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Pecan Pie Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Pecan pie twice-baked sweet potatoes combine creamy mashed sweet potato filling with a sticky, caramelized pecan topping. Twice-baked method gives tender skins with a golden, pecan-pie 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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

3 large sweet potatoes, baked
  • 3 sweet potatoes Bake until tender before scooping and halving.
For sweet potato filling
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter Soften for easy mashing.
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup For sweetness in the mashed filling.
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar Adds classic pecan pie flavor.
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp vanilla
For 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.
  • 0.25 tsp salt Pinch of salt.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake and halve sweet potatoes
  1. Bake sweet potatoes at 400F for 50 minutes until very tender. Cool slightly, then halve lengthwise so the skins stay intact (visual cue: flesh is soft and easily scoopable).
  2. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl, keeping the skins as serving shells. Mash the sweet potato flesh until smooth (visual cue: no large lumps).
Make the sweet potato filling
  1. Mix the mashed sweet potato with butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until fully combined. Stop mixing when the mixture looks creamy and evenly colored (visual cue: glossy, uniform texture).
  2. Spoon the filling back into the potato skins. Mound slightly so the tops can brown under the topping (visual cue: filled skins are level and generous).
Cook pecan pie topping and finish twice-baking
  1. Melt butter in a pan, then stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream, and salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens (visual cue: bubbling caramel).
  2. Fold in the pecans, then spoon the warm topping over the filled potatoes. Bake at 375F for 15-18 minutes until the topping is caramelized and golden (visual cue: shiny brown glaze and toasted pecans).

Notes

Make sure the sweet potatoes are baked until very tender so the filling mashes smoothly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat at 350F until warmed through and the topping re-greens. Freezing is not recommended because the caramel topping can soften. For a dairy-light swap, use plant-based butter and a dairy-free cream alternative in both the filling and topping to keep the same rich texture.