The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole with Cornflake Pecan Crust is the only sweet potato recipe you need for any occasion. REAL sweet potatoes, brown sugar and pineapple are whipped together for a fluffy, creamy bite you’ll quickly become addicted to. A must have for Thanksgiving and Christmas, this simple dish is a staple for family gatherings all season long. 

Sweet Potato Casserole in a blue and white baking dish with a serving spoon in it.


Sweet Potato Casserole

Just a few more weeks until we can stuff ourselves silly without having to apologize for it….isn’t that the best day ever? I look forward to Thanksgiving dinner every year because there are recipes I save just for this day….like my favorite Mashed Potatoes that are so sinfully delicious that they HAVE to be saved for special occasions.

And this sausage stuffing recipe….because it takes a bit of time to make but is sooooooo totally worth every single second. The most amazingly easy roast turkey recipe which stays moist and tender no matter how much you screw it up….everyone who makes it raves about it’s flawlessness. And this easy Sweet Potato Casserole with Cornflake Pecan Crust. 

I know a lot of you are die hard lovers of the mini marshmallows on top of sweet potato casserole but I’m not one of them. To be honest, I don’t think I ever tried that version because it just looked like it would make my teeth hurt from the sweetness and I’d end up having a sugar crash about an hour later….possibly face planting in my Apple Pie. You know what I’m saying? 

This recipe was, basically, “inspired” by both my MIL and our favorite steakhouse. So, in a nutshell, it’s very much like the Ruth Chris Sweet Potato Casserole if you were ever so lucky to try it. 

It’s a mix of sweet and savory with a crunchy, buttery pecan crust that I could just eat with a fork. All by itself. It’s soo, sooooo amazing. It’s definitely a family favorite.

Sweet Potato Casserole on a blue plate with a piece of grilled chicken breast.

Ingredients For Sweet Potato Casserole

For the most part, the ingredient list is pretty simple and there’s not one canned yam to be found. You can make parts of the recipe in advance to help speed up the process of cooking it before serving.

  • Yams – Since real sweet potatoes may be hard to find, yams are the traditional filling for this casserole. I use fresh sweet potatoes or yams that are roasted for the best flavor.
  • Butter – Salted butter or unsalted butter can be used interchangeable. Just taste the filling for seasoning and add more salt, if needed.
  • Brown Sugar – For rich flavor, I use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar. Whatever I have in the pantry at the time. You can also substitute with real maple syrup.
  • Egg – The binding agent here is a whole egg, it gives the sweet potatoes a soufflé texture.
  • Half and Half – If you don’t have half and half, you can substitute with milk or heavy cream.
  • Pineapple – For convenience purposes, we use crushed pineapple in a can. You can use fresh pineapple, if preferred.
  • Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, salt and black pepper give warm spice to the casserole.
  • cornflakes – Crushed cornflakes provide the crispy, crunchy crust.
  • pecans – I love the buttery contrast of pecans but you can substitute with walnuts or leave the nuts out altogether.

For the full ingredient list and instructions, see the recipe card below.

Spoonful of sweet potato casserole in a blue and white baking dish.

How To Make Sweet Potato Casserole

This easy Sweet Potato Casserole recipe is simple to make and you can even make it in advance! I love the cornflake topping but you could also top your’s with marshmallows if you prefer.

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the cooked, peeled yams, room temperature butter and brown sugar. Alternatively, you can mash the sweet potatoes with a potato masher or hand mixer in a large bowl.
  3. Mix on low to combine.
  4. Add the egg, half and half, pineapple, cinnamon and nutmeg mixing to combine.
  5. Pour the sweet potato mixture into a greased oven safe casserole dish and set aside.
  6. In a small bowl, mix together the cornflakes, butter, pecans and light brown sugar.
  7. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the casserole and bake for 25-30 minutes.
  8. Serve immediately.

