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Cozy Maple Brown Butter Sweet Potato Casserole: Easy Fall Side Dish

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This cozy maple brown butter sweet potato casserole is a creamy, nutty, and perfectly sweet side dish that started as a late-night experiment. It’s easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 lbs sweet potatoes (about 4–5 medium potatoes)
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional but recommended)
  • 1 cup pecan halves or pieces
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease your 9×13-inch baking dish with a little butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Peel your sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes in a large pot and cover them with cold water by about an inch. Add a generous pinch of salt to the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender.
  3. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them sit for 2-3 minutes to steam dry.
  4. While the potatoes are draining, place the 6 tablespoons of butter in your small skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, swirling the pan occasionally. It will start to foam and bubble. Keep a close eye on it. After a few minutes, the foam will subside, and you’ll see little brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan. The butter will smell nutty and toasty. Once it’s a golden-amber color and smells amazing, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a heat-safe bowl.
  5. Return the drained sweet potatoes to the large pot or transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Mash them with your potato masher until they’re mostly smooth.
  6. To the mashed sweet potatoes, add the warm brown butter (scrape every last bit of those brown bits in there!), maple syrup, milk or cream, vanilla extract, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and the optional pinch of cayenne. Stir everything together until it’s well combined and creamy. Taste it and adjust the seasoning.
  7. In a medium bowl, combine the pecan halves, all-purpose flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter chunks remaining.
  8. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the pecan streusel topping evenly over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the topping is golden brown and crunchy. The edges should be bubbling slightly.
  9. Let the casserole cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes before serving. Serve it warm.

Notes

The brown butter is non-negotiable for the best flavor. Don’t overcook the sweet potatoes to avoid a watery casserole. For the streusel, use cold butter for a crumbly texture. You can make the casserole ahead of time: prepare the sweet potato mixture and streusel separately up to two days in advance, then assemble and bake, adding 10-15 minutes to the baking time.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, maple brown butter, fall side dish, Thanksgiving, pecan streusel, easy, cozy

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/cozy-maple-brown-butter-sweet-potato-casserole-easy-fall-side-dish/