Cinnamon-Sugar Sweet Potato Pastries

Name: Cinnamon-Sugar Sweet Potato Pastries
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 32 appetizers.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup mashed sweet potato; 2 ounces cream cheese, softened; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest; 2 tubes (8 ounces each ) refrigerated crescent rolls; 1/2 cup sugar; 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon; 1/4 cup butter, melted

We always have leftover mashed sweet potatoes after our Thanksgiving feast. I take what’s left to make an indulgent filling for sweet potato empanadas. Convenient crescent roll dough makes this recipe easy as pie. —Sarah Vasques, Milford, New Hampshire

Ingredients

1/2 cup mashed sweet potato
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 tubes (8 ounces each ) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, combine sweet potato, cream cheese, brown sugar and orange zest. Unroll crescent dough and separate into 4 rectangles; press perforations to seal. Cut each rectangle into 4 triangles. Repeat with remaining dough. Place 1 teaspoon potato filling in center of each triangle. Fold dough over filling and pinch seams to seal.
Place 2 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly. In a small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon. Brush pastries with butter; coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Test Kitchen Tips

Cinnamon comes in two basic types: Ceylon and cassia. Ceylon cinnamon’s delicate, complex flavor is ideal for ice creams and simple sauces. The spicy, bolder cassia cinnamon (often labeled simply as cinnamon) is preferred for baking.

Dark brown sugar contains more molasses than light or golden brown sugar. The types are generally interchangeable in recipes. But if you prefer a bolder flavor, choose dark brown sugar.

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