Tender baked sweet potatoes filled with sweet apples, tart cranberries, and toasted pecans, finished with maple syrup and warm spices.
# What You Need:
→ Sweet Potato Base
01 - 6 medium sweet potatoes, uniform size
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - Salt and black pepper to taste
→ Apple Cranberry Filling
04 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 2 large apples, peeled and diced (1/2-inch pieces)
06 - 1 cup fresh cranberries
07 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
11 - 1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted
→ Optional Enhancements
12 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
13 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds
14 - Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
15 - Flaky sea salt for finishing
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub sweet potatoes thoroughly and dry completely.
02 - Pierce each sweet potato several times with fork. Rub all over with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Arrange on prepared baking sheet with even spacing.
03 - Roast for 40–45 minutes until very tender when pierced with knife. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
04 - While potatoes roast, melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced apples in single layer and cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes to caramelize.
05 - Stir apples then add cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Cook stirring occasionally for 5–7 minutes until cranberries begin to burst and apples are golden and tender.
06 - Stir in toasted pecans during final minute of cooking. Remove skillet from heat.
07 - Once cool enough to handle, cut each sweet potato lengthwise down center. Use fork to gently fluff interior, pressing ends toward center to widen opening.
08 - Spoon apple cranberry filling generously into each sweet potato, mounding high. Return filled potatoes to baking sheet.
09 - Bake for additional 10 minutes at 425°F until heated through and filling edges are slightly caramelized.
10 - Remove from oven and rest for 2–3 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup, garnish with additional toasted pecans, sliced almonds, fresh thyme leaves, and sprinkle of flaky sea salt if desired. Serve warm.
