Description
These Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes combine the natural sweetness of baked sweet potatoes with a warm, spiced cranberry and apple filling. Perfect as a festive side dish or a comforting treat, this recipe balances fruity flavors with cozy cinnamon and nutmeg and a touch of maple syrup for added depth.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 2 large sweet potatoes
Filling
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 juicy apple, diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the sweet potatoes.
- Bake Sweet Potatoes: Pierce the sweet potatoes several times with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork.
- Cool Slightly: Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool just enough to handle safely.
- Prepare Filling Base: While the potatoes bake, heat a skillet over medium heat to prepare the fruit mixture.
- Sauté Fruits and Spices: Melt the butter in the skillet, then add diced apple, cranberries, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. This will create a fragrant and flavorful filling.
- Cook Fruit Mixture: Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the fruit softens and cranberries start to pop, releasing their juices.
- Add Maple Syrup: Stir in the maple syrup and cook for an additional 2 minutes to combine flavors and thicken the mixture slightly.
- Slice Sweet Potatoes: Cut the baked sweet potatoes in half lengthwise to prepare for scooping out the flesh.
- Scoop Flesh: Carefully scoop out most of the sweet potato flesh into a bowl, leaving a thin layer inside the skin to help it hold its shape.
- Mash Sweet Potato: Mash the scooped sweet potato flesh until smooth and mix in half of the cranberry apple filling to incorporate the flavors.
- Fill Potato Skins: Spoon the sweet potato and fruit mixture back into the potato skins evenly.
- Top with Remaining Filling: Spoon the remaining cranberry apple mixture on top of each stuffed potato for a decorative and flavorful finish.
- Final Bake: Place the stuffed sweet potatoes back onto the baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until they are heated through and the flavors meld together beautifully.
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen cranberries depending on availability.
- Choose a sweet, firm apple like Fuji or Honeycrisp for the best texture.
- For a vegan option, substitute butter with coconut oil or vegan margarine.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated gently in the oven.
- Adjust the amount of maple syrup based on your preferred sweetness level.
