A healthier version of a classic holiday favorite! These Paleo Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and dates are decadently delicious as a side dish or even dessert, but contain no grains, gluten, refined sugar, dairy, or soy. Just real, whole ingredients for this tasty homemade comfort food!
Candied sweet potatoes a huge favorite for my family, and were always something I made with my mom growing up, too.
Of course I was mainly motivated by the marshmallow topping and not so much the sweet potatoes…
But that’s why I was pretty determined to see if I could recreate something slightly less sweet, but with even more flavor than what we made years ago.
So with my magic paleo fairy wand I made a version to rival any old one with Kraft marshmallows!
Trust me on this – you won’t miss the marshmallows. AT. ALL.
Plus, you can feel good about eating this, because it’s healthy, and yes, tastes like candy! Thank you, dates, for being actual nature’s candy. I only speak the truth. This is so candy, guys. Or rather, candied 🙂
What You Need to Make Paleo Candied Sweet Potatoes
I love how simple the ingredients are given how amazing it turns out! Here’s everything you’ll need to prepare the sweet potatoes:
- Sweet Potatoes
- Coconut Oil
- Salt
- Pecans
- Dates
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
- Unsweetened Coconut Flakes
- Cinnamon
- Flaky sea salt (optional)
How to Make These Healthy Candied Sweet Potatoes
Making these is really simple too – which is something much appreciated when it comes to Thanksgiving!
First, I roast the sweet potatoes as I roast all my sweet potatoes so they turn out lightly caramelized on the outside and soft inside.
While they’re in the oven, I combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
Once the potatoes are done, I put them in a casserole dish and sprinkle the topping mixture all over, then bake them again to combine flavors and get the pecans and coconut nice and toasty.
I like to top them off with a little flaky salt for the “salted caramel’ effect, but this part is optional depending on your tastes.
Can I Make this Recipe Whole30 friendly?
This is one recipe that you can totally make Whole30 with just a small tweak!
While I do love adding the maple syrup for extra sweetness and flavor, you can easily skip it and get all your sweetness from the dates, coconut and of course the roasted potatoes!
Since the potatoes roast in a way that gets them to caramelize a little, they add a lot of sweetness to this recipe on their own.
Add in toasty coconut, pecans, and gooey dates and you have Whole30 friendly “candied” sweet potatoes!
I hope you’re ready for a fun, healthy version of a classic holiday side dish that’s one of my all time favorites!
Perfect for a smaller gathering or a crowd, these candied sweet potatoes are going to make everyone happy!
is Grab your ingredients and get the oven preheated because it’s time to cook – let’s go!
Paleo Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecans {Vegan}
Candied Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Dates
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons oil of choice for roasting the potatoes
- sea salt for roasting
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup medjool dates pitted and chopped
- 3 tablespoons refined coconut oil melted
- 1-2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup depending on the level of sweetness you want*
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup coconut flakes unsweetened
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- flaky sea salt optional, for garnish
Instructions
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First, preheat your oven to 425° F. Peel your sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-1 inch cubes for roasting.
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Toss the sweet potato cubes with the oil and season all over with sea salt. Spread the on a parchment lined baking sheet in a single layer. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown.
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While the sweet potatoes are roasting, combine the chopped pecans and dates in a medium bowl and stir in the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, coconut flakes and salt.
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When the sweet potatoes are done roasting, remove from oven and turn down the heat to 350° F.
-
Transfer the sweet potatoes to a casserole dish and sprinkle the pecan-date mixture over them generously.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until toasty and lightly browned on top. Serve and enjoy anytime, not just the holidays!
Recipe Notes
*To make this recipe Whole30 compliant, eliminate the maple syrup
Nutrition
Want more Paleo fall and holiday recipes? Try one of these!
Paleo + Vegan Sweet Potato Casserole
Butternut Sausage Holiday Stuffing
Cauliflower Thanksgiving Stuffing
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Our Thanksgiving was terrific. Just terrific. I don’t have leftovers really since it was at my aunt’s house but she did send me home with lots of fruit and her meatballs since they are my son’s favorite.
