Nutritious and Chewy Sweet Potato Chews Made with an Air Fryer
Homemade Snacks, Healthy Snacks, Toddler Snacks, Air Fryer Cooking, Chewy Sweet Potato Chews
Are you looking for a healthy snack that you can confidently give to your children? For parents concerned about not only typical cookies and jellies, but also the eventual consumption of chocolates and candies, we introduce a recipe for nutritious sweet potato chews. Especially using an air fryer, you can easily make chewy and delicious sweet potato chews at home. With their subtle sweetness and chewy texture, they are an excellent snack for both children and adults. This recipe is a special snack often made for my child, Siu, using healthy ingredients and lots of care. Today, shall we make delicious sweet potato chews with an air fryer together?
Main Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes (choose varieties that are sweet and not too dry)
- Olive oil, as needed
- Dried parsley flakes, a pinch (optional)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, carefully select 3 sweet potatoes that are large, firm, and free of blemishes. Using fresh, good-quality sweet potatoes is key to making delicious chews.
Step 2
Peel the sweet potatoes thoroughly. Peeled sweet potatoes can quickly discolor when exposed to air, so peel them just before cutting. If any dark spots appear, peel them off again thinly.
Step 3
Cut the peeled sweet potatoes into bite-sized pieces, or pieces that fit well into your air fryer basket, ensuring they are uniform in size. (Tip: While an air fryer oil spray is available, today I’ll show you how to mix olive oil directly in a bowl.)
Step 4
All the sweet potatoes have been cut into bite-sized pieces. Looking at them now, there’s quite a substantial amount. They would be delicious as is, but let’s make them a bit more special.
Step 5
Place the cut sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil over them as if spraying from a pan, ensuring it coats them evenly. Gently toss the sweet potato pieces with your hands so that each piece is coated with oil. This will help the sweet potatoes cook more moistly and tenderly.
Step 6
To add a little extra flair beyond just plain sweet potatoes, sprinkle a pinch of parsley flakes for added flavor and visual appeal. Parsley flakes won’t overpower the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and will make them look more appealing, which children often like! (This step is optional.)
Step 7
After adding the parsley flakes, mix everything thoroughly again. When placing the sweet potatoes in the air fryer basket, it’s important not to overcrowd it. Good airflow is crucial for even cooking. I’ll fill it only about halfway for the first batch, and cook the rest separately later.
Step 8
Let’s start by cooking them at 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes without preheating the air fryer. This initial cooking stage helps to reduce some of the moisture, laying the foundation for a chewy texture.
Step 9
After 10 minutes, check the condition of the sweet potatoes in the air fryer. Some on top appear to be quite cooked. Gently toss them to ensure even cooking, then reduce the temperature to 160°C (320°F) and cook for another 5 minutes. Following this, toss them once more, and finally, cook at 170°C (340°F) for 6 minutes. This process will result in sweet potato chews that are slightly firm on the outside and delightfully chewy on the inside. (Adjust cooking time and temperature based on the thickness of your sweet potatoes and your specific air fryer model.)
Step 10
Voilà! Delicious homemade sweet potato chews are ready. You’ll notice a few pieces are a deeper brown, but don’t worry – this is natural caramelization, not burning! (laughs) The ones that are a bit more cooked are for me to enjoy, and the rest are healthy snacks prepared for my dear Siu. They are delicious when eaten warm right after making, or you can let them cool completely for an even chewier texture.
