Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe from the Eats Cookbook

This Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potato Casserole from the Eats cookbook is supposed to be a side dish, but it tastes like a dessert!

Photo Credit

Becky Luigart-Stayner

May 22, 2023

Pecan-Crusted Sweet Potato Casserole from the Eats cookbook is a new favorite in my household. I made this deliriously delicious dish for a potluck and it was a HUGE hit. It was gone almost immediately and practically licked clean by those fighting for the last bit of it.

This recipe can be made as a side dish or a dessert! The topping is the best part. It is almost like candy.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Pierce each sweet potato several times with a paring knife or fork and place on the baking sheet. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until soft and tender when pierced with a paring knife. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Cut a slit in the potatoes lengthwise and cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
Scoop the sweet potato flesh into a large bowl and mash it with a potato masher or fork. Add the butter, sugar, and cream and, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat to blend. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat to combine. Add the vanilla, salt, and allspice and beat until evenly mixed. Spread the mixture in the casserole.

Topping:
2/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup pecan halves

Combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a food processor and pulse briefly.
Add the pecans and spread the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the ingredients are puffed slightly and the topping is rich light brown. Transfer to a cooling rack for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.