A sweet and decadent side dish, this really is the BEST Sweet Potato Casserole. It is perfect for the holidays!
This is a must at our holiday table! Some other favorites are Cranberry Salad, Scalloped Corn and Broccoli, or check out any of my other side dish recipes!
The Best Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
I love trying new recipes. But when it comes to the holidays, I will admit that there are a few recipes that have to be on my table for it to feel like a holiday. For Thanksgiving, that includes pumpkin pie, Cranberry Salad, and this sweet potato casserole recipe. I first made this recipe back in 2007 and I think there has only been one Thanksgiving since then that I haven’t had this sweet potato recipe. And I have vowed to never let that happen again.
This recipe originally comes from The Pioneer Woman and is pure perfection. Yes, it is a lot of sugar. Yes, the casserole is sweet. But it really is so good just how it is. If you are worried about it being too sweet, there have been some commenters that have cut back on the sugar and still loved it!
How do you make Sweet Potato Casserole?
- Start by roasting your sweet potatoes. I just do this in the oven – it does take some time, but this step is easy to do ahead of time, as well.
- Scoop the cooked sweet potato from the skins and add it to a large bowl. Add the sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Use a masher to mash the potatoes and combine the ingredients. It doesn’t need to be smooth – I like some lumps in it. Pour this into you baking dish.
- Make the topping by combining brown sugar, flour, and butter that has been cubed. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the pecans.
- Add this topping to the casserole and bake until it is toasted and bubbling. Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving.
Can You Make this Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe ahead of time?
Yes! If you are making it ahead of time, keep the crumble topping separate and add that just before baking. Just cover and refrigerate both the casserole and the topping until you are ready to bake. I would let the sweet potato casserole sit out for a bit before baking as well, just to bring it back to room temperature. Then add the topping and bake as you normally would.
Tips and Tricks
- I love the crunch from the pecans, but if you don’t like them or have an allergy, feel free to leave them out.
- Yams or sweet potatoes? White sweet potatoes or orange? Many times here in the US, sweet potatoes are labeled as yams. But 99% of the time, they will just be sweet potatoes. Yams are actually pretty rare to see in your grocery store. So you’d be pretty safe to use either what is labeled as yams or sweet potatoes. As far as the color, both white or orange will work here, but I find that the orange are better simply for appearance.
- I prefer to roast my potatoes, but feel free to boil them or cook them in a slow cooker if that is easiest for you.
- The filling will sometimes look runny before it it baked, but will firm up some after cooking in the oven.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
See how to make the BEST Sweet Potato Casserole here:
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Sausage Stuffing with Apples and Cranberries
Corn Casserole
Snickers Salad
My Favorite Mashed Potato Recipe
Cranberry Salad
Easy Dinner Rolls
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The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
A sweet and decadent side dish, this really is the BEST Sweet Potato Casserole. It is perfect for the holidays!
Ingredients
- 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 24 oz)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons butter, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Scrub the sweet potatoes and pierce generously with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork tender, 30-45 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
- Raise the oven temperature to 400ºF.
- To the bowl with the sweet potatoes, add the sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Mash until combined. The mixture does not need to be completely smooth – lumps are ok. Pour the potatoes into a large baking dish. (I use a 3 quart baking dish.)
- In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and butter. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top of the potatoes.
- Bake in the oven until golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes:
source: The Pioneer Woman via Serious Eats
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/10 of recipe
- Calories: 371
- Sugar: 31 g
- Sodium: 338 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 54 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 57 mg
Keywords: sweet potato casserole, sweet potato casserole recipe
Shannon says
Hi,
Can almond milk be used in place of the whole milk?
Deborah says
I have never tried it with almond milk so I couldn’t say for sure. I would guess that it would, but would have to try it to know for sure.
STEVEN L. SCHULTZ says
excellent recipe. l added a little cinnamon with the brown sugar instead of pecans (we don’t like nuts). my wife loved it.
★★★★
Deborah says
I’m so glad you loved it!
Tammy S says
I love this recipe! It’s one of my longtime favorites! Do you know what’s easier and faster than baking the sweet potatoes? Boiling them! Like regular potatoes– no pre-skinning necessary. Just place them in a pot filled with water and boil until they’re tender. They get done much quicker, and the skins are easily removed afterwards. Our family has been making it this way for years, so I know that it works!
Deborah says
I have never tried the potatoes that way, but I may need to give it a try! Thanks!
WIlma says
Can the sweet potato casserole be put together and baked the next day?
Deborah says
If you are making it ahead, I would make everything until the topping, then just add the topping before baking.
Skip says
I need to make a large quantity using 4 lbs of sweet potatoes. How should I adjust the other ingredients?
Thank you, Skip
Jordan says
Made this recipe for Thanksgiving and it was a hit with the family! I have already shared the recipe with several others.
★★★★★
Darlene Schueler says
My grown son insists on a sweet potato casserole for holiday meals. This one was superior. I dislike sweet potato’s but ate a spoonful of this and it was really tasty, even for me. Not too sweet. I may have cut some of the sugar, but it was a great side dish.
★★★★★
Nay Dunnaway says
This recipe is good BUT I like using evaporated milk as it makes it richer and more flavorful.
★★★★