You can modify this recipe any way you like. Sometimes I like to add a splash of vanilla extract, dried cranberries or a brown sugar streusel instead of the pecan topping.

How To Make In Advance

  • Make the baked sweet potatoes up to 2 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
  • To make the casserole in advance, assemble according to instructions leaving out the topping. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Sprinkle with the topping right before baking. 
  • To freeze Sweet Potato Casserole, assemble according to instructions leaving out the topping. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil. Transfer to the freezer and freeze for up to 3 months. 
  • To bake from frozen, uncover the casserole and bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the topping and continue baking for an additional 30-40 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.
top of sweet potato casserole with cornflakes and pecans in a blue and white baking dish

Why This Is the Best

Southern Sweet Potato Casserole is like dessert masquerading as a side dish. A proper vegetable side dish with the perfect amount of sweet that you can get the most veggie hating kid to eat the whole casserole dish. 

I made a sweet potato souffle…which is actually yams, I know, but tell that to my grandmother who created the recipe. It was amazing. Like a crustless pie with a praline topping. Absolute heaven.

And then I tried a sweet potato casserole at my in-laws house one Thanksgiving that I absolutely loved but was never able to get the recipe. My mother in-law used the praline topping, if I recall correctly, and I’m pretty sure it had pineapple in it. 

And so, the very best Sweet Potato Casserole recipe was born.

Like the mini marshmallow topping from my past, I felt the praline topping was a little too sweet. Like more suited for the dessert table and topped with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. (Which wouldn’t be too bad now that I’m thinking about it.)  

So I borrowed the cornflake topping idea from my hash brown casserole recipe and came up with something a little different with a ton of crunch, a great contrast to the soft, pureed sweet potatoes.

Hand with a serving spoon over a baking dish with sweet potato casserole.

Are Yams the same as Sweet Potatoes?

Contrary to popular believe, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing. Real yams are an entirely different root vegetable with starchy, bland flesh and thick, bumpy skin that’s similar in appearance to tree bark.

Sweet Potatoes, on the other hand, have a dark, reddish brown skin that’s thinner and a little smoother. While there are several versions of sweet potatoes at the grocery store, the most commonly found sweet potato is the orange sweet potato. A lot of people will say these are yams, but, technically…real yams are hard to find in the United States.

You can also find white sweet potatoes which are less sweet than the orange but you can totally use them interchangeably. You just won’t have the vibrant color that an orange sweet potato gives to this casserole.

If you’re here for a real deal yam recipe, try these Southern Candied Yams.….they’re AMAZING!

sweet potato casserole in a blue and white baking dish on a woven placemat.

More Easy Holiday Side Dish Ideas

More Sweet Potato Recipes

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Sweet Potato Casserole in a blue and white baking dish with a serving spoon in it.

Get the Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

Yield: 12
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Sweet potato casserole with a buttery cornflake pecan crust and spiked with pineapple is the only side dish you need for the holiday season. Fluffy, sweet and amazing.
5 from 2 votes
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Ingredients

  • 4 large yams, roasted and peeled (roast for approximately 30-40 minutes or until fork tender.)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup half and half
  • 20 ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 1/2 cups crushed cornflakes
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

Equipment

  • 1 baking dish
  • 1 hand mixer

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yams, butter and brown sugar.  Mix on med-low speed to combine.  Add the egg, half and half, pineapple, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix to combine thoroughly.
  • Pour the mixture into a greased oven-safe casserole dish and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the cornflakes, butter, pecans and light brown sugar. 
  • Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the casserole and bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until the top starts to brown.
  • Serve immediately.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

Casserole can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Store the sweet potato and topping separately in airtight containers, refrigerated, and top just before baking.
Calories: 322kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 50mg, Sodium: 47mg, Potassium: 0mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 23g, Vitamin A: 0IU, Vitamin C: 0mg, Calcium: 0mg, Iron: 0mg
Author: Kellie
Course: sides
Cuisine: American