Description
This Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole is silky, cozy, and crowned with a buttery pecan crumble. Maple syrup adds warmth, while a golden, crisp topping brings the perfect crunch for holidays and Sunday suppers alike.
Ingredients
For the sweet potato base:
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- ½ cup brown sugar (adjust to taste)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk (or coconut milk for a tropical twist)
- Butter, as needed for mashing and richness
- Pinch of salt
For the pecan crumble topping:
- ½ cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
- ½ cup flour (regular or gluten-free)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 5 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Boil the sweet potato cubes in salted water until fork-tender; drain very well.
3. While warm, mash the sweet potatoes, blending in butter, maple syrup, milk (or coconut milk), brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until silky smooth.
4. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish.
5. In a small bowl, combine pecans, flour, brown sugar, and melted butter until a crumbly mixture forms.
6. Sprinkle the pecan crumble evenly over the sweet potato layer.
7. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until bubbly at the edges and the topping is golden and crisp. Cool 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Make-Ahead: Assemble up to 1 day ahead (keep topping separate for max crunch). Refrigerate; add topping just before baking. Add 5–10 minutes if baking from cold.
Storage: Cover leftovers and refrigerate for 3–4 days. Reheat at 325 °F until warmed through.
Freezing: Bake, cool, then wrap well and freeze up to 1 month. Thaw overnight and reheat at 325 °F.
Variations: Swap pecans for walnuts; add ½ tsp cinnamon to the topping; use coconut milk for a subtle tropical note; reduce brown sugar in the base for a less-sweet side.
Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in the crumble.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square (1/10 of pan)
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
Keywords: Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole, sweet potato casserole, pecan crumble, Thanksgiving side, holiday casserole