Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

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Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - cinnamon and cloves spiced sweet potato casserole with gooey, toasted marshmallow topping. A classic holiday dinner side dish!

Serve this casserole with my Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Cranberry Relish.

Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (1)

CLASSIC SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

A classic sweet potato casserole with toasted marshmallow topping is a must side dish for our holiday dinners. I know my kids always look forward to it because let's be honest, the toasted marshmallow topping is quite irresistible. I make it even more delicious by adding cinnamon and cloves to the sweet potato mixture and adding an extra layer of brown sugar just before the marshmallows. This Classic Sweet Potato Casserole with marshmallow topping is a must side dish for the holiday dinners. It's easy and can be made ahead of time, which is great when you are making it for the holiday dinner.

How to make Classic Sweet Potato Casserole?

Start by cooking the potatoes until soft. Drain well. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, spices, salt, butter, and eggs and whip the mixture with a hand mixer or mash with potato masher. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish and spread the sweet potato mixture in the dish. Top with mini marshmallows and bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden and toasted. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2)

How to cook sweet potatoes for a casserole?

The most common way to cook sweet potatoes for a casserole is to peel them, chop them and cook on a stovetop in a pot. Since I had my Instant Pot, I let it do the work and I have the stovetop free to make gravy or the cranberry sauce. You can also cook sweet potatoes baked style, scoop the flesh and mash for the casserole.

Tips for making the best Sweet Potato Casserole:

  • After your potatoes are cooked till soft, it is important to drain them well. Best to do it over a colander and let as much water drip out as possible. It will prevent it from collecting at the bottom of your casserole.
  • Add cinnamon and cloves for added flavor, perfect for the holidays.
  • To make it ahead, cool potatoes after cooking, mix with remaining ingredients and spread the mixture in a buttered casserole dish. Do not top with marshmallows just yet. Wait to do that just before baking. If you chill the casserole in the fridge, let it sit for 30 minutes in room temperature before baking. If you take it from a cold fridge to a hot oven, the dish may shatter.

Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (3)

Can I make sweet potato casserole ahead of time?

Cook potatoes till soft, cool completely, then mix with remaining ingredients. Spread mixture in a buttered dish and cover the dish with saran wrap. Store in the fridge. Wait to top it with marshmallows (or pecan brown sugar topping) just before baking, for best results. After you take the casserole out of the fridge, let it sit in room temperature for 30 minutes. If you take it from a cold fridge to a hot oven, the dish may shatter.

MORE THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES:

  • Green Bean Casserole from scratch OR cooked in Slow Cooker
  • Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Homemade Cranberry Sauce
  • Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing
  • Sweet Corn Casserole

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (4)

Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (5)

Classic Sweet Potato Casserole

Author: Anna

Cinnamon and cloves spiced sweet potato casserole with gooey, toasted marshmallow topping. A classic holiday dinner side dish!

4.97 from 28 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs sweet potatoes
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

  • Start by peeling and chopping sweet potatoes. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook until potatoes are soft. Drain well (see note).

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish and set aside.

  • Place cooked potatoes in large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, butter, spices, salt, vanilla and eggs and mash with potato masher or whip with hand mixer.

  • Spread the mixture in prepared casserole dish. Top with ¼ cup of brown sugar, sprinkling it evenly over the top.

  • Layer marshmallows in a single layer on top.

  • Bake casserole for 12 to 15 minutes OR until the marshmallows are golden and toasted and the sides are bubbling. I always place it under the broiler for just 2 minutes to toast the topping just a bit more. You have to watch it carefully so it won't burn.

  • Cool casserole for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

To make ahead:Cook potatoes till soft, cool completely, then mix with remaining

ingredients. Spread mixture in buttered dish and cover the dish with saran wrap. Store in

the fridge. Wait to top it with marshmallows (or pecan brown sugar topping) just before

baking, for best results. After you take the casserole out of the fridge, let it sit in a room

temperature for 30 minutes. If you take it from a cold fridge to a hot oven, the dish may

shatter.

Drain cooked potatoes well, to prevent the water from collecting at the bottom of the

casserole.

Nutrition

Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 408mg | Potassium: 832mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 32410IU | Vitamin C: 5.4mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment with rating below!

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  • How to Freeze Rice
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  • Easy Smashed Potatoes

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Did you make this recipe? Let me know!

  1. Denise says

    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (10)
    Absolutely fantabulous!! Made this recipe twice in two days, it went fast, seconds and had really great raves.

    Reply

    • Anna says

      Wonderful! Thank you so much for making my recipe, Denise!

      Reply

  2. Mary Beth Gibson says

    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (11)
    I love, love, love this recipe. The dish is simply scrumptious and it is easy to make. So good!

    Reply

  3. Courtney says

    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (12)
    Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! I doubled it and it turned out great! Everyone LOVED it!

    Reply

    • Anna says

      That's fantastic! Thank you so much, Courtney!

      Reply

  4. Trish says

    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (13)
    We made this for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was perfect! Directions were great, spices were perfect! We’ll be making it every year, thanks so much Anna for sharing your recipe. Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

    Reply

    • Anna says

      You are very welcome, Trish! Thank you for giving it a try! I am so glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply

    • Rita says

      Try a little almond extract my girls love it!

