Cranberry Apple Twice Baked (Printable)

Sweet potatoes stuffed with caramelized apples, cranberries, pecans, and warm spices for a rich, festive side dish.

# 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 (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
06 - 1 cup fresh cranberries
07 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
11 - 1/2 cup pecans, chopped and toasted

→ Optional Enhancements

12 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
13 - 1/4 cup sliced almonds
14 - Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
15 - Flaky sea salt for finishing

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub sweet potatoes thoroughly under cold water and pat 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 prepared baking sheet with even spacing.
03 - Roast for 40 to 45 minutes, or until very tender when pierced with a knife. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
04 - While potatoes roast, 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 until golden.
05 - Stir apples, then add cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until cranberries just begin to burst and apples are golden and tender.
06 - Stir in toasted pecans during the final minute of cooking. Remove skillet from heat immediately.
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 center to widen the opening.
08 - Spoon apple cranberry filling generously into each sweet potato, mounding it high. Return filled potatoes to baking sheet.
09 - Bake for an additional 10 minutes at 425°F until heated through and filling edges are slightly caramelized.
10 - Remove from oven and rest for 2 to 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.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sweet-tart balance feels fancy enough for a dinner party but tastes like home cooking at its warmest.
  • You can make the filling ahead, which means less stress when guests are arriving and the house smells incredible.
02 -
  • Don't skip the initial caramelization of apples undisturbed in the pan—that's where the deep, almost savory sweetness develops that makes people ask for your recipe.
  • The filling can genuinely be made a full day ahead and gently reheated, which turns this into the perfect make-ahead side for stressful entertaining.
03 -
  • Toast your own pecans in a dry skillet for 5 to 6 minutes while the sweet potatoes bake—the smell alone will make you excited about dinner, and the flavor difference is night and day.
  • If fresh cranberries aren't available, soak dried cranberries in warm water for 10 minutes before using, then drain well and reduce the sugar to ¼ cup since dried berries are naturally sweeter.
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