Looking for a delicious and visually appealing side dish that will charm your loved ones at the Thanksgiving dinner table? These Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups are one of the most kid and adult friendly holiday sides you can make! This charming twist on a classic sweet potato casserole is not only a treat for the taste buds but also an eye-catching addition to any holiday gathering.
I’ve been making these Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups for years and years. They’re a staple on our Thanksgiving table. These heavenly treats only take minutes to prepare, and they make quite a visual and edible impact on the kids and adults alike. This recipe is also a time saver when you’re cooking Thanksgiving dinner, because the orange pulp that you scoop out goes right into the Orange Cranberry Sauce! Add a green vegetable, a succulent brined turkey and you have a perfect meal for the entire family!
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
- Wow Your Guests: Bring some fun to your Thanksgiving table with sweet potato casserole served in orange cups! Not only do they look incredible, but they’re also bound to get people talking.
- Perfect for Kids: These adorable sweet potato orange cups will have kids smiling (and maybe even thinking they’re cupcakes!). Similar to my Apple Sausage Stuffing Bites, they’re a playful, tasty treat that’ll make Thanksgiving extra special for the little ones.
- Hint of Citrus: The orange cups give the sweet potatoes a bright citrus kick that really makes the flavor pop—adding a unique touch to your Thanksgiving spread.
- Personal Portions: Individual servings make each dish feel more special, giving everyone their own beautiful, tasty little “cup” of Thanksgiving goodness. Another great individual Thanksgiving recipe? Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes!
- Healthy & Tasty: Packed with vitamins and bursting with flavor, sweet potatoes are a nutritious powerhouse, so this dish is as good for you as it is delicious.
The Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes: You’ll want to use potatoes that are really orange, also known as yams. Other varieties of sweet potatoes (white or purple) won’t work as well for the velvety smooth texture
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best.
- Brown Sugar or Maple Syrup: This boosts the sweetness of the sweet potato casserole just a bit.
- Evaporated Milk: I use evaporated skim milk because it makes the potatoes really fluffy without adding extra fat from heavy cream, but you can use any milk you prefer.
- Mini Marshmallows: The marshmallow topping makes this side dish extra fun, especially for kids.
- Navel Oranges: The bowls! These give that extra special presentation while infusing the sweet potatoes with a bit of citrus essence. Use the scooped out flesh to make Cranberry Orange Sauce!
Substitutions and Variations
- Marshmallows: I don’t usually serve foods with tons of sugar, but there are exceptions, and this is one of them. With that said, they aren’t imperative to the recipe so you can leave them off if you prefer.
- Dairy Allergy? Make this dairy free by using oat, coconut or almond milk in place of the evaporated milk.
- Veganize It: Besides the milk, if you want to make this dish vegan you can opt for coconut oil or vegan butter.
How to Make Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups
Step 1: Wash, poke, and bake the sweet potatoes in the oven.
Step 2: Split open to cool enough to handle.
Step 3: Add all filling ingredients to a mixing bowl.
Step 4: Mash or use a mixer until the filling is smooth.
Step 5: Slice off the end and hollow out navel oranges.
Step 6: Add casserole filling and top with mini marshmallows.
Step 7: Place sweet potato filled orange cups on a sheet tray and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F.
Tips and Tricks
- Fine Motor Skills: Let the kids help add the marshmallows on top. They can practice their fine motor skills by lining them up neatly.
- Waste Not Want Not: Save the juice and orange pulp from inside the oranges! They are perfect for Cranberry Sauce.
- Allergy-Friendly: These don’t contain any gluten, and you can easily swap out the dairy products for non-dairy versions to make these dairy-free as well as vegan.
FAQs
Absolutely! This recipe is designed to save you time on the big day. You have a couple of options for prepping ahead. You can make the sweet potato filling and store it in an airtight container until you’re ready to assemble the orange cups and bake. Alternatively, you can build the cups, fill them, and then refrigerate them covered fully assembled until you’re ready to pop them in the oven. For both scenarios, let the sweet potatoes come to room temperature before you bake. Making this dish ahead of time means you can spend more time enjoying the festivities and a little less time in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day!
A delicious roasted turkey like this Maple Brined Turkey is the obvious main choice when it comes to Thanksgiving. You could also opt for a Perfect Roast Chicken, Pan Seared Beef Tenderloin or Southern Style Pork Tenderloin to mix things up! Don’t forget other favorite sides like stuffing, dinner rolls, and a green veggie.
I love to get kids in the kitchen! An adult will need to bake the sweet potatoes and help scrape them out, but kids will love mashing the ingredients together. And again, an adult will need to prepare the oranges, but then scooping and adding marshmallows is perfect for your little helpers! They will love working right alongside you in the kitchen.
More Thanksgiving Sides
Make this Thanksgiving extra special with delicious Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups! They’re easy to prepare and a guaranteed hit that will create heartwarming memories around your holiday table. Let me know what you think by leaving a comment and rating below!
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Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (you want to use potatoes that are really orange, also known as yams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar or maple syrup
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
- 3 navel oranges
- mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Poke the sweet potatoes several times with a fork or knife to pierce the skin.
- Place on foil or a sheet tray in the oven and bake for 1 hour.
- Let yams cool for several minutes, cut in half and scoop out the fluffy insides.
- Mash the yams with butter, maple syrup (or brown sugar), evaporated milk and salt until creamy and fluffy.
- Cut the oranges in half and slice a very thin disk from the bottom so they rest flat. The skins are actually going to be the “bowls”.
- With a pairing knife, cut around the inside rim of the orange removing the orange sections and pulp. Place any of the orange juice and pulp in a bowl and discard the white membranes and seeds. Save the juice and pulp for cranberry sauce recipe or just enjoy as a snack.
- Fill each orange cup with 1/4 cup of puree and top with several mini marshmallows. You can cover and refrigerate these overnight at this point if you're prepping in advance.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Place sweet potato filled orange cups on a sheet tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Serve.
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