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Baked Sweet Potato Halves are a fun, unique way to have your Thanksgiving sweet potatoes. They have a brown sugar coconut pecan crust and are topped with a cinnamon marshmallow cream!
Featured with this Recipe
I have been wanting to make these Baked Sweet Potato Halves for a while now. I make our Baked Potato Halves all the time and I love sweet potatoes, so why not do a sweet potato version? What I found with actually putting the idea into reality was that I had to adjust the process of how it is done. Unfortunately sweet potatoes don’t hold the topping the same way potatoes do. So the solution was starting out the same way, baking the potatoes cut side face down in the topping, then flipping them part way through the baking process. Not too much more work, and totally worth it for the perfect baked sweet potato.
Ingredients in Baked Sweet Potato Halves
- Sweet potatoes or yams – scrubbed and cut in half
- Butter (I usually do unsalted butter)
- Chopped pecans
- Sweetened coconut flakes
- Brown sugar
- Marshmallow fluff
- Cream cheese
- Cinnamon
- Pinch of salt (optional)
It’s All About the Toppings
The secret to make these sweet potatoes over-the-top delicious is the cinnamon marshmallow cream topping! Also, we ate these out of the skin like a boat; we aren’t crazy about the skin on sweet potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Just cut your sweet potato in half and save the other half in a Ziploc bag in the fridge for later. You will want to only make a fraction of the topping, or mix up all the topping and just add it to one sweet potato half at a time.
Yes! You need a pan that fits in the air fryer for it to work. Then, cook at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Yes, sweet potato skins are very good for you but be sure to thoroughly clean them first. They are rich in fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants and have natural sugars that give them their sweetness. Just roast them up until they are fork tender and enjoy.
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So Many Ways To Use Sweet Potatoes
Sure, sweet potatoes make a prominent appearance at the Thanksgiving Day table, all dressed up with marshmallow or brown sugar topping, but sweet potatoes don’t have to be reserved just for the big Turkey Day. There are a lot of ways to incorporate cooked sweet potatoes into your meal plan. They’re as versatile as their cousin, the potato.
- The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Pecan Topping will have your guests reaching for more and more this Thanksgiving. Try this creamy, crunchy, toasty, divine topping and you may never go back to putting marshmallows on sweet potatoes again.
- Rocky Road Scalloped Sweet Potato Recipe are the dessert or side dish you’ve been waiting for. Thinly sliced sweet potatoes coated in brown sugar, baked with chocolate chips, roasted almonds, and toasty marshmallows, people will be clamoring for more.
- Sweet Potatoes Fries with Dip adds a spicy kick that pairs perfectly with the sweet, mild flavor of sweet potato fries. It’s super easy to make!
- Sweet Potato Tacos taste so yummy and they couldn’t be easier to make. You will love the black bean filling and the fresh, flavorful toppings.
How To Make Baked Sweet Potato Halves
Baked Sweet Potato Halves
Equipment
- Conventional Oven
- Cookie Sheet Pan
Ingredients
- 6 sweet potatoes or yams, scrubbed and cut in half
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
For the Cinnamon Marshmallow Cream Topping:
- 8 ounces marshmallow fluff
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter, pour onto a cookie sheet, and spread evenly across the bottom. Generously sprinkle coconut, pecans, and brown sugar all over the butter. Place sweet potato halves face down on the butter and toppings.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, the topping should look nice and toasted. Flip sweet potatoes over and generously spoon the topping on top of the sweet potatoes. Bake 15 to 20 more minutes, until sweet potatoes are nice and soft.
For the Cinnamon Marshmallow Cream Topping:
- Blend all ingredients together well with a hand mixer. Refrigerate until serving. Spoon onto baked sweet potato halves just before eating.
Notes
- Don’t like pecans? Swap them out for almonds or walnuts.
- To prep ahead, mix together the pecans, coconut, and brown sugar ahead of time. Wash and cut the sweet potatoes and keep them in an airtight bag or container in the fridge until ready to cook.
- To store, keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to one month.
These really looked good but the topping BURNED! I think may change it to roast the toppings separately, Loved the cream cheese marshmallow topping,
Oh no – I’m so sorry the topping burned! Thank you for letting us know. We will test and make adjustments as needed.
This is the BEST way to make sweet potatoes! We loved them! They are so flavorful!
My hubby and I love this recipe!definitely will be making this recipe again! So delicious and so good!
These are so good! I absolutely ADORE the marshmallow topping! I had to leave off the coconut because it doesn’t agree with me (even though I love it) but it still tasted amazing. I imagine that with the coconut it would taste even better! Thanks for this great idea for a fun, different, but delicious side!
can the pecans be sub for something else.some in family can’t eat peanuts?
You could leave them off, or substitute mini marshmallows or a crunchy cereal.
Sounds good except for the coconut, can this be omitted?
Sure!
Made these last night I put 6-8 miniature marshmallows on top the last 5 mins. or until brown. Mmmmm just like Thanksgiving dinner.
It is just like Thanksgiving dinner – so yummy and comforting! Thank you!
Made the coconut pecan sweet potatoes and they were amazing! My husband also liked. However, his favorite is the Parmesan crusted potatoes; I made them twice this weekend. He went to the store yesterday and bought a bag of golden potatoes coz he thought they would be even better! Two great recipes!
Golden potatoes ARE better! Soo buttery and yummy.
These sound delicious !! Ummm just not sure what is marshmallow fluff?
It is sold in stores in US, basically the fluff of melted marshmallows. Usually on the baking aisle. If you do not have it, you could just melt some marshmallows slightly in a microwave until they are the texture of store bought frosting.
Oh my gosh girls!!!!! This sounds so incredibly divine. I love the idea of adding cream cheese. Definitely making this one.