      Reply

      • Anna says

        Sounds perfect, Rita!

  5. Missy says

    Hello. I would like to try this recipe it sounds so good. I wanted to know approximately how many sweet potatoes do you use ( I know it says the weight but was wondering how many that generally is)

    Reply

  6. Kelsey says

    Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (14)
    Made this for the first time for Thanksgiving today. Everyone loved it and it was so easy to make. I'm saving this recipe to make for holidays now.

    Reply

    • Anna says

      I am so happy to know you love the dish, Kelsey! Thank you for giving it a try!

      Reply

  7. Adrena says

    Hello ! I’m just wondering if I make the casserole ahead will the cook time be longer than 15 minutes since it was in the fridge ? Or if letting it get room temperature solve it

    Reply

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Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - Crunchy Creamy Sweet (2024)

FAQs

What does adding eggs to sweet potato casserole do? ›

The egg is the all-important binder in a sweet potato casserole: it enriches and stiffens the mixture without making it heavy. Make sure to cool the mash slightly before adding the egg so it doesn't scramble, and to stir well so there are no streaks of cooked egg white in the finished dish.

How do you make sweet potato casserole not watery? ›

Eggs and cream help stabilize the dish and prevent it from becoming too runny (a common complaint with many sweet potato casserole recipes). Make it as smooth or chunky as you like!

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Are candied yams and sweet potato casserole the same thing? ›

Spoiler: They're not the same vegetable.

That's because sweet potatoes and yams are in fact very different vegetables that we've come to refer to interchangeably for a number of reasons over the years. While a dish may arrive at your table calling itself "candied yams," it may well have been made with sweet potatoes.

What does mayo do to eggs? ›

The scrambled eggs do not have a strong mayo flavor, but it does add a richness and helps to create fluffier, creamier eggs.

Why do Americans put marshmallows on sweet potato casserole? ›

Most people point to a 1917 pamphlet by the Angelus Marshmallow Company as the first time sweet potatoes and marshmallows came together. This company is believed to be the first to commercially-produce and sell the squishy white marshmallows we know, roast, and snack on today.

Why is my sweet potato casserole stringy? ›

Sweet potatoes stored at temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit will shrivel and become dry and stringy. Sweet potatoes may develop an off-flavor and the flesh may become discolored when stored at temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

How do you tell when sweet potato casserole is done? ›

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture, then pop it into the oven and let it bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You will know it's done when the topping is lightly browned and the center of your casserole is set and firm.

Why is my sweet potato still hard after baking? ›

The reason they are hard in the middle is cook them longer or on a higher temperature. Soaking will not help soften your sweet potato unless you are putting the potato and water in a pot on the stove and cooking it. If your sweet potato is still hard it's not cooked enough.

Why don t sweet potatoes get crispy? ›

The secret to crispy (instead of soggy) sweet potato fries is to spread them out in an even layer with enough room so that they don't touch. This is especially important if you're making a big batch of fries. Instead of just piling more onto one baking pan, spread them out over two baking pans or cook them in batches.

Should you boil sweet potatoes before baking? ›

In other words… do sweet potatoes need parboiling before roasting? Absolutely not. While many might choose to parboil the sweet potatoes before cooking for a shorter cooking time, we advise against it. Roasting sweet potatoes bring out their caramelized flavor yet leave the inside soft and custardy.

Should sweet potatoes be soaked in water before baking? ›

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: The main secrets to achieving that incredible crispy texture, is to soak the cut sweet potatoes in cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove the starch from the sweet potatoes so they´re not limp & soggy.

What variety of sweet potato is best for casserole? ›

Jewel. With copper skin and deep-orange flesh that's moist and tender when cooked, the jewel is a go-to potato for traditional baking and casseroles.

Can I substitute canned yams for sweet potatoes? ›

No, the two root vegetables are not really interchangeable.

What's the difference between sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole? ›

The difference is that sweet potato casserole can either have a toasted marshmallow top or a crunchy brown sugar/nut top and is made with brown sugar in the casserole. Sweet potato pie is made with white sugar, has nothing on top, but can be served with whipped topping.

What is the purpose of adding eggs in baking? ›

What Eggs Do in Baking Recipes. Eggs play an important role in everything from cakes and cookies to meringues and pastry cream — they create structure and stability within a batter, they help thicken and emulsify sauces and custards, they add moisture to cakes and other baked goods, and can even act as glue or glaze.

What does adding an extra egg do to baked goods? ›

Eggs also contain a variety of proteins that create the structure of a cake, and when beaten, they can act as a leavening agent by adding air to the cake batter. However, if you add too many eggs to your cake batter, then your end result could be spongy, rubbery, or dense.

Does egg thicken casserole? ›

Their ability to hold up to four times their weight in moisture makes eggs a good thickener for sauces, custards and curds. The proteins in eggs coagulate or set at different temperatures.

How can I thicken my sweet potato casserole? ›

Add more potato and no liquid also you could use potato flakes to thicken them to the texture you like. Either with plain(all purpose) flour or cornflour mixed in milk to disolve first themn poured in ( not too much liquid just enough to disolve the powder).

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