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Bake up some fresh sweet potatoes to make Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping. The easy brown sugar and pecan streusel is a delicious addition to the traditional marshmallow topping, and one that your friends and family will love!
This post is sponsored by Challenge Butter. Thank you for continuing to support the brands that make My Baking Addiction possible.
I don’t know about where you are, but here in the Midwest, it is finally – FINALLY – feeling like fall.
The weather is cooler and perfect for snuggling under blankets with a cup of coffee. The leaves are changing. Sweaters are being worn.
And my brain is already thinking ahead to Thanksgiving.
I know, I know. We still have to get through Halloween first. But then we get to one of the best holidays of the year!
So I am going to say it’s not too early to start planning my Thanksgiving dinner menu. Right? Starting with a classic: Sweet Potato Casserole.
SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE WITH TWO TOPPINGS
Growing up, I wasn’t too fond of sweet potatoes, so every holiday dinner I would take a spoonful of my Nana’s sweet potato casserole and systematically remove and eat every single toasted mini marshmallow from my serving – leaving behind a pile of untouched canned sweet potatoes.
In fact, I am pretty certain that’s what 10 out of 12 family members did.
I decided to take the flavors of Nana’s casserole, which was brimming with brown sugar, vanilla and a little cinnamon – but kick it up a notch by using freshly baked sweet potatoes and not one, but two toppings.
First I topped the casserole with a layer of pecan-infused streusel topping for added texture and sweetness. This first topping is made with brown sugar, cinnamon, and my favorite Challenge Salted Butter.
I try to be conscious of the quality of the ingredients I use on a daily basis, but especially on special holidays. I trust Challenge Butter wholeheartedly and have been using their products in my kitchen for years, so of course I reach for them when making holiday side dishes such as Sweet Potato Casserole.
I suppose if you were not a fan of marshmallows on your sweet potatoes, you could stop there with just the streusel.
But me? Inside I’m still the little kid who loves those mini marshmallows.
So after some time in the oven for the streusel to get crisp, I sprinkled on a healthy handful of marshmallows for good measure.
The result was this gorgeous Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping – sweet potato perfection that will be a welcomed side dish to any holiday spread.
HOW TO COOK SWEET POTATOES FOR CASSEROLE
I loved the way my Nana made a lot of her recipes, but I just couldn’t bring myself to use canned sweet potatoes as the based of my Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping.
Instead, I decided to use fresh sweet potatoes and bake them off before making the casserole.
To cook the sweet potatoes for casserole, prick washed sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place them on a foiled-lined baking sheet. Bake the potatoes for 75-90 minutes or until they are nice and soft and cooked through.
Once they’re cooked, let the sweet potatoes cool slightly before using them to make the casserole.
Yes, 75-90 minutes is a while to wait while the potatoes bake, but I like to use that time to clean the house or prep other dishes such as scalloped potatoes, feta cheese ball or sweet and salty cheesecake.
You can also bake the potatoes a day or two before you plan to make your Sweet Potato Casserole.
CAN YOU MAKE SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE AHEAD OF TIME?
The biggest question I get for holiday recipes is whether they can be made ahead of time. No one really wants to do 100% of their holiday dinner prep the day-of.
Luckily, you can absolutely make this Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping ahead of time. Simply prepare the sweet potato portion of the casserole, spread it into the prepared casserole dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
In a separate bowl, mix together the streusel topping, cover and refrigerate.
When you’re ready to bake the casserole, sprinkle the topping onto the casserole and bake as directed, finishing with the mini marshmallows.
If you’re using a glass casserole dish, I recommend letting the casserole come to room temperature before placing it in the oven.
Enjoy this Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping this holiday season. I know you’ll love the sweet, pecan- and marshmallow-filled topping with the creamy sweet potatoes.
Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
- 3 ½ pounds fresh sweet potatoes about 5 medium
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons salted butter softened
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FOR THE TOPPING:
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons salted butter softened
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2 cups mini marshmallows optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Wash the sweet potatoes, prick them with a fork and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 75-90 minutes or until they are cooked through and soft. Allow potatoes to cool slightly until they are comfortable to touch.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Butter an 11x7 inch casserole dish and set it aside.
- Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop the insides into a large mixing bowl and discard skins. If you want the sweet potatoes to be ultra-smooth, you can push them through a potato ricer at this point.
- Add sugar, egg, salt, cinnamon, butter, milk, and vanilla to the sweet potatoes. Use an electric mixer and combine until the mixture is thoroughly incorporated and smooth.
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and smooth the top into an even layer.
- In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potatoes.
- Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned.
- Remove pan from oven, top with mini marshmallows and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until the marshmallows are melty and golden brown.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yum, your sweet potato casserole sounds (and looks!) fantastic!
Squash Casserole – a favorite classic!!!!
2 Cup yellow squash, chopped
1 Cup grated cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/4 Cup melted butter
1 med onion, chopped
14 Ritz Crackers
salt and pepper to taste
Cook onion and squash until tender and drain. Add milk and beaten egg to squash and onion mixture. Mix cheese, butter, and 7 crushed Ritz crackers and add to mixture. Add salt and pepper. Pour into buttered casserold dish. Sprinkle other 7 crushed Ritz crackers on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes.
Enjoy!
One of my favorite easy sides is Sugared Cranberries (from Cooking Light):
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups fresh cranberries
3/4 cup superfine sugar
Combine granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring mixture until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer; remove from heat. (Do not boil or the cranberries may pop when added.) Stir in cranberries; pour mixture into a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
Drain cranberries in a colander over a bowl, reserving steeping liquid, if desired. Place superfine sugar in a shallow dish. Add the cranberries, rolling to coat with sugar. Spread sugared cranberries in a single layer on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 1 hour or until dry.
Note: The steeping liquid clings to the berries and helps the sugar adhere. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to a week.
I have a very similar recipe that I make every Thanksgiving. It was handed down for generations on my husband’s side of the family. Since the recipe came from the deep south I had to tweak it a little. It originally called for WAY too much butter! My sister has named my updated version “Sweet Potato Heaven”.
Baked sweet potatoes, which are amazingly delicious and healthy, are the very evidence that being raw vegan is non sense.
It’s not the South if there isn’t a sweet potato casserole somewhere, like everywhere! Looks great.
I love sweet potatoes and this recipe looks divine! I will be trying this out for Thanksgiving, thanks for sharing :)
Sweet potatoes are always on the menu in our household on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Actually, we eat them year round in some form or another. These look wonderful, especially with the pecan topping.
I’ve always been such a fan of this casserole. So yummy and tasty.
Wow! This looks and sounds heavenly. I’m def saving this one to break out for Thanksgiving!