Cranberry Apple Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes (Print Version)

Flavor-packed sweet potatoes filled with spiced apples, cranberries, and toasted pecans, finished with maple syrup and fresh thyme.

# What You’ll 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 Granny Smith or Honeycrisp apples, peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup fresh cranberries
07 - ¼ cup light brown sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
11 - ½ cup pecans, chopped and toasted

→ Optional Enhancements

12 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
13 - ¼ cup sliced almonds
14 - Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
15 - Flaky sea salt for finishing

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub sweet potatoes thoroughly under running water and pat completely dry.
02 - Pierce each sweet potato several times with a 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 a knife. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes.
04 - While sweet potatoes roast, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced apples in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to achieve caramelization.
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 turn golden and tender.
06 - Stir in toasted pecans during the final minute of cooking. Remove skillet from heat.
07 - Once cool enough to handle, cut each sweet potato lengthwise down the center. Use a fork to gently fluff the interior, pressing ends toward center to widen the opening.
08 - Spoon apple cranberry filling generously into each sweet potato half, mounding filling high. Return filled potatoes to baking sheet.
09 - Bake for an additional 10 minutes at 425°F until heated through and filling edges show slight caramelization.
10 - Remove from oven and rest for 2-3 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup and garnish with additional toasted pecans, sliced almonds, fresh thyme leaves, and flaky sea salt if desired. Serve warm.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • The filling comes together in one skillet while the potatoes roast, so you're not juggling multiple pans at the last minute.
  • It tastes like a fancy restaurant side dish but honestly feels effortless to execute once you understand the rhythm.
  • You can make the entire filling a day ahead, which takes stress off your cooking timeline.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial caramelization of apples in a single layer—this step is what gives the filling its sophisticated depth and prevents it from tasting watery.
  • If you're making the filling ahead, store it in an airtight container and reheat gently over low heat before stuffing; microwave reheating can make the apples mushy.
03 -
  • Choose sweet potatoes that are roughly the same size so they bake evenly and your plating looks intentional and restaurant-quality.
  • The maple syrup drizzle is non-negotiable—it's not just sweetness, it's the final note that tells your palate this is a composed dish, not a simple side.
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