Love to serve traditional sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving but don’t love how sugary and unhealthy it is? Try this delicious Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake instead. Leave the excessive butter, brown sugar, and marshmallows behind. This recipe uses ingredients like maple syrup, vanilla extract, orange zest, and dried cranberries instead! Yes, this sweet potato bake is healthier but don’t be fooled because it does not lack in the flavor department! It’s so yummy, even my kids devoured it!
*Originally published November 2014. Text and photos updated.*
This Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake is light and scrumptious! If you’re looking for some other healthier holiday dishes, I’ve got quite a few to share with you. This Cranberry Pomegranate Sauce is a healthier alternative to traditional canned cranberry sauce. These Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Glaze are another great option if you don’t want to make sweet potato casserole. Also, these Honey Garlic Roasted Carrots are an easy and delicious side dish for all of your holiday parties this year!
WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CRANBERRY SWEET POTATO BAKE:
- It’s healthier than traditional sweet potato casserole and more flavorful in my book!
- This sweet potato bake is super easy to make. Just peel, cut, combine, bake and enjoy!
- The orange zest adds a nice citrus flavor to help balance out the sweetness from the sweet potato and maple syrup.
- The addition of pecans and/or walnuts adds the best little crunch to the dish. A little crunch is always important!
- This recipe is perfect for the holidays. The whole family will love it!
INGREDIENTS:
SWEET POTATO – soft and tender, nothing beats a perfectly cooked sweet potato. They are also full of healthy nutrients!
MAPLE SYRUP – one of my favorite sweeteners.
MELTED BUTTER – because butter makes everything better.. in moderation of course.
GROUND CINNAMON – to add a little spice. Cinnamon pairs well with sweet potato!
ORANGE ZEST – a little citrus never hurt anybody! The hint of acidity is perfect in this sweet potato bake.
VANILLA EXTRACT – to add another delicious layer of flavor!
DRIED CRANBERRIES
CHOPPED PECANS OR WALNUTS – nuts add the perfect crunchy texture to this dish!
HOW TO MAKE THIS FESTIVE SWEET POTATO DISH:
Time needed: 1 hour and 10 minutes.
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First, preheat oven to 375°F.
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Then peel and wash your sweet potatoes.
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Cut the sweet potatoes into ¼ inch rounds. Place them into an 8×8 or 1½ quart baking dish.
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In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, melted butter, cinnamon, zest, and vanilla.
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Pour the butter mixture over the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle dried cranberries on top, cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until tender.
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Remove the foil, top with nuts, and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes to toast the nuts.
TIPS AND VARIATIONS:
- Add some fresh herbs like thyme or rosemary for another layer of flavor and aroma!
- For some extra color could also use purple sweet potatoes in this recipe.
- If you don’t like nuts, simply omit them.
- If you’re a sugar lover and the dish isn’t sweet enough for you, theres nothing wrong with throwing a few marshmallows on top or sprinkling it with brown sugar!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Although I recommend using maple syrup in this recipe you could use honey or brown rice syrup instead!
These sweet potatoes pair well with a variety of dishes but I love serving them with turkey, chicken, pork, or ham. I also recommend serving this dish with green beans, brussel sprouts, or asparagus.
Yes! Make these sweet potatoes ahead of time and store in the fridge covered for up to 3 days. To reheat remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before warming. Cover with foil and place in a 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
Other turkey recipes you will love:
- Sweet Potato and Stuffing Turkey Roulade
- Butterflied Roasted Herb Turkey
- Apple Cranberry Stuffed Turkey Breast
- Parmesan Roasted Acorn Squash
- Blueberry Crisp
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping
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This Cranberry Sweet Potato Bake recipe uses ingredients like maple syrup, vanilla extra, orange zest and dried cranberries! Yes, this sweet potato bake is healthier than traditional sweet potato casserole but don't be fooled because it does not lack in the flavor department!
- 3 small sweet potatoes or 2 large
- ¼ cup (60ml) maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted melted
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup (55g) dried cranberries
- ½ cup (55g) chopped pecans or walnuts
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Preheat oven to 375°F.
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Peel and wash your sweet potatoes. Cut into ¼ inch rounds. Place into an 8×8 or 1½ quart baking dish.
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In a small bowl combine the maple syrup, melted butter, cinnamon, zest, and vanilla. Pour over sweet potatoes. Sprinkle with dried cranberries. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes or until tender. Remove foil and top with nuts. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes to toast the nuts.
- MAKE AHEAD: Make these sweet potatoes ahead of time and store in the fridge covered for up to 3 days. To reheat remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before warming. Cover with foil and place in a 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
- Can cook at 350°F for 60 minutes.
