Description
Sweet Potato Crescent Bites are a delightful bite-sized treat combining creamy mashed sweet potatoes, warm spices, and mini marshmallows wrapped in buttery crescent roll dough. Baked to golden perfection and topped with a pecan glazed with maple syrup, these delicious morsels make a perfect dessert or snack that blends the nostalgic flavors of sweet potatoes and marshmallows in a convenient, easy-to-make format.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Mixture
- 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/4 lb.), scrubbed clean
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Crescent Bites
- 1 (8-oz.) can refrigerated Crescent rolls
- 3/4 cup mini marshmallows
- 24 whole pecans
Additional
- Cooking spray, for greasing
- 3 Tbsp. maple syrup, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F and generously grease a mini muffin tin with cooking spray to prevent sticking. This will provide a non-stick surface for easy removal of the crescent bites after baking.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Pierce each sweet potato 3 to 4 times with a fork, place them on a microwave-safe plate, and microwave on high for 15 minutes. Check doneness by piercing with a fork; if not tender, continue microwaving in 30-second increments until fully cooked and soft. This method efficiently softens the potatoes for mashing.
- Make Sweet Potato Filling: When the sweet potatoes are cooked through, carefully scrape the soft flesh into a large bowl, discarding the skins. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher or fork until smooth. Then add light brown sugar, heavy cream, ground cinnamon, pure vanilla extract, and kosher salt, whisking together until all ingredients are well combined to create a creamy, flavorful filling.
- Prepare Crescent Dough: Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the refrigerated crescent dough. Pinch together all seams to seal the dough into one continuous sheet. Cut the dough into 24 even squares, sized to fit perfectly into the mini muffin tin cups, creating the base for the sweet potato filling.
- Assemble Bites: Place each dough square into a muffin tin cup. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the sweet potato filling into each dough cup, filling generously. Top each with mini marshmallows, distributing them evenly to create that signature sweet topping.
- Bake Crescents: Bake the assembled bites in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the crescent pastry is puffed and golden brown, and the marshmallows have started to melt and become lightly toasted.
- Add Pecans and Final Bake: After the initial bake, press one whole pecan into the center of each bite and return the tin to the oven for an additional 5 minutes. This allows the pecans to toast slightly and meld with the warm filling.
- Optional Finishing Touch: If desired, brush the pecans with maple syrup immediately after removing from the oven to add a glossy finish and extra touch of sweetness. Serve warm for the best flavor and texture experience.
Notes
- You can microwave the sweet potatoes ahead of time and refrigerate the mashed filling for up to 2 days before assembling.
- If you prefer, sweet potatoes can be baked in the oven at 400°F for about 45-60 minutes instead of microwaving.
- For a vegan variation, substitute heavy cream with a plant-based milk and use a vegan crescent roll dough.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg to the sweet potato filling for extra warm spice flavor.
- These bites are best served fresh but can be reheated gently in the oven for a few minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bite (1/24th of recipe)
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 2g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
