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Best Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans

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This brown sugar sweet potato casserole with pecans is the ultimate holiday side dish. Creamy, spiced sweet potatoes are topped with a crunchy, caramelized pecan-brown sugar crust that will have everyone asking for the recipe.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4–5 medium-sized), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (for topping)
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes

Instructions

  1. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a large pot and cover with cold water by about an inch. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain well and let sit in a colander for a minute to steam off excess moisture.
  2. Return drained sweet potatoes to the pot or transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher until mostly smooth, or use a hand mixer on low speed for a creamier texture. Let cool for about 5 minutes.
  3. Add melted butter, 1/2 cup brown sugar, beaten eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir until well combined and smooth.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine chopped pecans, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and flour. Add cold butter cubes and use a pastry cutter or fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Do not overwork.
  5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in the dish. Sprinkle the pecan topping over the top, covering completely. Do not press down.
  6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges. If the topping browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

For make-ahead: Assemble casserole completely (without baking), cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add 10-15 minutes to baking time when baking from cold. Toast pecans before using for deeper flavor. Use cold butter for the topping to ensure a crumbly texture. Let casserole rest 10 minutes after baking for cleaner servings.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, brown sugar sweet potato casserole, pecan topping, holiday side dish, Thanksgiving casserole, sweet potato recipe

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