I wind up taking most of the leftovers home from my parents house and I’m sure I’ll be dying for something else by tomorrow. Glad you had an amazing time 🙂
I may or may not be taking a full turkey breast back home on the plane with me. Try to take that away from me TSA. Just try.
Haha! While I’m not doing any plane travel I’ll be taking home several dishes in the car with me today!
YUMMY! (And it’s vegan 😉 perfect!)
I have no leftovers this year! But my dad and my “dinner out at a restaurant” was pretty awesome!
I’m glad you enjoyed time with your dad! Maybe not the typical thanksgiving but I’m sure it’s one you’ll always remember 🙂 hope you try the dish!
I have been finding all these great Thanksgiving recipes this week, which I haven’t been able to make since I am away. So I think when I get back I will need to do a Thanksgiving part 3 or something! I never been a big fan of candied sweet potatoes because they just tasted too sweet to me but these sound like they would be perfect!
I think all the holiday recipes work up through the new year, as long as you don’t get too sick of them. And sweet potatoes are something I eat all the time now anyway of course 🙂
We had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I prepped and cooked a lot on Wednesday this year, so I was able to enjoy family so much more on Thanksgiving day, which was great!
We host, so even after sending food home with family, we still have a fridge full of leftovers.
I’m looking forward to the magical Thanksgiving combo of: turkey, dressing and cranberry. I think this will be my breakfast lunch and dinner 😉
Breakfast lunch and dinner was leftovers for me too, although at this point I feel like I’m over it! Every year Saturday is the day that happens 🙂 It makes a big difference to prep as much as possible when you’re hosting! I’ve done the same in the past, and then by Thursday I feel like I can hang out. Glad you guys had a great time and that you enjoyed the dressing!
I worked yesterday so I actually haven’t had my Thanksgiving meal. Yesterday at work we had a Mexican Feast…totally untraditional but so delicious.
Something different can be fun 🙂 Glad you had some great food and hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend!
love that you used dates! natures candy!
They really are like candy. In fact my kids think they are candy!
HOLY COW this recipe looks incredible!!!! I LOVE candied sweet potatoes, so I’m literally drooling over this recipe!
My husband and I wound up eating the whole pan in one sitting! I’ve always been a candied sweet potato fan and this puts the junkie versions to shame 🙂
Made 1.5 times the recipe as had a few extra sweet potatoes. It was the best! Perfect. It will be a new tradition on our holiday table.
Yay! No joke – I’m eating my own leftovers of that dish right now!
I’m a little confused…the list of ingredients mentions 2-3 tbsp coconut oil for roasting the potatoes and 1/4 cup coconut oil for the topping but the instructions for the recipe mention using 1/4 cup coconut oil to roast the potatoes and 1/3 cup with the topping. Which one is it?
Thank you for catching that discrepancy! For roasting the sweet potatoes you will use about 2 tbsp coconut oil, and then 1/4 cup mixed into the topping. I’m updating the recipe right now 🙂
It is DELICIOUS, by the way! I have made it twice now and everyone who eats it wants the recipe! It has become my new favorite side dish!
That’s great! So happy to hear it 🙂
Do you have the nutritional info for the candied sweet potatoes? They are amazing
I’ve made these 3 years in a row and they’re SO good! An absolute favorite. My husband usually requests the traditional marshmallow kind, so I make both and these are more popular 🙂
I love this recipe! I make it every year. But this year, I have a lunch and dinner invite for Thanksgiving and need to make this for dinner. Is there a way to make it ahead?
Made a test batch for me and my wife. Lovely. Decided to add bacon. Everything is better with bacon!!
Great recipe, I will definitely try to cook it.
Oh, I loved this one. I just tried as you mentioned and it turned great and delicious dish in our entire house.
This is so delicious!! I was so impressed! The maple syrup is barely needed 🙂
I don’t like dates, so I substituted cranberries , but reduced the amount by half. Came out great! I just did a trial run to see if I want to take it to a group gathering, and it is a definite yes!
The candy is suitable for people losing weight with low calories.
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