This sweet potato casserole with pecan topping is a classic favorite Thanksgiving recipe that everyone will love. Buttery sweet potatoes are topped with a homemade salty sweet pecan crumble.
No Thanksgiving table is complete without a sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, creamed corn, green bean casserole, and all the fixin’s.
This sweet potato casserole with pecan topping is nothing like the bland sweet potato casseroles of the past.
It is buttery, spiced perfectly, and topped with the most amazing salty sweet pecan topping that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
It’s even naturally gluten free for anyone with allergies. Everyone who tries it can’t get enough! It’s a holiday recipe that is sure to impress.
Ingredients to make gluten free sweet potato casserole
- sweet potatoes
- butter
- milk
- pure maple syrup
- brown sugar
- pecans
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon and salt
How to make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Topping
Step 1: Make the sweet potatoes. You will need 5 cups of mashed cooked sweet potato. Peel the sweet potatoes first.
Since I’m always finding ways to make Thanksgiving day faster, I often will boil my sweet potatoes the day before Thanksgiving and put them in the fridge.
You will need around 3 – 4 large sweet potatoes, depending on the size.
If you cut them into chunks before boiling you can cut down on the time that it will take for them to be fork tender.
Step 2: Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, you can make the filling.
Add the mashed sweet potato, butter, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt to a bowl and stir to combine.
This sweet potato filling is buttery, sweet, and tastes heavenly!
Step 3: Transfer the sweet potato casserole filling to a 9 by 13 baking dish and start making the pecan topping.
This recipe calls for pecan crumbs, which is basically just taking pecans and placing them in a blender until a flour like texture forms.
It only takes a few seconds to blend up.
Add the pecan crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and salt to a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to stir until combined. The pecan crumble should resemble wet sand as pictured below.
I love using pecan crumbs in desserts for the holidays!
Love Pecans? be sure to check out my pecan cream pie, pecan pie bars, pecan pie brownies, or my dark chocolate pecan cookie bars for Thanksgiving dessert!
Step 4: Spread the pecan topping evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees, until browned and bubbly.
When you have something sweet like the classic favorite sweet potato casserole, you absolutely need some salt in there to help counteract all the sweetness.
While this is definitely sweet, it is contrasted by the saltiness of the topping and the flavors coincide perfectly in your mouth with each bite.
Sweet potato casserole went from a no-thank-you to a non negotiable part of my Thanksgiving table each year!
It just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without this delicious sweet potato casserole on the table.
p.s. if you are more of a marshmallow person be sure to try my sweet potato casserole with marshmallows!
Are you making this recipe? I want to see! Don’t forget to tag me on instagram @buildyourbite and hashtag #buildyourbite with your recipe creations!
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Funeral Potatoes
- Skillet Corn Recipe
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Pie
- Cranberry Apple Crisp
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Sweet Potato Casserole With Pecan Topping
This sweet potato casserole with pecan topping is a must have side for your Thanksgiving table! Melt in your mouth buttery sweet potatoes are topped with a salty sweet gluten free pecan topping.
Ingredients
- 5 cups mashed sweet potato (around 3-4 large sweet potatoes)
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ⅓ cup 2% milk
- ¼ cup pure grade a maple syrup
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the Pecan Topping
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 ¼ cups pecan crumbs (see notes)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Peel and boil the sweet potatoes until they are soft and fall apart easily. You can do this the day before to save time on prep work.
- Measure the mashed sweet potato into a bowl
- To the sweet potatoes, add butter, milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt and stir well
- Transfer the sweet potato filling to a 9 by 13 casserole dish
- Add pecan crumbs, butter, brown sugar, and salt to a bowl and mix with a rubber spatula to combine. The crumble should resemble wet sand
- Spread the pecan topping evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes
- Bake the sweet potato casserole at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbly
Notes
Use a food processor or blender to grind up the pecans into flour texture
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
15Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 329Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 276mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 2gSugar: 29gProtein: 2g
Steve
Sunday 18th of December 2022
Serve cold. Add a la mode with butter pecan. Add a bottom layer of ground pecan.
Steve
Sunday 18th of December 2022
I love it cold right out of the frig. As a dessert a la mode. Can at a bottom layer of pecans.
Melissa McNitt
Thursday 17th of November 2022
Getting ready to make this again for thanksgiving. Everyone loves it!
Joy Shull
Friday 18th of November 2022
So glad your family enjoys the recipe, Happy Thanksgiving!
Madison
Wednesday 24th of November 2021
Has anyone used canned yams instead of sweet potatoes?
Chris C
Sunday 21st of November 2021
Has anyone made this the night before and then heated on Thanksgiving? Looking to make things ahead if possible.