Sweet potato brown sugar praline boats made with wholesome baked sweet potatoes, pecans, brown sugar, and marshmallows made a great side dish for your special occasion meal! Make it plant-based with vegan-compliant ingredients (see below).
Why I Love These Praline Sweet Potato Boats:
I already have two yummy sweet potato dishes on the blog – my Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans and Brown Sugar and my Savory Sweet Potato Casserole – which both make delicious side dishes. There is just something fun and unique though about having an individual serving, just for you!
This recipe only makes three individual boats. You can, of course double it; but this way you aren’t stuck with a whole casserole dish of leftovers when you only wanted a few.
The best part about this little praline sweet potato boats though is that the sweet part is on the top layer, not mixed in with the potato. They aren’t overly sweet, and you can control how much topping you get with each bite.
Ingredients Needed For Vegan Praline Sweet Potatoes:
- Sweet potatoes
- organic brown sugar
- chopped pecans
- flour
- vegan butter
- vegan marshmallows
Pin now to save for later:
Tips and Tricks for Making this Recipe:
Please read through this recipe so that your sweet potato boats will turn out as yummy as mine. There is a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for your convenience; but a lot of really useful information can be found here.
Vegan-Compliant Ingredients:
These sweet potato boats can be made 100% vegan! You just need to source the correct ingredients.
Vegan Buter
My current favorite vegan butter is Country Crock Plant Butter. I’m most fond of the Almond Oil variety. It does have palm kernel oil in it. If that is your concern then the best vegan butter that does not contain palm oil is Miyoko’s. I am challenged finding this butter in my local grocery store.
Dandies Brand Marshmallows (affiliate link)
Most marshmallows contain gelatin which makes them not vegan. Dandies brand does not contain gelatin. They taste, bake, and melt just like non-vegan marshmallows. I have found Dandies Marshmallows at stores like Trader Joe’s. I usually just order on Amazon (affiliate link)
Vegan Sugar
Sugar may or may not be vegan. Most sugar in the United States is processed using bone char. If this is your concern, then use brown sugar labeled vegan or organic brown sugar.
Baking the Sweet Potatoes:
First, poke the potatoes with a fork in a few places. This will allow the steam and juices to release where you want them to go. You will bake the potatoes at 400° for 40 minutes.
Next, after the sweet potato has baked and is cooled slightly so that you can handle it, slice along the upper edge to open it and give it a little pinch to open it.
Pro tip:
For a finished look, fold down the edges where you have cut and opened the sweet potato.
Finally, fluff with a fork before adding on the toppings.
The Toppings:
While your sweet potato is cooling slightly, you can prepare the praline topping. Melt the butter and chop the pecans. I like to use a handy food processor that is small enough to leave on my counter.
Add in the brown sugar and flour and give it a stir, then add in the chopped pecans. 
The Praline Mixture:
Top each sweet potato with the praline mixture and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
If you choose to add marshmallows to the top, add the last 5 minutes. Too long and they will start to harden and be tough.
Yum, doesn’t this look delicious! Since these are individual servings, there won’t be any need to save and refrigerate. Should you need to, wrap tightly and then reheat for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. I will point out though, that the marshmallows won’t do as well reheating in the microwave. 
The recipe for Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Praline Boats:
I hope you enjoy the recipe, but don’t say good-bye! Sign-up here for recipe tips and kitchen wisdom. I also invite you to email me with any questions you have. When you become a part of the Veggie Fun Kitchen Community, you’ll learn to cook great tasting recipes the whole family will enjoy! (No spam here! I will never share your email, and you can unsubscribe whenever you want!)
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Praline Boats
Ingredients
- 3 sweet potatoes
- 1/3 cup brown sugar packed
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- 3 Tablespoons flour
- 3 Tablespoons butter vegan
- 1/8 cup mini marshmallows Dandies brand
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- Wash and score - or poke the sweet potatoes with a fork.
- Bake for 40 minutes or until tender when you pinch them. Take them out to cool slightly, leaving them in the baking pan. Do not turn off the oven.
- While sweet potatoes are cooling, you can prepare the praline topping.
- Melt butter in microwave and chop pecans.
- Mix together the melted butter, brown sugar, and flour. Add in and continue mixing the pecans. Set aside.
- The sweet potaotes should be cool enough to handle now. Cut a slit in the top of each and pinch to open.
- For a finished look, fold down and tuck the edges of the skins where you cut the slit.
- Fluff the baked sweet potatoes with a fork.
- Add in the praline topping and return to the oven for 15 minutes.
- If you desire to add marshmallows on top, only do so the last 5 minutes of baking.
What is the measured amount of pecans? I can’t find it in the recipe.