This sweet potato casserole with candied pecans is made with roasted sweet potatoes whipped with butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and warm spices, then covered in pecan halves coated in a buttery brown sugar glaze. The filling is smooth and creamy, and the pecans bake into a crunchy, candied top.

It’s a holiday staple for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it’s just as good for Sunday dinner. You can make it a day ahead, which helps on a busy cooking day, and it sits nicely on the table next to anything from these fall casserole recipes.

If you’re planning your holiday sides, these are worth bookmarking too:

Sweet Potato Casserole with Candied Pecans

Ingredients You’ll Need

Roasting the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them gives you a deeper, sweeter filling with no excess water. Use pecan halves for the topping, since they look prettier and toast more evenly than chopped pieces.

Ingredients

4 lb (about 5 medium) sweet potatoes
1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted (for the filling)
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk or half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups pecan halves
1/4 cup (57 g) unsalted butter, melted (for the topping)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (for the topping)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for the topping)
1 pinch flaky salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with foil.
Prick the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork and roast them whole for 50 to 60 minutes, until they’re completely soft and the skins are wrinkled.
Some syrupy juice will leak onto the foil (that’s a good sign they’re done).
Let the sweet potatoes cool for 10 to 15 minutes until you can handle them.
Slice them open and scoop the flesh into a large bowl, discarding the skins.
Lower the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Add the melted butter, brown sugar, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the sweet potatoes.
Beat with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
A potato masher works too if you like a few small lumps.
Taste the mixture before adding the eggs and adjust the sweetness if needed.
Then beat in the eggs until fully combined.
The eggs give the filling a light, almost souffle-like texture once baked.
Spread the filling evenly into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
In a medium bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and flaky salt for the topping.
Add the pecan halves and toss until they’re fully coated in the sticky glaze.
Arrange the coated pecans in an even layer over the sweet potatoes, flat side down.
Drizzle any leftover glaze from the bowl over the top.
Lining them up in neat rows takes a few extra minutes, but it looks great on a holiday table.
Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the pecans look glossy and toasted.
Check at 25 minutes, since nuts burn quickly once the sugar starts to caramelize.
If they’re browning too fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top.
Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before serving.
The topping firms up and turns crunchy as it cools slightly.
Scoop onto plates warm and enjoy!

Important Recipe Notes

Roast, don’t boil. Boiled sweet potatoes absorb water and make the casserole loose. Roasting concentrates the natural sugars, so you need less added sugar.
Canned sweet potatoes work in a pinch. Use two 29-ounce cans, well drained, and cut the brown sugar in the filling to 1/4 cup since canned yams are often packed in syrup.
Watch the pecans. Sugar-coated nuts go from toasted to burnt in a couple of minutes. Start checking at 25 minutes and tent with foil if needed.
Make it ahead. Prepare the filling up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it in the baking dish. Add the pecan topping just before baking and add 10 minutes to the bake time.
Adjust the sweetness. Sweet potatoes vary a lot. Taste the filling before adding the eggs and add a spoonful more sugar or a pinch more salt as needed.
Want marshmallows too? Leave a strip down the middle without pecans and add mini marshmallows for the last 10 minutes of baking. That way everyone at the table is happy.
Pick the right sweet potatoes. Look for orange-fleshed sweet potatoes like Garnet or Jewel, which are moist and sweet. Pale-fleshed varieties are drier and starchier, so the filling turns out heavier and less vibrant.
Don’t overbeat the filling. A minute or two with a hand mixer is plenty. Beating much longer can make the sweet potatoes gluey, the same way mashed potatoes get when they’re overworked.
Storage. Cover leftovers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions.
Freezing. Freeze the baked filling without the pecan topping for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight, add fresh topping, and bake.

How to Serve, Store & Customize This Recipe

Serving Serve the sweet potato casserole warm alongside roast turkey, glazed ham, or roast chicken. It balances salty mains and pairs well with green beans and stuffing. A little whipped cream on top turns leftovers into dessert.

Storing Cover the dish tightly with foil or move leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The pecans soften a little in the fridge. A few minutes in a hot oven, uncovered, brings back some of the crunch.

Customizing Swap pecans for walnuts or add a handful of chopped pecans and oats to the topping for more crunch. Use orange juice in place of half the milk for a citrus note. Dairy-free? Use plant butter and oat milk with the same measurements.