Tender sweet potatoes filled with caramelized apples, cranberries, pecans, and warm spices, 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 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 and dry completely.
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 the prepared baking sheet with even spacing.
03 - Roast sweet potatoes for 40 to 45 minutes until very tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
04 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced apples in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes to caramelize.
05 - Stir apples then add cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Cook stirring occasionally for 5 to 7 minutes until cranberries begin to burst and apples are golden and tender.
06 - Stir in toasted pecans during the final minute of cooking. Remove skillet from heat.
07 - Once sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut each lengthwise down the center. Use a fork to gently fluff the interior, pressing ends toward the center to widen the opening.
08 - Spoon the apple cranberry filling generously into each sweet potato, mounding it high. Return filled potatoes to the baking sheet.
09 - Bake for an additional 10 minutes at 425°F until heated through and the filling edges are slightly caramelized.
10 - Remove from oven and rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup, garnish with additional toasted pecans, sliced almonds, fresh thyme leaves, and a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if desired. Serve warm.
