Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe tastes like velvety, cinnamon-kissed sweet potatoes piled high with tart cranberries, juicy apples, and toasty pecans. This dish suits holiday tables or simple weeknights, and it takes about 1 hour 15 minutes from start to finish. I baked a test batch after soccer practice and ate one straight off the pan.
Homemade Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe
This Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe stays simple because the oven does most of the work while you prep the cranberry-apple mix on the stovetop. You use basic pantry items like maple syrup, dried cranberries, and cinnamon, so you skip special-order ingredients. The method uses one sheet pan, one skillet, and one bowl, which keeps cleanup easy.
Ingredients You Need
- Sweet potatoes: 4 medium, about 2.5 to 3 pounds total, scrubbed and dried
- Olive oil: 1 tablespoon, for rubbing the skins
- Kosher salt and black pepper: to taste
- Unsalted butter: 3 tablespoons, softened
- Greek yogurt or sour cream: 1/3 cup (full-fat tastes best; dairy-free yogurt works too)
- Maple syrup or light brown sugar: 2 to 3 tablespoons, to taste (I like 2 tbsp maple)
- Ground cinnamon: 1 teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg: 1/4 teaspoon
- Ground ginger: 1/4 teaspoon, optional
- Vanilla extract: 1/2 teaspoon, optional
- Apple: 1 large Honeycrisp or Granny Smith, diced small
- Cranberries:
- Orange zest: 1 teaspoon
- Brown sugar: 1 to 2 tablespoons for the skillet fruit, as needed
- Pecans: 1/3 cup, chopped (walnuts work)
- Optional finishers: goat cheese crumbles, extra pecans, a drizzle of maple syrup, chopped parsley
Pantry shortcuts:
- Use canned whole-berry cranberry sauce in a pinch. Fold in 1/2 to 3/4 cup with the diced sautéed apple.
- Swap bottled orange juice for fresh if that’s what you have.
Equipment:
- Rimmed sheet pan and parchment
- Fork or paring knife for venting
- Large bowl and potato masher
- 10-inch skillet
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Microplane or small grater for zest
How to Make Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 55 minutes
- Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Heat the oven to 400°F. Line a sheet pan. Prick each sweet potato all over with a fork, rub with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake the potatoes on the center rack for 45 to 60 minutes until a paring knife slides in easily. Set them on a rack to cool until you can handle them.
- Make the cranberry-apple mix while the potatoes bake. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the diced apple, and cook 3 to 4 minutes until slightly tender.
- Stir in cranberries. If using fresh, add orange juice and brown sugar; cook 3 to 5 minutes until the berries pop and the juices thicken. If using dried, add a splash of water and cook 2 minutes to plump. Stir in orange zest and a pinch of salt. Set aside.
- Halve the potatoes lengthwise. Scoop the flesh into a bowl, keeping a thin wall in each shell so they hold their shape.
- Add the remaining butter, Greek yogurt or sour cream, maple syrup or brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla if using, and a pinch of salt. Mash until smooth and fluffy.
- Fold in most of the cranberry-apple mix and half the pecans. Taste and adjust sweetness, salt, or spice.
- Arrange the potato shells on the sheet pan. Spoon the filling back in, mounding it slightly.
- Top with the remaining cranberry-apple mix and the rest of the pecans.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake 15 to 18 minutes until hot and lightly golden on top. For extra color, broil for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
- Finish with goat cheese crumbles or a light maple drizzle if you like. Serve hot.
Tips & Common Mistakes
- Choose similar-size potatoes so they bake evenly.
- Test doneness with a thin knife; it should slide in with no resistance.
- Scoop gently to avoid tearing the skins; leave about 1/4 inch as a wall.
- Keep the filling thick, not soupy; add maple or juice in small amounts.
- Taste as you go; adjust salt and sweetness after you fold in the fruit.
- Warm the skillet fruit before the final bake to speed things along.
- Line the sheet pan for easy cleanup and to prevent sticky drips.
- Start the bake in the microwave if you need speed: 8 to 10 minutes, then finish in the oven for better texture.
- If a shell tears, spoon the filling into a small baking dish and bake as a casserole.
Variations I’ve Tried
- Marshmallow topper: add mini marshmallows during the last 3 minutes and toast.
- Pecan streusel: mix 1/3 cup chopped pecans, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle before the final bake.
- Savory switch: skip maple, add sautéed shallots, chopped sage, black pepper, and crisp bacon.
- Pear swap: replace the apple with a ripe but firm pear for a mellow twist.
- Dairy-free: use coconut oil instead of butter and a thick coconut yogurt.
How to Serve Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes
Serve these twice-baked sweet potatoes alongside roast turkey, pork tenderloin, or rotisserie chicken. Add a simple green salad with a citrus vinaigrette to balance the rich, sweet filling. For a little flair, sprinkle goat cheese and extra zest on top, then pass warm maple syrup at the table.
Make-Ahead
- Make-ahead: Bake, scoop, and fill the shells, then cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. Add toppings and do the final bake right before serving.
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: Wrap each filled half tightly and freeze up to 3 months. For best results, freeze before the final bake.
- Reheat: Bake from chilled at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, covered for the first 10 minutes, then uncover. From frozen, thaw overnight and reheat at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition Information
Per stuffed half (1 of 8), approximate: 315 calories; 12 g fat; 48 g carbs; 7 g fiber; 15 g sugars; 6 g protein; sodium varies by salt added. Numbers are estimates based on common products and typical yields.
Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes Recipe
Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes are a sweet and savory side dish, featuring creamy sweet potato filled with a festive cranberry-apple mixture.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Prick sweet potatoes with a fork and bake directly on the oven rack for 45-50 minutes, until tender.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving a thin layer to maintain the shell.
- In a bowl, mash the sweet potato flesh. Stir in diced apple, dried cranberries, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- Spoon the mixture back into the sweet potato shells. Top with chopped pecans if using.
- Return filled potatoes to the oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until heated through and tops are golden.
- Serve warm as a delicious, festive side dish.