without them the potato can build pressure and develop an uneven texture. Rub each potato all over with a thin coat of oil, then sprinkle with coarse salt and black pepper.
3. Bake at High Heat First. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the potatoes directly on a wire rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet. The rack allows air circulation around the whole potato, promoting even cooking and helping the skin caramelize slightly rather than steam. Bake at 425F for the first 15 minutes to jump-start the skin and begin caramelization.
4. Finish at Lower Temperature. After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit without opening the door. Continue baking for 45-55 minutes more until the potatoes feel completely soft when gently squeezed (use a towel to protect your hands) and a fork or skewer slides into the center with zero resistance. The total bake time will be 60-70 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes. Larger potatoes need the full time – do not rush this step.
5. Test for Doneness. The surest test for a properly baked sweet potato is the squeeze test – it should give easily under gentle pressure with no firm spots. You can also insert a thin knife into the thickest part and hold it there for 3 seconds; when you pull it out, it should feel warm to the touch inside, indicating the center is cooked through. If there is any resistance at the center, return to the oven for 10-minute intervals until done.
6. Open and Top with Butter. Remove potatoes from the oven and let them rest for 3 minutes. Using a clean kitchen towel to hold the potato, cut a lengthwise slit across the top with a sharp knife, going about two-thirds of the way through. Then cut a perpendicular slit in the opposite direction to make a cross. Press both ends of the potato inward to open up the center and create a generous pocket. Add a generous tablespoon or two of the honey cinnamon butter directly into the opening.
7. Serve Immediately. Plate each potato on a warm plate and add extra honey butter on the side. Watch as the butter melts into the steaming potato flesh and pools into the crevices. Add any optional toppings – a sprinkle of brown sugar, a few pecans, or a tiny pinch of flaky salt for contrast. Serve immediately while the potato is steaming hot and the butter is still melting. The visual of butter melting into the orange flesh is part of the whole experience.

Pro Tips from My Kitchen

• Dry the potato skin completely before oiling – any moisture prevents the skin from developing its characteristic slightly crispy, caramelized texture
• Pierce the potatoes generously before baking – this is not optional; steam that cannot escape creates an uneven texture with dense pockets
• The two-temperature method (425F then 375F) builds skin caramelization first, then allows the center to cook through slowly without the exterior burning
• Make the honey butter at room temperature and serve it at room temperature so it melts immediately on contact with the hot potato rather than just sitting in a cold lump
• Choose sweet potatoes of similar size so they finish cooking at the same time – a 10-ounce and a 6-ounce potato in the same oven will have very different doneness times
• Do not wrap the potatoes in foil – this steams them instead of baking them and results in a moist, dense texture instead of the fluffy, slightly fibrous interior you want

Recipe Variations

• Savory herb version – skip the honey butter and top with compound butter made with rosemary, garlic, and Parmesan for a steak-pairing side
• Loaded sweet potato – add sour cream, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, and chives on top of the honey butter for a fully loaded experience
• Thai peanut version – drizzle with peanut sauce, add lime juice, cilantro, and crushed peanuts for a Southeast Asian-inspired twist
• S’mores sweet potato – add the honey butter, then top with mini marshmallows and broil for 2 minutes until golden and melted
• Chipotle lime version – make the compound butter with chipotle powder, lime zest, and honey instead of cinnamon for a smoky-sweet variation

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Wrapping in foil – foil creates a steamed rather than baked potato, resulting in a wet, dense interior instead of the fluffy, fibrous texture Outback achieves
• Not piercing enough – insufficient holes prevent steam from escaping evenly and create dense, undercooked pockets inside an otherwise done potato
• Underbaking – the most common mistake with sweet potatoes is pulling them out too early; a dense center means the starch never fully converted to that soft, sweet flesh
• Using cold butter on a hot potato – refrigerator-cold compound butter sits in a waxy chunk instead of melting beautifully into the potato flesh
• Choosing different-sized potatoes – mixing a giant and a small potato on the same rack means one will be overcooked while the other is still dense in the center

What to Serve With This Dish

• Ribeye steak or filet mignon as the classic Outback steakhouse pairing
• Grilled or roasted pork tenderloin for a slightly lighter main course
• Thanksgiving turkey as an alternative to mashed potatoes – the honey butter is festive and crowd-pleasing
• Roasted chicken with herbs for an easy weeknight dinner that feels special
• A simple green salad or roasted broccoli to add a vegetable element alongside the sweet potato

Storage Instructions

Refrigerator

Store baked sweet potatoes in an airtight container or wrapped in foil for up to 4 days. The honey butter keeps in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or rolled in plastic wrap for up to 1 month. Store them separately and assemble at serving time.

Freezer

Baked sweet potatoes freeze beautifully. Cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The honey butter can be frozen for up to 3 months – slice from the log while still frozen as needed.

How to Reheat

Reheat whole baked sweet potatoes in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes, or microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to check every minute. The oven method preserves the skin texture better. Add fresh honey butter after reheating – do not reheat the potato with butter already on it.

