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.
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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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Trying out candied sweet potatoes that are both paleo and vegan was a total win for me. I love how naturally sweet and satisfying they are without relying on processed ingredients. It’s become one of my favorite go-to sides—comforting, flavorful, and aligned with how I like to eat clean.
Trying out candied sweet potatoes that are both paleo and vegan was a total win for me. I love physical therapy how naturally sweet and satisfying they are without relying on processed ingredients. It’s become one of my favorite go-to sides—comforting, flavorful, and aligned with how I like to eat clean.
I love this recipe. And so did my guest. It is my favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes . The coconut with the sweet potatoes was a delicious treat.
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