Maple Orange Sweet Potato Casserole
It’s not Thanksgiving without Sweet Potato Casserole, and this recipe is a family favorite! It’s fluffy and delicious with the flavors of maple and orange, and it’s topped with a crunchy oat pecan streusel. Recipe may be made completely in advance!
**This recipe was originally posted in December 2012. The photos and text have been updated.
I didn’t grow up eating a Sweet Potato Casserole like this one at all. The dish that was served when I was growing up was canned yams topped with jumbo marshmallows, and it made me want to gag.
Luckily that all changed when one year somebody brought a casserole to Thanksgiving dinner made completely from scratch with no marshmallows in sight.
I made that recipe my own, and it’s been part of our Thanksgiving dinner ever since. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This sweet potato casserole recipe is made completely from scratch! It’s fluffy and delicious, with the flavors of maple and orange, and it’s topped with a crunchy oat pecan streusel.
- You can make and assemble the recipe in advance and bake it up when you’re ready.
- This dish appeals to even the pickiest eaters!
Recipe ingredients
There are a few ingredients in this recipe, but they’re necessary to add the delicious layers of flavor that make it so special!
Ingredient notes
- Sweet potatoes. I use garnet or jewel yams with bright orange flesh. Not a fan of sweet potatoes? Try my butternut squash casserole.
- Maple syrup. The maple syrup adds tremendous flavor, but it may be substituted with honey or your favorite sweetener.
- Flour. The flour may be substituted with gluten free 1 to 1 flour for a gluten free option.
- Oats. I used old fashioned rolled oats for texture, but quick oats may be used.
- Pecans. If you’re not a fan of pecans, substitute with walnuts or omit altogether for a nut free option.
How to make this recipe
This sweet potato casserole recipe includes a few components, but they’re all incredibly easy and may be done in stages.
Pro tip: Bake the sweet potatoes the day before you assemble the casserole. The entire casserole may also be made and assembled 1 day in advance.
- Prepare the sweet potato filling. Bake the sweet potatoes at 350 degrees for one hour or until tender. This may be done up to one day in advance!
- Scoop the flesh out of the cold sweet potatoes and place in a large bowl. Discard the peels.
- Add the milk, maple syrup, eggs, butter, orange juice, zest, vanilla and salt and beat until smooth. Spread in an even layer in a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
- Prepare the streusel. Place the rolled oats, flour, coconut or brown sugar, cinnamon and pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles pea sized chunks, then stir in the pecan pieces.
- Top the sweet potato filling evenly with the streusel.
- Bake the casserole for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and puffed in the center. Cover with foil during baking if the top begins to brown too quickly.
FAQs
Bake the sweet potatoes until tender, then cool completely. Scoop out the flesh and whip with milk, butter, maple syrup, orange juice, zest, vanilla and salt until smooth. Top with an oat pecan streusel and bake 45-50 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
Eggs are essential in creating a light, fluffy sweet potato casserole.
The top will be golden brown and it will be puffed in the center.
You can assemble the casserole up to 1 day in advance and store in the fridge, or bake and store for up to 3 days.
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: Bake the sweet potatoes the day before you assemble the casserole. The entire casserole may also be made and assembled 1 day in advance.
- If you make the casserole in advance, place at room temperature for about 1 hour prior to baking in order to reduce baking time (a cold casserole will take longer than 45 minutes to bake).
- Cover with foil during baking if the top begins to brown too quickly.
- This recipe is quite indulgent so I normally get at least 10 servings from one casserole.
- Store leftover casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Thanksgiving recipes you’ll love:
- Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Green Bean Casserole
- Pull-Apart Dinner Rolls by Bon Appetit
- Roasted Turkey Breast
- Spatchcock Turkey
- Turkey Gravy
- Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes
If you make this recipe I’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment and rating below, or snap a photo and tag me @flavorthemoments on Instagram!
Maple Orange Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes:
- 3 lbs. sweet potatoes yield 3 cups mashed
- 1/3 cup skim milk
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup*
- 3 large eggs lightly beaten
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the streusel:
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- 1/2 cup pecan pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 45 – 60 minutes or until very tender. Remove from heat and slice the top of each sweet potato with a knife to allow the steam to release. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes or overnight.
- When cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh of each sweet potato and place in a large bowl. Add the milk, maple syrup, eggs, butter, orange zest and juice, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium speed with a hand mixer until smooth.
- Grease a 2 1/2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.
- Place the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and pinch of salt into a medium bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, fork or your fingers until the butter is incorporated and the mixture is in pea-sized clumps. Stir in the pecan pieces just until incorporated.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the sweet potato mixture. At this point, you may cover the casserole and store in the fridge for 1-2 days until you’re ready to bake it.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until puffed and the streusel is golden brown, covering with foil if it begins to brown too quickly. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Pro tip: Bake the sweet potatoes the day before you assemble the casserole. The entire casserole may also be made and assembled 1 day in advance.
- If you make the casserole in advance, place at room temperature for about 1 hour prior to baking in order to reduce baking time (a cold casserole will take longer than 45 minutes to bake).
- Cover with foil during baking if the top begins to brown too quickly.
- This recipe is quite indulgent so I normally get at least 10 servings from one casserole.
- Store leftover casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
12 Comments on “Maple Orange Sweet Potato Casserole”
What a gorgeous casserole, Marcie! I didn’t like sweet potatoes much growing up, but luckily, my tastes are changing and I’m finding I love them in different varieties. That streusel topping…I just want to dive right in! And I love the maple and orange combo. So fun for the holidays!
I’m so glad my tastes changed too…or rather I discovered how good sweet potatoes really are! Thanks Gayle!
I remember when I was young, my parents served a sweet potato casserole with the jumbo marshmallows on top, and it WAS gag-worthy! I finally tasted a worthy sweet potato casserole a few years ago, and I’ve become a fan! This one looks far from gag-worthy! I think the oat and pecan topping is just the perfect touch!
It’s those canned sweet potatoes…they’re like baby food! It’s so great that we both know what sweet potatoes are supposed to taste like now. haha Thanks Katherine!
This is sheer perfection! I’m obsessed with healthier sweet potato casseroles, and this one looks like such a crowd-pleaser! Thankfully, my family moved away from the canned yams and marshmallow-topped casseroles a few years ago (Insert praise-hands emoji here ;), and I know they’d be all over this dish. These photos are sooooo gorgeous! I want it for breakfast!
Thanks so much Julia and I wouldn’t be opposed to eating this for breakfast!:) Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
As much as I love sweet potatoes, I’ve never been able to tolerate that mess that is marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole. This though? Watch me eat the entire pan. It sounds amazing!
Thanks Kelsie!
I should probably give the more “sweet” sweet potato casseroles a try again – i.e. this one! haha They usually are just much too sweet for me but I trust you Marcie!! And this sure does look fantastic!
Let’s just say a little of this goes a long way for me…it’s indulgent but not hurt-your-teeth sweet. haha Thanks so much Ashley!
Would a 9×13 pan work for this? Can’t wait to try this recipe for Thanksgiving 🙂
Hi Katie! This dish fits perfectly in a 9″ square baking dish or pie plate. You can certainly use a 9×13″ pan, the casserole will just need to be a spread thinner which may result in a shorter baking time. I hope that helps!