Louisiana Stuffed Oranges

These Louisiana stuffed oranges take baked sweet potatoes and mash them with brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a splash of Grand Marnier, then pile everything back into hollowed-out orange halves and bake until golden. It’s a Southern side dish that straddles the line between savory and sweet.

Chopping up half the orange pulp and folding it into the sweet potato filling is what makes this recipe sing. That burst of fresh citrus cuts through the richness of the butter and brown sugar, keeping each bite from feeling too heavy.

The pecans sprinkled on top toast in the oven and add crunch against the creamy filling. They’re doing serious work here, so don’t leave them out.

Pro Tips

• Bake the yams until very soft. They need to mash smoothly with no lumps. Underdone sweet potatoes won’t blend with the other ingredients and you’ll get a chunky, uneven filling.
• Scoop the oranges carefully. Leave the shell intact so it holds the filling without collapsing. A grapefruit spoon works better than a regular spoon for this.
• Don’t skip the Grand Marnier. Even just an ounce intensifies the orange flavor and adds a warm, boozy depth that baking mellows out. Cointreau works the same way.
• Serve warm, not hot. Right out of the oven the filling is too soft to hold its shape. Five minutes of rest lets everything set up.

Variations

• Bourbon pecan version: Swap the Grand Marnier for bourbon and add a drizzle of maple syrup for a deeper, smokier flavor.
• Marshmallow-topped: Skip the pecan topping and add mini marshmallows during the last five minutes of baking for a Thanksgiving-style finish.