Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping
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 pecan streusel topping. Recipe may be prepped and assembled completely in advance!
When I was growing up, Thanksgiving always included a sweet potato dish that consisted of canned yams topped with marshmallows. The texture reminded me of baby food, and it pretty much made me want to gag.
Years later a family friend brought a Sweet Potato Casserole to Thanksgiving dinner that was completely different than the one I grew up on. It was made completely from scratch, and there were no marshmallows in sight.
It was super fluffy and topped with a pecan streusel, which I adored. It was quite sweet, so I tinkered with that recipe and made it my own.
This is my variation of that recipe, and it’s just not the holidays without it. 🙂
Table of contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- This is the ultimate sweet potato casserole! It’s fluffy and delicious with the flavors of maple, orange and vanilla, and it’s topped with a streusel topping. You won’t miss the marshmallows!
- It’s holiday worthy. This recipe has been a family favorite for years. It’s festive and would be a great addition to your holiday menu.
- You can make it ahead. The recipe includes instructions to prep components ahead of time or assemble the entire casserole up to a day in advance.
Recipe ingredients
There are a few ingredients in this sweet potato casserole 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.
- Eggs. The eggs provide structure to the sweet potato filling.
- Butter. Adds great flavor and richness.
- Milk. The milk is added to thin the sweet potato mixture and provide richness as well.
- Maple syrup. The maple syrup adds tremendous flavor that really complements the sweet potatoes. It may be substituted with honey or your favorite sweetener.
- Orange. Fresh orange zest and juice really brings the flavors of sweet potatoes alive.
- Vanilla extract. A bit of vanilla extract adds delicious depth of flavor.
- Flour. Essential for the streusel topping. It 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. If you prefer not to use oats, sub with more flour.
- 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 sweet potatoes the day before you assemble the casserole. The entire casserole may also be made and assembled 1 day in advance.
See the recipe card below for full instructions.
- Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on a rimmed baking sheet.
- 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.
- Place the rolled oats, flour, 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.
- Stir the pecan pieces into the streusel topping.
- Spread the sweet potato filling in an even layer in a greased 2 1/2 quart baking dish.
- Top the sweet potato filling evenly with the streusel and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown and puffed in the center.
FAQs
Bake the sweet potatoes until tender, then cool completely. Scoop out the flesh and and place in a bowl with milk, butter, maple syrup, orange juice, zest, vanilla and salt and beat until smooth.
Pour the sweet potato mixture into a greased baking dish, then sprinkle with the streusel topping. Bake 45-50 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.
Eggs provide structure to the sweet potato filling.
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 refrigerator and bake the next day. Leftovers will keep in an air tight container 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).
- This recipe is quite indulgent so I normally get 8-10 servings from one casserole.
- Store leftover casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More holiday side dishes you’ll love:
- Cranberry orange sauce
- Crock pot stuffing
- Green bean casserole
- Homemade dinner rolls by The Country Cook
- Mashed sweet potatoes
- Yukon gold mashed potatoes
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
For the sweet potatoes:
- 3 lbs. sweet potatoes yield 3 cups mashed
- 1/3 cup 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 vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon 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
- 1/4 teaspoon 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.3 lbs. sweet potatoes
- 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.1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, 3 large eggs, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon orange zest, 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 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.1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, 1/2 cup pecan pieces
- 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).
- This recipe is quite indulgent so I normally get 8-10 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.
**This recipe was originally posted in December 2012. The photos have been updated and the text has been modified to include more recipe information.
14 Comments on “Sweet Potato Casserole with Streusel Topping”
Can you substitute apple and cinnamon instant oatmeal for oats on this sweet potato casserole?
Sorry Doreen…I just saw this as it went to my junk folder. That would probably work…did you try it?
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!
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!