Sweet Potato Crunch

Why we love this recipe

• Versatile: No Thanksgiving or Christmas spread is complete without a sweet potato crunch, but this casserole is also delicious at any time of the year.
• Make-ahead: Make it in advance, then cook it the next day. Save valuable time when your friends or family are visiting!
• Textured: So many textures are layered throughout the casserole, making this recipe a one-of-a-kind eating experience.

What is sweet potato crunch?

Sweet potato crunch is a popular dish that originally comes from down South. In general, sweet potato casseroles contain fairly similar ingredients — sweet potatoes, brown sugar, cream, eggs, and a textured topping.

Many recipes include a candied pecan or streusel topping, while others are topped with marshmallows for a light and airy feel. This recipe is all about the crunch factor (hence the name), which is why you’ll find only candied pecans on top.

For a warming flavor, I opted to use spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. You can customize the spice profile and sweetness as you go, and make this recipe a new tradition in your household for the holidays!

Ingredient notes

Full ingredient quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Sweet potatoes: I prefer boiling my sweet potatoes as it’s the quickest method, but you can also bake them. Make sure to use orange-skinned varieties like Garnet, Heirloom, or Jewel sweet potatoes.
• Cream: To create a rich and velvety smooth sweet potato texture, heavy cream is a must! You can use whipping cream, or substitute half-and-half for a lighter feel.
• Butter: Salted butter adds a rich liveliness to both the sweet potato filling and the pecan topping. Use unsalted butter for better control of the overall salt level.
• Egg: Adds structure while keeping the consistency of the sweet potato filling light and airy.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Made of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice, pumpkin pie spice is a sweet potato’s best friend. It’s full of sweet, festive, and aromatic spices that create warmth. No pumpkin pie spice on hand? Use cinnamon or allspice instead.
• Salt: This casserole contains mainly sweet elements, so it’s important to incorporate savory ingredients that create balance.

• Pecans: Once baked, the crunchiness of pecans makes for a unique textural element to offset the creaminess of sweet potatoes. Use walnuts or almonds for equally delicious options.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar has a rich, caramel flavor from molasses. Rather than result in an overly sweet recipe, it creates depth, yielding an almost toffee-like flavor.

How to make sweet potato crunch

Full instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. First, boil the sweet potato cubes in salted water until they are tender when pierced with a fork. This whole process should take about 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, heat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9" casserole dish with butter.
3. Drain the sweet potatoes and allow them to cool. You can also run them under cold water in the colander. This is to prevent the egg from cooking once it’s added to the mixture.
4. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, egg, cream, butter, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Use a potato masher or large fork to mash the sweet potatoes.
5. With an electric hand mixture, beat the sweet potato filling on medium speed until everything is smooth and creamy.
6. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.

5. In a medium bowl, combine the pecans, brown sugar, and butter until crumbly (a pastry blender works well for this step).
6. Spread the pecan mixture evenly over the sweet potato mixture in the casserole dish.

Bake the sweet potato crunch for 30 minutes. Allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Storage & reheating

Sweet potato crunch is the perfect dish for leftovers, so don’t be afraid of storing them for a few days. Just follow these simple instructions:

• Fridge: Keep leftover casserole in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Remember to cover the casserole dish with an airtight lid, or transfer it to another container.
• Freezer: Cover the cooled casserole with aluminum foil or a sealable lid, then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. I suggest storing portions in individual containers so you don’t have to reheat the entire casserole each time.
• Reheat: If frozen, thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight. Cover it with foil and heat it in the oven at 325 degrees F for about 10-15 minutes, or until fully warmed.

Variations

• Marshmallows: Add marshmallows (mini or regular) on top of the pecans for another texture element. You can also remove the pecans and use only marshmallows.
• Nut-Free: If you want a nut-free version, swap out the pecans for rolled oats. 
• Bourbon: For a little extra warmth and holiday spirit, add ⅓ - ½ cup of bourbon to the sweet potatoes. This really brings out the flavors of the dish! 
• Roasted potatoes: Instead of boiling, try roasting the sweet potatoes for a more caramelized and robust flavor.

Helpful tips

• Drain the potatoes: It’s important to remove as much water as possible from the boiled potatoes before adding them to the casserole. Use a fine mesh strainer or a cheesecloth to remove as much moisture as you can.
• Check the casserole: Since all ovens and casserole dishes are different, the cooking time may also vary. Keep a close eye on the sweet potato crunch as it bakes to ensure your hard work doesn’t go to waste.
• Let the potatoes cool: To prevent the eggs from par-cooking once they’re added to the filling mixture, allow the sweet potatoes time to cool or run them under cold water.

Common questions

Serving suggestions

Make this a holiday spread with mains like air fryer whole chicken, air fryer cornish hens, air fryer meatloaf, or air fryer pork tenderloin.

Serve your sweet potato crunch with other side dishes like gluten free cornbread dressing, brown sugar Brussels sprouts, mashed potato squash, or honey roasted carrots and parsnips.

More holiday recipes

For more holiday-inspired snacks and appetizers, check out some of my most popular recipes right now:

• Holiday Charcuterie Board
• Bacon Wrapped Dates
• Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms
• Mini Quiche Appetizers
• Mistletoe Margarita 
• Cucumber Radish Crostini