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Pecan Pie Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Pecan pie twice-baked sweet potatoes with a creamy cinnamon-sweet potato filling and a caramelized pecan topping. Twice-baked for golden edges and a sticky, pecan-studded finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sweet potatoes
  • 3 large sweet potatoes baked until tender
Sweet potato filling
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter softened
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp vanilla
Pecan pie topping
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 0.25 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 cup pecans roughly chopped
  • 0.125 tsp salt pinch

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and prep the sweet potatoes
  1. Heat oven to 400F, place sweet potatoes on a sheet pan, and bake for 50 minutes until tender. Cool slightly, then halve lengthwise for easy scooping (skins stay intact).
  2. Scoop out the flesh from each half into a bowl and mash until mostly smooth. Stir in softened butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until creamy.
  3. Spoon the mashed filling back into the sweet potato skins and level the tops. Arrange filled skins cut-side up so the topping can cling.
Make the pecan topping and finish baking
  1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, then stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes until thick and glossy (it should look slightly caramelized).
  2. Fold in the chopped pecans so they are coated, then spoon the topping over the filled sweet potatoes. Bake at 375F for 15-18 minutes until the pecan topping is caramelized and golden.

Notes

For the smoothest filling, mash the sweet potato flesh while it’s still warm so the butter melts in cleanly. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through and the topping softens again. Freezing is not recommended because the topping can lose its sticky texture after thawing. For a lighter option, swap half the butter in the filling for unsweetened Greek yogurt and expect a slightly tangier, less buttery texture.