Make Ahead

The honey butter can and should be made days ahead – it improves as the spices bloom into the butter. The potatoes can be baked, cooled, and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead, then reheated and topped with fresh honey butter at serving time.

Nutrition Information

Per serving (estimated): 380 calories, 3g protein, 52g carbs, 19g fat (11g saturated), 5g fiber, 22g sugar, 340mg sodium.

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary based on exact ingredients used.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Outback’s baked sweet potato different from a regular baked sweet potato?

The main difference is the honey cinnamon butter, which is applied generously while the potato is still piping hot so it melts into every opening. Outback also bakes their potatoes to a very specific texture – fully soft all the way through with no dense spots – and the skin has a subtle caramelized quality from the oil coating. The generous size of the potato also makes it feel more like an indulgent side dish than a simple vegetable.

How do I know when my sweet potato is fully baked?

The best test is a gentle squeeze through a kitchen towel – a properly baked sweet potato should feel completely soft and give easily under pressure with no firm or dense areas. You can also insert a thin knife or skewer into the thickest part; it should slide in with zero resistance. If you feel any pushback at the center, the potato needs more time. Allow for 10-minute intervals and recheck.

Should I wrap sweet potatoes in foil to bake them?

No – this is one of the most common baking mistakes. Foil traps steam and essentially steams the potato rather than baking it, resulting in a wet, dense interior and a skin that never develops any texture or flavor. Baking unwrapped allows the skin to take on a slightly caramelized, slightly crispy quality that is part of the whole experience. Always bake sweet potatoes naked, directly on a rack.

Can I make the honey butter in advance?

Yes – in fact I recommend it. The honey butter improves significantly after 24-48 hours in the refrigerator as the cinnamon, vanilla, and spices fully bloom into the butter. Make a log by rolling the butter in plastic wrap, twisting the ends tight, and refrigerating for up to 2 weeks or freezing for up to 3 months. Slice off rounds as needed and let them come to room temperature before serving.

What is the best sweet potato variety for baking?

Garnet and Jewel sweet potatoes (both have orange-red skin and bright orange flesh) are the best choices for this recipe. They are naturally sweet, become very soft when baked, and have the vivid orange color that makes the dish look beautiful. Avoid Japanese sweet potatoes for this recipe – they are less sweet and have a drier, denser flesh that does not work as well with the honey butter.

How long does it take to bake a sweet potato at 400F?

A large sweet potato around 8-10 ounces will take about 45-55 minutes at 400F. At 375F it takes 55-65 minutes. For the copycat Outback method, I start at 425F for 15 minutes to develop the skin, then drop to 375F for another 45-55 minutes. The size variation is why you should always test by feel and fork rather than relying solely on a timer.

Can I make this recipe in the microwave?

Yes, though the texture and skin will be different. Pierce the potato generously, place on a microwave-safe plate, and cook on high for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes until a fork slides in easily. The skin will not caramelize and the interior will be slightly denser and moister than oven-baked, but it is a perfectly acceptable shortcut on weeknights. The honey butter tastes just as good on top.

Can I use salted butter for the honey butter?

Yes – just omit the pinch of added salt in the recipe. Salted butter actually works very nicely here because the salt amplifies the sweetness of the honey in a way that can make the butter taste even more balanced. Some cooks prefer it. The only time I strictly recommend unsalted butter is when you are making the butter for a crowd or a large batch, since salt levels vary by brand and unsalted gives you more control.

What can I use instead of honey in the honey butter?

Maple syrup is the closest substitute and makes an excellent alternative with a woodsy, complex sweetness. Use the same amount – 3 tablespoons per stick of butter. Brown sugar also works beautifully; it dissolves into the soft butter and adds a slight molasses note. Agave nectar works if you prefer a neutral-flavored sweetener. Each alternative gives you a slightly different character but all work well with cinnamon and sweet potato.

Is baked sweet potato healthy?

Sweet potatoes themselves are very nutritious – high in vitamin A, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. A plain baked sweet potato is genuinely healthy. The honey cinnamon butter adds significant fat and calories, so if you are watching calorie intake, use a smaller amount of butter or substitute a light spread. Even with the butter, this side dish is nutritionally much better than most loaded potato options at casual dining restaurants.

Can I add other toppings to make it more of a meal?

Absolutely. A loaded sweet potato with honey butter, pecans, brown sugar, and a drizzle of maple syrup is a full dessert-adjacent side dish. For something more substantial, add black beans, shredded chicken, avocado, and lime for a complete meal. Sour cream and chives alongside the honey butter gives you a sweet-and-savory combination that works surprisingly well. There are almost no wrong toppings for a properly baked sweet potato.

Why does my sweet potato sometimes have a stringy texture inside?

Stringiness in baked sweet potato usually means either the potato was underbaked (the fibers never fully softened) or you used a variety better suited to frying than baking. Make sure the potato is baked until completely soft all the way through with no resistance when pierced. Garnet and Jewel varieties are naturally less stringy than some others. Larger, more mature sweet potatoes can also be more fibrous – medium-large potatoes tend to bake more evenly.

More Multi-Brand Copycat Recipes

• All Copycat Restaurant Recipes

Happy cooking,
Julia