Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

Creamy sweet potato casserole with pecan and brown sugar streusel topping.

It strikes me as so funny that this dish is considered a vegetable or side dish in most old cookbooks. It has basically the same ingredients as sweet potato pie…why is it not a dessert? But I say that and folks just look at me like I’m the crazy one and they say, “Well, because it’s not…”

So, there you have it. This recipe is for a side dish or a vegetable, NOT a dessert. But if you want to eat it along with your other Thanksgiving desserts and as a side dish with your turkey—because that’s what I do—then who am I to tell you not to?

I love sweet potato casserole. I believe I could eat this every single day. I also like the version with melted marshmallows on top, but this one is my favorite. The brown sugar topping sends it over the edge into the object of gluttonous fantasies. And the sweet potato part is so creamy and sweet, with just a hint of cinnamon…I swear, it’ll make you want to slap yo’ mama. Don’t do that though. Just eat some more.

For this recipe, you’ll need 5-6 medium sized sweet potatoes, which you’ll roast in the oven for about an hour. Then add butter, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, heavy cream (or milk), eggs, and a little orange juice. See? Doesn’t that sound like a dessert?

The topping consists of brown sugar, flour, pecans, butter, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Mix the dry ingredients together and then work in the chilled butter with your fingers. Then stir in the pecans and mix well. Then just sprinkle it over the sweet potatoes and bake.

Use all the topping and cover the potatoes completely. And when it’s done, you’ll have crunchy brown sugar goodness on top and sweet, creamy potatoes underneath. You’ll think you have died and gone to Heaven.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallow Topping

If you’d rather have marshmallows than the streusel topping, just remove the casserole from the oven 10-15 minutes early, and spread a bag of mini marshmallows over the top.

Bake another 10-15 minutes until marshmallows are melted and lightly toasted.

Enjoy!

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Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel Topping

Yield: 12 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes

A creamy sweet potato casserole that's topped with crunchy pecan and brown sugar streusel.

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Ingredients

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, about 5 medium sweet potatoes
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsps orange juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk

Topping

• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter

Instructions

Sweet Potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 350. Wash sweet potatoes and place on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet.
2. Wash sweet potatoes and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours, until potatoes are very tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool just enough to be able to peel.
3. Put peeled sweet potatoes in bowl of large mixer. Mash potatoes with fork or potato masher. Turn on mixer and beat potatoes on low.
4. Add butter and mix until completely absorbed. If your potatoes got too cool then you can melt the butter first. Add salt, nutmeg, and sugars, and mix well. Add eggs, vanilla, and orange juice and mix well. Add milk and mix well.
5. Spoon filling into buttered dish. Sprinkle topping over sweet potatoes. Bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes.

Topping

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until well mixed.
2. Using your fingers, work the butter in until the mixture resembles large crumbs. Stir in the pecans and mix well.
3. Do not over mix or your topping will turn mushy.
4. Sprinkle all of the topping evenly over the sweet potatoes prior to baking.

Notes

If you want to substitute a marshmallow topping, just remove the casserole about 10 minutes early and spread a bag of mini-marshmallows over the top. Bake until marshmallows are melted and lightly toasted.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 12 servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 514 Saturated Fat: 15g Cholesterol: 95mg Sodium: 390mg Carbohydrates: 59g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 39g Protein: 4g

Nutrition counts are provided as estimates only. Southern Food and Fun makes no guarantee as to the accuracy of these nutritional values as ingredients and serving sizes may vary from person to person.