Candied Sweet Potatoes with dried cranberries and orange zest moistened with freshly squeezed orange juice. A must-have for Thanksgiving or any holiday!
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful time. Though it was cold outside but it was warm indoors with family, friends, and abundant food. We had a traditional Thanksgiving at home and a fun gathering at a friend’s house. It was good to reflect on God’s blessings for the year, hang out, eat, and catch up with friends.
There was also shopping on Black Friday. In past years when the boys were little, only Ro-Ri San would brave the cold weather to go to the stores. This was the first time we went out as a family at the wee hours to get some shopping done. It was fun and we found some really good deals. 🙂
Traditional Thanksgiving
Every year I prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the family. The boys look forward to turkey dinner and I try not to disappoint them. My Roast Turkey is far from perfect but the family thinks it is pretty darn delicious and I am happy with that. 🙂 I brine my turkey and use a simple technique to keep it moist. Do check it out.
Our favorite Chestnut, Pear, and Wild Rice Stuffing is one enjoyed by both family and friends. Over the years I have tweaked the recipe and at this point I am totally satisfied with the results. I usually save all the Rice Bread ends to use in this stuffing to make it gluten free.
Thanksgiving Get-Together
As I had mentioned earlier, we did get together with some good friends over the holidays. There was quite a spread of delicious food and we were stuffed! My contribution to the table was a gluten free Gingered Pear and Cranberry Upside Down Cake (top left corner). Do check out the recipe for both gluten free and traditional versions.
Now, back to today’s recipe. Candied Sweet Potatoes is a favorite of mine. I make this side dish every year and I normally add some chopped pecans and use apple juice. This time I added dried cranberries and orange zest and used freshly squeezed orange juice instead. It was delicious!
Tools Used in Making This Candied Sweet Potatoes
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.
• Hand Juicer Citrus Orange Squeezer Manual Lid Rotation Press Reamer
• Swissmar Swiss Trio Peeler Set

Candied Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- ¼ cup dried sweetened cranberries (35g)
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tbsp butter (28g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Scrub sweet potatoes and prick skin all over with fork. Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes until slightly under done. Peel and slice into ¼-inch thick slices.
- Place sweet potatoes in a casserole. Sprinkle cranberries, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg onto sweet potatoes. Pour in orange juice and dot with butter. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove and serve immediately.
Nutrition
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
Victoria says
My parents make roasted sweet potatoes all the time, but they always eat them plain. I love your idea of roasting them and then topping them instead of using mashed or chopped sweet potatoes as the base. I bet this was awesome, and your Thanksgiving table looks lovely 🙂 Glad you and your family had a great holiday!
Mina Joshi says
Biren
I love sweet potatoes. I always have them plain so will try your recipe next time. You certainly had a good spread for Thanksgiving. It all looks great.
Mina
Nasifriet says
Wow! Food…glorious…Food!! Your turkey looks gorgeous, Biren. I’m sure it must be crispy from the outside and moist inside? I’ve never tried sweet potato that way. Will give it a shot one day…
Did you have any turkey leftovers?
Biren says
Thanks Nasifriet! Yes, I did have some leftovers.
Anncoo says
WOW! Love those delicious Thanksgiving spread especially Turkey and the candied sweet potatoes. Wish I can join you in the next Thanksgiving 🙂
Biren says
I would love to have you join us for Thanksgiving 🙂
Roxan says
Biren, what a wonderful thanksgiving feat. I think I see jap chae and lotus root – I love seeing the addition of other cultures into the dinner, I think that’s awesome. I also LOVE that you have served the turkey on a bed of brussels sprouts! That’s my favorite vegetable. The sweet potato casserole looks great also.. and so does that stuffing! Will you be sharing the recipe for the stuffing? That just so happens to be one of my favorite thanksgiving sides.
Biren says
Thanks Roxan! Perhaps next year as I think most people are done with turkey. Please send me an e-mail with your address if you are still interested 🙂
Faith says
I’m glad you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Biren! Your holiday feast is absolutely gorgeous and I love your pretty table setting. We like to brine our turkey too! 🙂
torviewtoronto says
delicious dishes and yummy sweet potatoes never had like this
lequan says
Hi Biren,
What a lovely thanksgiving spread you guys had. Your pictures are beautiful. I’ll bet the gluten-free gingered pear upside down cake was a big hit. My dad used to microwave sweet potatoes for me when I was a kid. I was just telling Stella what a great childhood memory sweet potatoes are for me. I need to try your wonderful version some time. Thank you for sharing.
Karen says
Your sweet potatoes look wonderful! Love the addition of the cranberries…never thought of that.
