Hey Everyone! Today, I will share my Sweet Potato and Chia Puffs recipe. They are deliciously crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. Easy to make, a crowd-pleaser, and the perfect snack for kids and adults! The best part? They are freezer-friendly, going straight from your freezer to your air fryer. No thawing is required! Oh, and the added bonus for those of you who follow a gluten-free diet? They are also made with tapioca flour, which means they are naturally gluten-free.
If you enjoyed the Brazilian cheese bread waffles recipe that I recently shared, this one has a different taste but a similar texture, thanks to the tapioca flour. If you liked it, I think you would probably like this one as well. Oh! And if you do what I always do – double the recipe, you can pop them into the freezer, and have a snack always ready to go!
Inspiration for this recipe: I’ve been making these sweet potato and chia puff for the past couple of years, but I decided to share it today after watching the “Live to 100” documentary on Netflix. They kept mentioning sweet potatoes, so I thought, “Hey, maybe I should make this more often… and maybe so should you! 😉
Equipment
- Large pot
- Rolling pin
- Ziplock bag and rimmed baking sheet (if you will be freezing some of them)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plus 1/3 cup sweet potatoes, mashed (approximately 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes)
- 1/4 cup oil (choose any flavorless vegetable oil or even olive oil; I used sunflower oil)
- 2 cups tapioca flour (I can usually find it at my local grocery store in the aisle with various “alternative” flours, online at brazilianmarket.ca or even Amazon)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Salt to taste (around two teaspoons)
Instructions:
- Start by peeling, chopping, and boiling your sweet potatoes. Cook them until they are very soft, ensuring they can be easily pierced with a fork and effortlessly come apart.
2. Once your sweet potatoes are tender you can mash them up using a potato masher. Do not leave any lumps behind.
3. Add the mashed sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients (tapioca flour, chia seeds, oil, and salt)
4. Combine until smooth. You can use your hands for this. The dough should have the consistency of playdough and should not be sticky or breaking apart.
5. Once everything has come together into a dough, roll it out using a rolling pin. Then, cut it into little pieces, preferably all the same size so they cook at the same rate. (You can use a knife, bench scraper, small cookie cutters or pizza cutter to cut them)
6. That’s it! You can pop a couple into an air fryer. I normally bake them at 325, and it usually takes somewhere between 6-10 min. Time will vary depending on the size of your puffs. I take them out once they have puffed up and are crunchy on the outside. You can leave it a little longer if you like yours to be extra crunchy.
7. For freezing instructions, place any leftover uncooked puffs on a rimmed baking sheet, covered with plastic wrap and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or Ziplock bag
Storage Instructions
These Sweet Potato and Chia Puffs are best eaten fresh out of the air fryer, and usually after sitting around for awhile the loose their crunch. I understand if you want to eat them later so here is my advice:
- Fresh is Best: Ideally, aim to cook only what you plan on eating.
- Freezing Uncooked Dough: If you find yourself with leftover dough, don’t let it go to waste. Roll and cut the remaining dough into your desired puff size and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer the puffs into a Ziplock bag for convenient storage. You can keep them in your freezer for up to three months.
- Ready for Air-frying: When the craving hits, you don’t even need to wait for the puffs to thaw. Pop them directly from the freezer into your trusty air fryer. This way, you can enjoy the delightful crunch and chew without any compromise on freshness.
By following these storage tips, you can ensure that your Sweet Potato and Chia Puffs are ready to delight your taste buds whenever the mood strikes. So, whether you’re enjoying them fresh or pulling them from the freezer for a quick air fry, these puffs are guaranteed to bring joy to your snacking experience. Happy munching!
Troubleshooting:
1. Dough is too crumbly:
- If your dough is not coming together nicely and is a little too crumbly. You can add up to two tablespoons of warm water ( sometimes I even save two tablespoons of the water that I used to boil the potatoes; but if you forget to do that its not a big deal). Don’t add it all at once. Add it slowly always checking the consistency.
2. Uneven Cooking:
- Try to cut the puffs to be around the same size.
4. Puffs Too Browned:
- If your sweet potato puffs are browning too quickly, lower the temperature slightly or reduce the cooking time. Keep an eye on them towards the end to prevent overcooking.
