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Stuffed Sweet Potato Boats offer a fresh spin on traditional sides, mixing soft baked sweet potatoes with a crunchy pecan crumble, melty marshmallows, and zesty cranberries. They're just right for Thanksgiving gatherings or fancy dinners, packing autumn tastes and textures into handy individual servings!
An Eye-Catching Party Favorite
I've whipped up these stuffed sweet potato boats forever and they always wow everyone. You get the tastiest mix of smooth mashed sweet potato, warm spices and that crunchy pecan topping that nobody can resist. I'm also crazy about how they jazz up my dinner table - like tiny personal casseroles that make guests grab their forks right away.
Ingredients List
- Sweet Potatoes: 6 medium jewel or garnet sweet potatoes with orange or red flesh for bright color and sweet taste.
- Pecans: Broken pecans for the crunchy topping; grab pre-broken or do it yourself for maximum freshness.
- Mini Marshmallows: They'll melt into a golden gooey crown.
- Dried Cranberries: Adding tangy bits to balance the sweetness.
- Butter: Use unsalted for creamy potato mash and crumbly topping.
- Brown Sugar: Brings needed sweetness to both potato filling and crumble.
- Cinnamon: This cozy spice boosts the fall feeling.
- Flour: Creates the perfect crumbly texture for your topping.
- Salt: Brings out sweet potato flavor and creates taste balance.
Simple Step-by-Step Guide
- Bake the Sweet Potatoes
- Get your oven hot at 400°F (200°C). Poke sweet potatoes several times with a fork and put them on a baking sheet. Cook for 45 minutes until soft. Let them cool a bit.
- Mix the Potato Filling
- Gently scoop out the middles, keeping about ¼ inch of potato against the skins. Mix the scooped potato with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until it's creamy.
- Create the Crumble Mix
- Stir together flour, brown sugar, butter, and pecans. Keep mixing until you get small crumbles.
- Fill and Finish Baking
- Put the potato mixture back into the skins. Spread crumble on top and bake for 20 minutes. Add marshmallows and cook 5 more minutes. Finish with cranberries and enjoy warm.
Smart Shortcuts
After tons of batches I've picked up some handy tricks. Go for sweet potatoes roughly the same size so they cook evenly together. A potato ricer makes the fluffiest filling but don't worry if you just have a masher. Always remember to stab those potatoes before baking or you'll have a messy explosion. And trust me, covering your baking tray with foil will save you scrubbing time later.
Custom Flavor Ideas
I'm always tweaking this recipe for fun. Try adding a drizzle of maple syrup in your filling for amazing richness or go another route with crispy bacon bits and fresh herbs. Sometimes I switch out cranberries for warm cinnamon apples or use marshmallow fluff for an extra smooth topping. You can play around with so many options and each twist brings something special to your dinner spread.
Tasty Meal Matches
These stuffed spuds really stand out when served with classic holiday dishes. They taste amazing next to turkey or honey-glazed ham and go great with stuff like green bean casserole too. I always cook a few extra because they're super tasty warmed up for the next day's lunch.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes, you can prep these up to a day before. Keep them cold in the fridge and bake for 15 extra minutes if starting from chilled.
- → Why aren’t all 8 shells used?
Skipping two shells lets you mix their filling into the rest, giving you heartier portions for the remaining ones.
- → What’s the easiest way to mash sweet potatoes?
A ricer makes them super smooth, but a hand masher or mixer works fine too.
- → Which sweet potatoes work best?
Red or orange varieties like garnet or jewel are great. Try to pick ones with the same size and shape for even cooking.
- → Why save marshmallows for last?
It stops them from overcooking or burning and gives them that perfect golden look.