Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Wash your sweet potatoes, then dry them with a towel. Prick the sweet potatoes several times with a fork. This allows for the steam to escape as they bake, preventing them from exploding in the oven.
Place the sweet potatoes on a parchment or foil-lined baking sheet. Sweet potatoes tend to ooze their sweet sugary juices while baking, which can make a mess of your baking sheet.
Bake the sweet potatoes for 45 minutes, then check for doneness. When the sweet potato is fully cooked, a knife or fork should be able to slide into the sweet potato without resistance. If they are not soft all the way through, bake for 10 more minutes and check again.
Let the sweet potatoes cool for 5 minutes, then slice them open down the center.
Top with butter, salt, and pepper, or your favorite toppings! Enjoy warm, or refrigerate for later. Baked sweet potatoes are awesome for meal prep!