This eggnog sweet potato casserole is topped with a crunchy pecan topping! The eggnog makes the sweet potatoes super creamy and adds the perfect amount of holiday spice! It's perfect side dish for both Thanksgiving and Christmas!
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Why You'll Love This Eggnog Sweet Potato Casserole!
- Eggnog Sweet Potato Filling - The sweet potato filling is made with eggnog for a rich, creamy, perfectly spiced filling!
- Crunchy Pecan Topping - The buttery pecan streusel topping is super crunchy for the perfect contrast of textures.
- Make Ahead for the Holidays - This sweet potato casserole can be made up to 2 days in advance and baked right before serving to save you time during big holiday meals!
- Side Dish or Dessert - This sweet potato casserole can serve as an easy side dish for any occasion, but also works as a light dessert!
You might also like this mashed butternut squash or this purple sweet potato pie!
Ingredient Notes
You just need a few ingredients to make this creamy eggnog sweet potato casserole!
Sweet Potatoes - I prefer fresh sweet potatoes for this recipe, however you can substitute canned sweet potatoes instead.
Pecans - This recipe works best with plain, unsalted, raw pecans!
Eggnog - Eggnog is a classic holiday drink that's made with cream, eggs, and nutmeg. It's slightly sweet, creamy and full of wintery spices! Using eggnog instead of cream in the sweet potatoes, adds a rich, creamy, perfectly spiced flavor! You can use your favorite store-bought eggnog or make your own (or just substitute with heavy cream instead).
Eggs - The eggs help the sweet potato filling set properly.
Spices - Instead of cinnamon and nutmeg, you can just use the same amount of pumpkin pie spice!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Sweet Potato Casserole
In a small bowl, make the topping by mixing together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Then drizzle with the melted butter and mix until fully combined and clumping together. Set aside.
To cook the sweet potatoes you can either boil them on the stovetop or roast them in the oven. I prefer the stovetop method because it's faster but I've provided instructions for both.
Roast Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Poke the sweet potatoes several times all over with a fork. Then wrap in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 40-55 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and can be pierced easily with a fork. Let them cool slightly, then slice in half and scoop out the cooked sweet potato flesh.
Boil Sweet Potatoes: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1 inch chunks. Add to a large pot and cover with water. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Boil the sweet potatoes for 15-25 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and pierced easily with a fork. Then drain well.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Add the cooked sweet potatoes to a large bowl and lightly mash. Then let cool slightly (this is so the eggs won't scramble when you add them to the mash).
Then add in the brown sugar, melted butter, eggnog, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and mix until fully combined.
Pour the sweet potato mixture into a large baking dish, then sprinkle the pecan mixture over the top.
Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crisp.
Recipe FAQ's
This sweet potato casserole will last covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Prep everything and place it in the casserole dish, then cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When you're ready to bake, remove from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before baking (this ensures the casserole is fully cooked in the middle and also protects your casserole dish from cracking due to temperature change). You may need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
Cover with foil and reheat in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave if desired.
Yes! You can easily halve all the ingredients and then bake in a 9x9 inch baking dish instead!
No, you can substitute heavy cream or whole milk if you prefer.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
More Side Dishes You Might Like!
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Recipe Card
Eggnog Sweet Potato Casserole
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Topping
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 ¼ cups pecans, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
Sweet Potato Casserole
- 4 large sweet potatoes , peeled and diced
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup eggnog
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, make the topping by mixing together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Then drizzle with the melted butter and mix until fully combined and clumping together. Set aside.
- To cook the sweet potatoes you can either boil them on the stovetop or roast them in the oven. I prefer the stovetop method because it's faster but I've provided instructions for both:Boil Sweet Potatoes: Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1 inch chunks. Add to a large pot and cover with water. Salt the water and bring to a boil. Boil the sweet potatoes for 15-25 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and pierced easily with a fork. Then drain well.Roast Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Poke the sweet potatoes several times all over with a fork. Then wrap in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast for 40-55 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender and can be pierced easily with a fork. Let them cool slightly, then slice in half and scoop out the cooked sweet potato flesh.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Add the cooked sweet potatoes to a large bowl and lightly mash. Then let cool slightly (this is so the eggs won't scramble when you add them to the mash).
- Then add in the brown sugar, melted butter, eggnog, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and mix until fully combined.
- Pour the sweet potato mixture into a large baking dish, then sprinkle the pecan mixture over the top.
- Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and crisp.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Blaire K says
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit!
Maria says
what's the rough weight of the sweet potatoes in the recipe? about 2 pounds?
Kyleigh Sage says
Yes about 2 pounds is perfect!