Description
This playful twist on holiday classics turns baked sweet potatoes into little pecan-pie–style treats. Lightly sweetened with maple and warmed with cinnamon, they work great as a dessert or a seasonal side.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potatoes
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and dried
- 2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pecan Streusel
- 3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup flour (oat flour or a gluten-free flour works too)
- 2 tbsp cold butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Place the cleaned sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and roast until a knife slips into the center easily, about 40–55 minutes depending on size.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Let the potatoes cool until you can handle them safely.
- Slice each potato lengthwise, cutting about three-quarters of the way through so the top lifts off but the skin still supports the filling. Scoop the flesh into a bowl, leaving roughly a 1/4-inch rim of potato in the skin so the shells stay sturdy.
- Mash the scooped sweet potato with the butter, maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon until smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust sweetness or spice as desired.
- Spoon the mashed mixture back into the potato skins, piling it slightly high.
- For the streusel: combine the chopped pecans, cinnamon, flour, and a pinch of salt. Cut the cold butter into the mixture (a fork or pastry cutter works) until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the maple syrup so the crumbs hold together a bit.
- Sprinkle the pecan streusel evenly over each stuffed sweet potato.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for another 20–30 minutes, until the filling is heated through and the topping turns golden and crisp. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Notes
Quick Tips
- Leave a thin layer of flesh in the skin so the potato “boat” doesn’t collapse.
- Use cold butter for the streusel to keep the topping crunchy.
- Swap brown sugar for maple syrup if you want a deeper caramel note, or add a few chopped chocolate pieces for a dessert twist.
Nutrition
- Calories: 444Calories
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 372mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 30mg