This sweet potato casserole delivers a warm, creamy, and slightly sweet side dish that’s perfect for holidays—or any cozy dinner. The naturally sweet potatoes get mashed smooth, enriched with butter, sugar, vanilla, and spices, then baked under a buttery brown sugar streusel topping. The result is a comforting dish that feels indulgent—almost like a dessert—but works beautifully alongside roasted meats or other savory mains. It’s straightforward and forgiving and makes a perfect make-ahead dish when you want to ease holiday stress.

Ingredients

3 lb sweet potatoes (about 5–6 medium)
6 tablespoons butter, melted
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt (reduce to ½ teaspoon if using salted butter)
¼ cup half-and-half (or heavy cream or whole milk)

For the brown sugar streusel topping:

3 tablespoons salted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pierce the sweet potatoes several times with a fork, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for about 50–60 minutes (or until soft when pierced).
Once cool enough to handle, slice each potato in half and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
Add melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and half-and-half to the sweet potato flesh. Whip or mash until smooth and creamy.
Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in a 9×13-inch baking dish (or similar size).
In a separate small bowl, mix together softened butter, brown sugar, and flour until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle the streusel all over the top of the sweet potatoes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake the casserole for 20–25 minutes (or until heated through and topping is set). If the topping browns too quickly, you can cover loosely with foil halfway through.
Let it cool slightly before serving.

Recipe Info

Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus baking time for sweet potatoes)
Cook Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes total (baking potatoes + casserole bake)
Total Time: ~1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: ~10
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish

Tips & Variations

Baking (rather than boiling) the sweet potatoes brings out a deeper, caramelized flavor.
You can prepare the mashed sweet potato mixture up to two days in advance — store it in the fridge, then top with streusel and bake when ready.
For extra richness, substitute half-and-half with heavy cream.
If you like a crunchier topping, you can stir in chopped nuts (like pecans) into the streusel.
Prefer a sweeter, dessert-style version? Mini marshmallows can be added on top in the last few minutes of baking (though that deviates from the original topping).

Approximate Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: ~370 kcal
Carbohydrates: ~63 g
Protein: ~4 g
Fat: ~12 g
Saturated Fat: ~7 g
Sugar: ~37 g
Fiber: ~4 g

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Jemero Carter

Sweet Potato Casserole

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 30

Total Time 1 45

Servings: 10 servings

Course: Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 370

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

3 lb sweet potatoes about 5–6 medium
6 tablespoons butter melted
½ cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt reduce to ½ teaspoon if using salted butter
¼ cup half-and-half or heavy cream or whole milk

For the brown sugar streusel topping:

3 tablespoons salted butter softened
1 cup brown sugar
⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Method

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Pierce the sweet potatoes several times with a fork, place them on a baking sheet, and bake for about 50–60 minutes (or until soft when pierced).
Once cool enough to handle, slice each potato in half and scoop out the flesh into a large bowl.
Add melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, and half-and-half to the sweet potato flesh. Whip or mash until smooth and creamy.
Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in a 9×13-inch baking dish (or similar size).
In a separate small bowl, mix together softened butter, brown sugar, and flour until coarse crumbs form. Sprinkle the streusel all over the top of the sweet potatoes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake the casserole for 20–25 minutes (or until heated through and topping is set). If the topping browns too quickly, you can cover loosely with foil halfway through.
Let it cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Carbohydrates: ~63 g
Protein: ~4 g
Fat: ~12 g
Saturated Fat: ~7 g
Sugar: ~37 g
Fiber: ~4 g

FAQs

Can I use canned or pre-cooked sweet potatoes instead of baking?
Yes—though baking gives the richest flavor. If using canned or pre-cooked, make sure they’re mashed smoothly before mixing with the other ingredients.

Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. The mashed sweet potato base can be prepared up to 48 hours ahead and refrigerated. When ready to serve, spread in the dish, add the topping, and bake.

Can I make the topping nutty or more textured?
Yes—you can stir chopped nuts (like pecans) into the streusel before topping for extra crunch and flavor.