Name: Sweet Potato Casserole With Easy Candied Pecans
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling
Yield: 12–14 servings
Ingredients: 4 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into ¼″ pieces, plus more for baking dish; 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar; ½ cup chopped pecans; 5 lb. red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1½″ pieces; 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; 4 large eggs; 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup; 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract; 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

A 13x9inch white dish with sweet potato pure baked with a pecan topping.

Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi

Active Time
20 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 30 minutes, plus cooling

Everyone should have a no-holds-barred sweet potato casserole recipe in their holiday arsenal. This classic Thanksgiving side dish typically features mashed sweet potatoes crowned with mini marshmallows or a streusel topping. Our version skips these in favor of a crispy, buttery brown sugar–pecan “crust” that crackles when you dig in with a spoon. It’s sweet but not overwhelmingly so, and will be right at home next to the green beans and cranberry sauce on the Thanksgiving dinner table.

This easy sweet potato casserole starts with fresh sweet potatoes, not canned. We like red-skinned sweet potatoes here, which have a pumpkin-like flavor. You can dice and boil them—or steam them in the Instant Pot—up to three days ahead of time (drain and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container). When you’re ready to assemble, whiz the cooked sweet potatoes in the food processor for a silky-smooth potato purée, or go at them with a potato masher if you prefer a hardier casserole.

For the crispiest pecan topping, use chilled not room-temperature or melted butter (bank some extra day-of-holiday prep time by mixing this while the potatoes boil 2–3 days prior). Bake the casserole until the topping turns golden brown and the whole kitchen smells warm and toasty.

Still craving that marshmallow topping? Head over here for a variation.

Ingredients

12–14 servings

4 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into ¼″ pieces, plus more for baking dish

1 cup (packed) light brown sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

5 lb. red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1½″ pieces

2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more

4 large eggs

3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup

2 Tbsp. vanilla extract

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 13x9″ baking dish. Mix 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar, ½ cup chopped pecans, and 4 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, cut into ¼″ pieces, in a small bowl to combine. Cover and chill topping until ready to use.
Step 2
Cook 5 lb. red-skinned sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1½″ pieces, in a large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, 12–15 minutes. Drain in a colander and let cool 15 minutes. Working in batches if needed, transfer sweet potatoes to a food processor and process until smooth.
Step 3
Whisk 4 large eggs, 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 2 Tbsp. vanilla extract, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl until no streaks remain. Using a rubber spatula, scrape in sweet potato purée and mix to combine. Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish and spread to edges. Sprinkle topping evenly over.
Step 4
Bake casserole until set and topping is bubbling, 50–60 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.
Do Ahead: Topping can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Editor’s note: This recipe was originally published in November 1998. More classic Thanksgiving recipes, including simple roast turkey, candied yams, and perfect pumpkin pie, right this way →

Leave a Review

Reviews (323)

My husband loved this. I cut the recipe in half since we didn't have such a crowd for Thanksgiving this year, and it came out perfectly.
- Anonymous
- Leesburg, VA
- 12/15/2023
This was the perfect Thanksgiving recipe! I have made canned sweet potatoes, turning them into Candied Sweet Potatoes with marshmallows since my mom made them for the Thanksgiving meal. They have become back burner items to choose for the Thanksgiving meal so I went for something else. I changed this recipe slightly in that I baked the sweet potatoes, scooped them out and hand mashed them, and followed through with the rest of the recipe. I use slightly less vanilla and maple syrup and added cinnamon to the topping and a dash of it to the sweet potato mixture. After spreading the topping, I added even a few more pecans. IT WAS A HIT!! THANK YOU!
- PATTY P
- EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN
- 11/24/2023
Loved the Sweet potato recipe! Great!
- S.K
- Mumbai, India
- 7/20/2023
Delicious! What are the calories and the carbs?
- Anonymous
- Portland, OR
- 1/7/2023
I have been making this recipe since the first time I saw it printed in Bon Appétit over ten years ago. My family loves this take on sweet potato casserole! Sometimes I double the topping so that if there are any leftovers (rarely), I can add the extra topping to the layer of mashed sweet potatoes that is left after everyone devours the delicious top layer.
- Tasmin
- Kailua-Kona, HI
- 11/25/2022
Absolutely love this sweet potato recipe.
- Elaine
- Chiago
- 11/23/2022
it's the best!!!
- Linda B.
- Philadelphia, PA
- 11/22/2022
I served this last night with smoked ribs and brussels sprouts. Nobody liked the potatoes - not the kids or the adults. Too sweet. The vanilla made it gross. It was upsetting having gone through all the work and to waste food that had to be tossed.
- Kieth Moon
- New Jersey
- 10/30/2022
My edits because I am sugar averse (did not make this for thanksgiving so felt it did not need to be so rich; I would not have rated it if the outcome was bad since I didn't follow recipe!): reduced the sugar in the sweet potatoes to 2 tbsp and modified the topping by reducing the sugar in the topping all the way from 1 cup to 1 tbsp, using walnuts instead of pecans (it's what I had), adding muesli topping and cutting 1/2 of the butter. Turned out plenty sweet, so would definitely encourage others to cut sugar if they are concerned. As-is, definitely agree with some other posters that this is more of a 'dessert' than a vegetable side.
- Becky
- Seattle
- 10/5/2022
I have been making this for years and it is the most requested item every year. i always make more to send home with guests and to have at home for leftovers...one serving is never enough!
- Anonymous
- new york
- 11/23/2021
I've been making these for over a decade. Always a hit! I do reduce the brown sugar and add more pecans to the topping. Add vanilla extract to taste probably closer to 1 TB. Excellent
- Mary C
- Alpharetta, GA
- 11/16/2021
Very tasty, simple and easy to cook, an original dessert.
- Ced
- Paris, Frznce
- 11/12/2021
Instead of eggs and vanilla, try eggnog. Works really, really well.
- Just serve me the stuffing
- Hooksett, NH
- 11/12/2021
I have been making this for at least 20 years. Most requested dish at Thanksgiving.
- Lori
- Houston
- 11/12/2021
For Dkatzut in Baltimore: My daughter-in-law has a nut allergy, so I make her a special streusel topping with a generous cup of crushed ginger snaps, a quarter cup of brown sugar, a quarter cup of butter, a tsp. of ground ginger and a tablespoon of flour. It’s delicious!
- mmkms
- New York, NY
- 11/11/2021