Sweet Potato Orange Cups

Holidays are steeped in traditions, so it can sometimes be tricky to introduce new dishes to the table. Sweet potato orange cups will be an easy sell. Made from citrus-y mashed sweet potatoes, scooped into hollowed out orange halves and topped with miniature marshmallows, the decadent and adorable cups will be an instant crowd-pleaser.

If your loved ones don’t like mixing sweets and meats, these would also make a lovely holiday dessert.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Orange Cups

• Sweet potatoes: There are many kinds of sweet potatoes, including Beauregard, Jewel and red-skinned Garnet, as well as varieties that are white or purple. The reddish and orange varieties are classically used for holiday recipes, but white or purple roots would make the dish even more surprising and equally delicious.
• Orange juice concentrate: Using a single can of frozen orange juice concentrate means you don’t have to pop open (and then store) a whole carton of the fresh stuff. That said, you can always use bottled juice if you have it.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar and sweet potatoes are a match made in heaven. Don’t have the sugar? Combine granulated sugar and molasses as a quick baking substitution.
• Half-and-half: Half-and-half, whole milk, heavy cream … none would be misplaced in this recipe. Use whichever one you have on hand.
• Butter: This dish has lots of sweet ingredients and no salt, so choose salted butter or add a few pinches of salt to the mash.
• Miniature marshmallows: Who doesn’t love adorable tiny marshmallows? The cute lil puffs are a treat for kids and grown-ups alike. Use the extras in one of our fun mini marshmallow recipes, like pumpkin campfire bars or rocky road Rice Krispies treats.
• Pecans: Pecans give this otherwise smooth and creamy recipe some crunch. You could substitute walnuts or pumpkin seeds if you prefer.
• Oranges: For shells that are easy to work with, choose larger oranges. If they’re not organic, give them a scrub before you use them.

Directions

Step 1: Boil the sweet potatoes

Place the peeled sweet potato cubes in a large saucepan or Dutch oven, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.

Step 2: Make the mash

In a large bowl, using a hand-held mixer, beat the sweet potatoes, orange juice concentrate, sugar, cream and butter on low speed until smooth.

Editor’s Tip: You could also mash the sweet potatoes by hand or with a stand mixer.

Stir in the 3/4 cup marshmallows and 1/4 cup pecans, then set aside.

Step 3: Prep the orange shells

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the pulp from the orange halves, leaving the shells intact and reserving the pulp for another use.

Editor’s Tip: What can you do with the pulp? Add it to smoothies, orange oatmeal, a savory sauce or stews, or puree it into a vinaigrette dressing.

Step 4: Bake the orange sweet potato cups

Spoon the sweet potato mixture into the orange cups. Place the orange shells into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan and place four marshmallows atop each one. Bake, uncovered, until heated through, around 20 minutes. If desired, top with toasted pecans.

Sweet Potato Orange Cup Variations

• Use a baking dish: Don’t want to deal with the peels? Simply transfer the mash into a baking dish, top with store-bought or homemade marshmallows, and bake until the sweet potato mixture is heated through and the ‘mallows are melted.
• Skip the concentrate: Don’t have orange juice concentrate in the house? You can use orange zest and regular orange juice to give the mashed sweet potatoes a lovely flavor. Or, make your own concentrate by simmering juice until it is reduced by half.
• Add spices: The entire array of warm autumn spices, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, allspice and cardamom, all pair beautifully with sweet potatoes, pecans and orange. A dash of homemade pumpkin pie spice is also appropriate.
• Use squash: This recipe would be equally lovely made with roasted winter squash, especially one of the flavorful heirloom types.

How to Store Sweet Potato Orange Cups

Unsurprisingly, these cute cups should be stored in the fridge. Line them up in a single layer in an airtight container.

How long do sweet potato orange cups last?

These will probably be gone before your guests are, but if you do have some leftovers, you can store them for up to four days.

Sweet Potato Orange Cup Tips

Should you remove the pith from the orange peels?

To reduce the chance that bitterness from the white pith will seep into your mash, scrape most of the pith out of the shells with a spoon after removing the fruity pulp. But do leave a little bit of the white layer to help the shells retain some structure.

Another option is to blanch the peels. Drop the scooped out halves into a pot of water, bring to a boil and immediately drain. Repeat this a couple more times to wash away the bitter flavor.

You could first blanch and then scrape out some pith, but the peels will be more tender and prone to tearing, so use a delicate hand.

What can you serve with sweet potato orange cups?

Wintertime holiday meals often feature a meaty centerpiece such as sugar-glazed ham or seasoned roast turkey surrounded by a colorful and diverse collection of sides. These orange sweet potato cups fit in perfectly with hearty, savory offerings such as holiday Brussels sprouts, scalloped potatoes and butter-topped rolls.

Prefer to serve this dish as part of a dessert buffet? Pair it with something chocolaty, such as a mocha Yule log and an elegant cranberry amaretto bread pudding.