Beautiful table setting, too!
Julie M. says
Yum Biren! Your sweet potatoes delicious. And your spread looks amazing! I would have loved to sit at that Thanksgiving table!
Elin says
Biren…I have never tried baking sweet potato with orange juice. I think it is a great combo with the cranberries, and orange zest and baked with butter…mmmm I can imagine how good this is. Thanks for this great recipe. Have bookmarked it 🙂
Btw can see that you have a great thanksgiving party….wish I was invited to share your delicious spread :p
Have a nice day Biren,
Elin
Magic of Spice says
What a gorgeous setting and meal. Glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I will have to try your sweet potatoes for Christmas, lovely! And Black Friday, you are so brave…I hide like a frightened child, lol
Biren says
Alisha, that’s too funny! You should try the early morning madness on Black Friday at least once. Who knows? You may be hooked once you try it 😉
tigerfish says
Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. Looks like sharing of good food and love at your dinner table 🙂
Jeannie says
That so much good food on your table I wouldn’t know where to start eating!:D Love that turkey, and the stuffing, and the candied sweet potatoes and everything else too!
Cherine says
What a beautiful dinner table!
I love sweet potatoes, and I would love to try your recipe! Looks really good!
kitchen flavours says
Wow, what a delicious Thanksgiving feast! Love all your food. Never tried sweet potatoes this way before. Thanks for sharing!
elisabeth@foodandthriftfinds says
Wow, what a beautiful Thanksgiving feast, Biren. Such a wonderful variety of great dishes.
I love your candied sweet potatoes. A nice change from the ordinary old fashioned traditional one. Also the dried cranberries adds a nice touch to it.
Thanks for sharing!
Juliana says
Biren, lovely Thanksgiving feast…the candied sweet potatoes look delicious…love the idea of making it sweeter 🙂
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says
I almost passed this up because I’m not a fan of candied sweet potatoes, but I knew it was you and I trust your recipes so I went ahead and took a glance. I LOVE the presentation. The part I like least is when sweet potatoes are pureed so this was perfect. it allows the sweetness to be there without losing the beautiful consistency and appearance of the baked potato. Brilliant (as per usual)!
Biren says
Yes, I have tried the pureed version but I prefer to have the sweet potatoes in slices.
sarah says
wow!! awesome…fabulously yummy dishes on the table…nice pics..yummy yumm
denise @ quickies on the dinner table says
Hi Biren – Glad you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends 🙂 The spread looks amazing and so welcoming! I’ve always loved sweet potatoes and jazzing them up with cranberries, nutmeg and orange juice sounds just short of divine! I think I might try this for christmas too – hubby will be pleased, I know! Black Friday sounds like fun, though the fact it’s called “black” seems to suggest that it doesn’t have many fans 😉
Biren says
Sometimes it does get “black” with the cold and long lines LOL! Black is referring to retailers making profits or “in the black” as it is the biggest shopping day here in the US 🙂
jagruti says
innovative…looks too good…bookmarking it…
Priscilla - She's Cookin' says
Wow, good to hear you and your family enjoyed your Thanksgiving and the day after. Black Friday is something I’ve never had the desire to particpate in, but glad you found some good deals. Your Thanksgiving feast and tablescape are gorgeous. I’m totally sold on brining – makes for a much more savory and moist bird 🙂
Reeni says
What a delicious and tempting spread of food Biren! Your turkey looks so tasty and your potatoes with orange and cranberries sound wonderful! Thanks for sending it over to the Showdown. I did a little bit of shopping on Black Friday too – for the first time I can remember!
rebecca says
beautiful meal 🙂 you are so sweet and a good mum
Tanantha @ I Just Love My Apron says
Love the table setting Biren! All the food looks delicious. Sweet potatoes are great choice. I really have to get my hands on root produce. At least, I got my hands on pumpkins tonight after I’ve seen your pumpkin posts!
I didn’t go shopping on Black Friday. It was crazy! haha
Biren says
Black Friday is fun! You should try it 🙂
Sonia Nasi Lemak Lover says
Your sweet potato look so tempting and good! Wow, look like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with all these yummy foods.
Sanjeeta kk says
Adding wonderful flavors to the baked potato is really interesting. I do roast it but this is a good idea.
Nutmeg Nanny says
Wow look at all that wonderful food! Talk about a spread 🙂
Kristi Rimkus says
Hi Biren! I went Black Friday shopping this year too. What an experience. It was nice to get the shopping done. Great sweet potato dish. I’ve not added cranberries before, but they would add a good tart contrast to the sweet potatoes.