Dessert Baked Sweet Potato

Name: Dessert Baked Sweet Potato
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 medium sweet potato; ½-1 Tablespoon coconut butter; ½-1 Tablespoon almond butter; 2 teaspoons toasted coconut flakes; 2 teaspoons toasted pecans; 2 teaspoons chopped dark chocolate; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

By Brittany Mullins

3.58

Published Sep 13, 2021, Updated Oct 10, 2022

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Turn nutrient-rich sweet potatoes into a satisfyingly sweet dessert! Just bake and stuff with your favorite toppings. Vegan and gluten-free!

Sweet potatoes are one of my absolute favorite vegetables and over the years I’ve found so many different ways to enjoy them — from sweet potato fries to sweet potato toast, sweet potato croutons and sweet potato brownies, there’s really nothing this veggie can’t do.

Baked sweet potatoes topped with a little coconut oil, butter or ghee are already reminiscent of dessert, but I took things to another level with just a few additional toppings. I bet you won’t even realize that this is actually a nutrient-packed dessert!

A pink plate with a dessert sweet potato on top. Topping ingredients are sprinkled around the dish and the tabletop. A gold fork rests on the plate.

Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes

On the nutrition front, sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta-carotene, vitamin C, manganese and potassium. And when it comes to satisfying a sweet tooth craving in a healthy, whole-foods fashion, sweet potatoes are the perfect solution, especially when baked until the potato is oozing caramel-y goodness. This is when you know the sweet potato is going to be extra sweet!

Ingredients measured out to make dessert baked sweet potatoes: almond butter, pecans, coconut butter, sweet potatoes, dark chocolate, cinnamon and coconut flakes.

Here’s What You Need

sweet potato – we’ll be using baked sweet potatoes as the base of this recipe.
coconut butter – make homemade coconut butter or pick some up from the store. Once you have this on hand, you’ll want to drizzle it on everything! You can also use it to make these coconut protein balls or coconut butter cups.
almond butter – I love almond butter in this recipe but any nut or seed butter works.
coconut flakes – look for unsweetened coconut flakes. I recommend using toasted coconut so either buy pre-toasted or make your own toasted coconut flakes! Watch closely so they don’t burn!
pecans – again, I recommend using toasted pecans! Either buy toasted pecans or toast your own by spreading the nuts on baking sheet and roasting at 350ºF for 5-10 minutes. Feel free to swap the pecans out with your favorite nut of choice.
dark chocolate – I love Lily’s dark chocolate bars. They’re gluten-free, vegan and instead of sugar, they’re sweetened with stevia and erythritol. That said, feel free to use your favorite chocolate brand!
cinnamon – the perfect spice pairing!

Side by side photos: first is two sweet potatoes on a foiled lined tray. Sweet potatoes are pricked with a fork. Second photo is two baked sweet potatoes fluffed on a wood cutting board. A fork and knife are on the board.

How to Make Dessert Baked Sweet Potato

This dessert sweet potato couldn’t get any easier to make and only requires a few simple steps:

Prep your potato – Pierce sweet potato several times with a fork – I usually do 4-8 holes depending on how big the potato is.

Bake – Place the sweet potato on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for about 45 minutes at 450°F, or until sweet potato is completely tender and oozing a little bit. Sweet potato is ready when the flesh is soft. You can test it with a knife!

Serve – Make a slit into the top of the sweet potato. Mash down each side and add toppings: coconut butter, almond butter, coconut flakes, pecans, dark chocolate and a cinnamon sprinkle. Enjoy warm!

tip!
For quicker assembly, bake your sweet potato ahead of time and store it in the fridge until you're ready to serve. To reheat, warm your sweet potato in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or in the oven at 425°F for 10-12 minutes or until heated throughout.

An overhead shot of a dessert sweet potato with topping sprinkled around. A gold fork rests on the plate next to the potato.

Flavor Variations

PB banana – drizzle on peanut butter and add banana slices.
Honey cinnamon – spread ghee or coconut oil on the sweet potato and drizzle with honey & cinnamon.
Coconut pecan – sprinkle on cinnamon, toasted coconut flakes, toasted chopped pecans & a drizzle of coconut butter.
Yogurt + granola – add a dollop of Greek yogurt, a drizzle of almond or peanut butter & granola (I recommend my grain-free granola or regular granola).
Sweet potato pie – sprinkle with cinnamon, toasted pecans, ghee or coconut oil & brown sugar.
S’mores – top with marshmallows, graham crackers crumbles & dark chocolate chips.

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