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Cranberry apple twice-baked sweet potatoes topped with caramelized apples and cranberries

Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

A stunning, Mediterranean-inspired holiday side dish featuring velvety, lightly fluffed sweet potato halves piled high with a rustic, glistening topping of caramelized Honeycrisp apples, plump cranberries, pure maple syrup, and warm autumn spices. Naturally vegetarian, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes scrubbed clean
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pinch sea salt
  • 1 large firm apple Honeycrisp or Fuji, cored and cubed
  • ½ cup fresh or dried cranberries
  • 2 tbsp unrefined coconut oil or grass-fed butter
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped (for garnish)

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Pierce the scrubbed sweet potatoes 5-6 times with a fork to allow steam to escape. Massage the skins with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt.
  2. Place the potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 45-50 minutes, or until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
  3. While the potatoes roast, melt coconut oil (or butter) in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the cubed apples and sauté for 3-5 minutes until they begin to soften around the edges.
  4. Stir in the cranberries, pure maple syrup, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Lower the heat slightly and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the mixture turns glossy, caramelized, and intensely fragrant. Remove from heat.
  5. Carefully slice each slightly cooled sweet potato in half lengthwise. Using a fork, gently fluff the interior flesh right inside the skin jackets to create a soft, pillowy bed, leaving the outer walls completely intact.
  6. Generously spoon the warm apple-cranberry filling over the top of each sweet potato half, allowing it to mound naturally.
  7. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Return the stuffed sweet potatoes to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until the filling is bubbling hot and the edges are lightly caramelized. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley right before serving.

Notes

  • Make-Ahead Tip: You can roast the sweet potatoes and prepare the apple-cranberry filling up to 24 hours in advance. Store them separately in the refrigerator, assemble right before dinner, and add 5–7 minutes to the final baking time.
  • Apple Choice: Stick to firm, crisp varieties like Honeycrisp or Fuji so the cubes hold their beautiful shape and texture without turning into applesauce.
  • Savory Twist: For an amazing sweet-and-savory profile, crumble high-quality Greek feta cheese across the top right before the second bake.