5. Puffs aren’t crunchy:
- You need to cook them longer
Sweet Potato and Chia Puffs
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Ziplock bag and rimmed baking sheet (if you will be freezing some of them)
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 1/3 cup sweet potatoes mashed (approximately 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes)
- 1/4 cup oil choose any flavorless vegetable oil or even olive oil; I used sunflower oil
- 2 cups tapioca flour I can usually find it at my local grocery store in the aisle with various “alternative” flours, online at brazilianmarket.ca or even Amazon
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Salt to taste around two teaspoons
Instructions
- Start by peeling, chopping, and boiling your sweet potatoes. Cook them until they are very soft, ensuring they can be easily pierced with a fork and effortlessly come apart.
- Once your sweet potatoes are tender you can mash them up using a potato masher. Do not leave any lumps behind.
- Add the mashed sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients (tapioca flour, chia seeds, oil, and salt).
- Combine until smooth. You can use your hands for this. The dough should have the consistency of playdough and should not be sticky or breaking apart.
- Once everything has come together into a dough, roll it out using a rolling pin. Then, cut it into little pieces, preferably all the same size so they cook at the same rate. (You can use a knife, bench scraper, small cookie cutters or pizza cutter to cut them)
- That's it! You can pop a couple into an air fryer. I normally bake them at 325, and it usually takes somewhere between 6-10 min. Time will vary depending on the size of your puffs. I take them out once they have puffed up and are crunchy on the outside. You can leave it a little longer if you like yours to be extra crunchy.
- For freezing instructions, place any leftover uncooked puffs on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, or plastic wrap and freeze them. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or Ziplock bag
Notes
-
- Fresh is Best: Ideally, aim to cook only what you plan on eating.
-
- Freezing Uncooked Dough: If you find yourself with leftover dough, don’t let it go to waste. Roll and cut the remaining dough into your desired puff size and freeze them on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer the puffs into a Ziplock bag for convenient storage. You can keep them in your freezer for up to three months.
-
- Ready for Air-frying: When the craving hits, you don’t even need to wait for the puffs to thaw. Pop them directly from the freezer into your trusty air fryer. This way, you can enjoy the delightful crunch and chew without any compromise on freshness.
Nutrition
FAQs:
I can’t think of a replacement that wouldn’t drastically alter the results. If you find something out let me know 🙂
The sweet potatoes contribute to the unique sweetness and texture of these puffs. Substituting with regular potatoes may alter the flavor profile. However, feel free to get creative and let me how your experiments turn out! I am curious to test this recipe with purple sweet potatoes but I haven’t tried it yet.
The uncooked dough can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. Ensure it’s well-wrapped to prevent freezer burn. When ready to use, simply pop the frozen puffs directly into the air fryer without thawing.
Absolutely! Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and bake until the puffs brown slightly. Keep an eye on them to achieve the desired crispiness. Make sure to line your baking tray with some parchment paper so that they don’t stick.
If the dough is not coming together smoothly and feels too dry, you can add up to two tablespoons of warm water. Add one tablespoon at a time, mixing well after each addition until the dough reaches the desired consistency.
Ensure that your air fryer is preheated, and the puffs are placed in a single layer. Overcrowding may result in uneven cooking. Adjust the temperature or cook time if needed. Additionally, make sure your air fryer basket is well-oiled to enhance crispiness or add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom.
Let me know how you enjoy this recipe and if you have any questions. Additionally, don’t forget to follow Tasty Recollections on social media or subscribe to our newsletter. This way, you’ll be notified whenever other great recipes are posted.
Any specific reason you added the chia seeds to this recipe?
Hi Luciana,
Well the reason is I give these to my kids and they are terrible eaters. It is just a desperate attempt to get some nutrients into them. You can omit it if you do not want to include it. 🙂
Sounds good. I just made these today. I used purple sweet potatoes. They look pink as the end result. (LOL). I like the taste, but I think next time I will try to add 1 or 2 eggs to the recipe, just to see if they pouf up a little bit more. Thanks for sharing. I am always checking your new recipes as I am Brazilian and relate to many of your recipes.
Ah interesting!!! I never thought of using purple sweet potatoes for some reason. But now, you gave me a great idea. I think my daughter will love it if they are pink! Now I am going to try that! Thank for sharing!!! Let me know how it turns out with the eggs! Thank you for coming back!!! 🙂 Sometimes I feel like I am talking to myself, hahaha.