Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe - cinnamon and cloves spiced sweet potato casserole with gooey, toasted marshmallow topping. A classic holiday dinner side dish!
Serve this casserole with my Oven Roasted Turkey Breast and Cranberry Relish.
CLASSIC SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE
A classic sweet potato casserole with toasted marshmallow topping is a must side dish for our holiday dinners. I know my kids always look forward to it because let's be honest, the toasted marshmallow topping is quite irresistible. I make it even more delicious by adding cinnamon and cloves to the sweet potato mixture and adding an extra layer of brown sugar just before the marshmallows. This Classic Sweet Potato Casserole with marshmallow topping is a must side dish for the holiday dinners. It's easy and can be made ahead of time, which is great when you are making it for the holiday dinner.
How to make Classic Sweet Potato Casserole?
Start by cooking the potatoes until soft. Drain well. Place in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, spices, salt, butter, and eggs and whip the mixture with a hand mixer or mash with potato masher. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish and spread the sweet potato mixture in the dish. Top with mini marshmallows and bake in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the marshmallows are golden and toasted. Let the casserole cool for 10 minutes before serving.
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How to cook sweet potatoes for a casserole?
The most common way to cook sweet potatoes for a casserole is to peel them, chop them and cook on a stovetop in a pot. Since I had my Instant Pot, I let it do the work and I have the stovetop free to make gravy or the cranberry sauce. You can also cook sweet potatoes baked style, scoop the flesh and mash for the casserole.
Tips for making the best Sweet Potato Casserole:
- After your potatoes are cooked till soft, it is important to drain them well. Best to do it over a colander and let as much water drip out as possible. It will prevent it from collecting at the bottom of your casserole.
- Add cinnamon and cloves for added flavor, perfect for the holidays.
- To make it ahead, cool potatoes after cooking, mix with remaining ingredients and spread the mixture in a buttered casserole dish. Do not top with marshmallows just yet. Wait to do that just before baking. If you chill the casserole in the fridge, let it sit for 30 minutes in room temperature before baking. If you take it from a cold fridge to a hot oven, the dish may shatter.
Can I make sweet potato casserole ahead of time?
Cook potatoes till soft, cool completely, then mix with remaining ingredients. Spread mixture in a buttered dish and cover the dish with saran wrap. Store in the fridge. Wait to top it with marshmallows (or pecan brown sugar topping) just before baking, for best results. After you take the casserole out of the fridge, let it sit in room temperature for 30 minutes. If you take it from a cold fridge to a hot oven, the dish may shatter.
MORE THANKSGIVING SIDE DISHES:
- Green Bean Casserole from scratch OR cooked in Slow Cooker
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Slow Cooker Sausage Stuffing
- Sweet Corn Casserole
If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo and share it on INSTAGRAM! Tag me @crunchycreamysweet so I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀
Classic Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs sweet potatoes
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 cups mini marshmallows
Instructions
- Start by peeling and chopping sweet potatoes. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook until potatoes are soft. Drain well (see note).2 ½ lbs sweet potatoes
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish and set aside.
- Place cooked potatoes in large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, butter, spices, salt, vanilla and eggs and mash with potato masher or whip with hand mixer.2 large eggs, ½ cup packed brown sugar, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon salt
- Spread the mixture in prepared casserole dish. Top with ¼ cup of brown sugar, sprinkling it evenly over the top.¼ cup packed brown sugar
- Layer marshmallows in a single layer on top.2 cups mini marshmallows
- Bake casserole for 12 to 15 minutes OR until the marshmallows are golden and toasted and the sides are bubbling. I always place it under the broiler for just 2 minutes to toast the topping just a bit more. You have to watch it carefully so it won't burn.
- Cool casserole for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Video
Notes
- To make ahead: Cook potatoes till soft, cool completely, then mix with remaining ingredients. Spread the mixture in a buttered dish and cover the dish with saran wrap. Store in the fridge. For best results, wait to top it with marshmallows (or pecan brown sugar topping) just before baking. After you take the casserole out of the fridge, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. If you take it from a cold fridge to a hot oven, the dish may shatter. Drain cooked potatoes well, to prevent the water from collecting at the bottom of the casserole.
Agnes says
can this be made without eggs
Anna says
Hi Agnes! Yep, you can skip the eggs. The casserole will still be delicious! Hope this helps!
Jola says
Our best Thanksgiving turkey add-on. Anyone who hasn't tried it will regret it ... or try it because it's worth it!
Denise says
Absolutely fantabulous!! Made this recipe twice in two days, it went fast, seconds and had really great raves.
Anna says
Wonderful! Thank you so much for making my recipe, Denise!
Mary Beth Gibson says
I love, love, love this recipe. The dish is simply scrumptious and it is easy to make. So good!
Courtney says
Thank you so much for sharing the recipe! I doubled it and it turned out great! Everyone LOVED it!
Anna says
That's fantastic! Thank you so much, Courtney!
Trish says
We made this for Thanksgiving yesterday and it was perfect! Directions were great, spices were perfect! We’ll be making it every year, thanks so much Anna for sharing your recipe. Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!
Anna says
You are very welcome, Trish! Thank you for giving it a try! I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Rita says
Try a little almond extract my girls love it!
Anna says
Sounds perfect, Rita!
Missy says
Hello. I would like to try this recipe it sounds so good. I wanted to know approximately how many sweet potatoes do you use ( I know it says the weight but was wondering how many that generally is)
Kelsey says
Made this for the first time for Thanksgiving today. Everyone loved it and it was so easy to make. I'm saving this recipe to make for holidays now.
Anna says
I am so happy to know you love the dish, Kelsey! Thank you for giving it a try!
Adrena says
Hello ! I’m just wondering if I make the casserole ahead will the cook time be longer than 15 minutes since it was in the fridge ? Or if letting it get room temperature solve it