Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Cinnamon & Maple
These Sweet Potatoes and Apples with Cinnamon & Maple are a warm, cozy side dish perfect for fall dinners and holiday gatherings. Roasted until tender and lightly caramelized, sweet potatoes and apples are tossed with maple syrup and cinnamon for natural sweetness and comforting flavor. This easy one-pan recipe is gluten-free, vegetarian, and ideal for Thanksgiving or weeknight meals.
Ingredients
- Main Ingredients
- 2 large sweet potatoes peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)
- 2 firm apples Honeycrisp or Fuji, sliced into thick wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- Seasonings & Flavor Base
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg optional
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional Add-Ins
- Chopped pecans
- Dried cranberries
- Fresh thyme
- Squeeze of orange juice
- Flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat Oven
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prepare Sweet Potatoes
- In a large bowl, toss cubed sweet potatoes with olive oil, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- First Roast
- Spread sweet potatoes evenly on the baking sheet.
- Roast for 15 minutes.
- Add Apples
- Remove pan from oven and gently add apple slices.
- Toss lightly and spread back into an even layer.
- Second Roast
- Roast for another 15–20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until sweet potatoes are fork-tender and apples are soft but not mushy.
- Finish & Serve
- Drizzle with additional maple syrup if desired.
- Sprinkle with toasted pecans or flaky sea salt.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Cut sweet potatoes into even 1-inch cubes for consistent roasting.
- Add apples after the first 15 minutes to prevent over-softening.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure caramelization.
- For vegan version, use olive oil instead of butter.
- Slightly undercook apples if reheating later.