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 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 four rectangles; press perforations to seal. Cut each rectangle into four 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 paper-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.

Originally published as Sweet Potato Empinada's in Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook 2016