Southern Sweet Potato Casserole – does it really get any better than that?! The answer is NO!!! If you really want to show someone that you truly care about them, make a casserole and make it a sweet potato casserole!!!
I have to tell you – I struggled with which of my favorite casserole recipes I was going to share with you. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I knew I wanted to share a family favorite. I have several that hold a very special place in my heart, but after much debating, I picked this one!
For me, a girl from Sweet Home Alabama, casseroles are everything! It’s the food we love and hold most dear to us and it always brings everyone around the table.
And this casserole in particular brings back so many memories of my childhood. My mama always made this dish for the holidays. We never ate it much throughout the year, but once Thanksgiving and Christmas rolled around we knew this Southern Sweet Potato Casserole would be on our dining table!
As I got older and was helping my mom in the kitchen, this was one of the first casseroles I learned to make. Let me just stop here for a moment and say, there’s nothing better than cooking with your mama! So many conversations were had over the mixing and cooking of different foods we prepared together. Sometimes serious, but mostly funny conversations and always something new to learn while making our favorite southern delicacies… these are some of my most cherished memories. Memories like these are ones I’ve already started with Gaby. I always want her to remember the fun times we had in the kitchen cooking together.
My hope is that she remembers sitting on the counter helping me crack eggs and stir batters all while licking the spoon. That’s food made with real love, y’all! All of this to say, because of the memories this casserole has given me over the years, it will always be one of my favorites! I hope it becomes one of your favorites, too.
I do have to tell you this: there’s not one thing that’s remotely “healthy” about this casserole other than the fact that it’s made with sweet potatoes. There’s a ton of butter, pecans, and brown sugar, which is why I think mama only made this around the holidays! But let me tell you – it’s the most delicious casserole you’ll ever make!!! Part of me really wanted to “recreate” this recipe and make it healthier – but a healthier version doesn’t remind me of all the times I helped my mom make this for the holidays. And in the back of my mind I could hear my brother screaming, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it!!!!!” There’s not one thing broken about this dish, so I left it alone and ate my heart out!
Let’s start this holiday season off with making memories with our children. I would love to hear how you’re planning to make memories or foods that you’re making for your family!
Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving to all!
– Whitney
- 4 large sweet potatoes
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup sugar (whatever kind you use or love most. I used coconut sugar for this part.)
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the sweet potatoes in half (for quicker baking). Add them to a sheet pan cut-side-down and bake until fork tender.
- Once the potatoes are done, reduce the heat of the oven to 325 degrees.
- Scrape out the inside of the potato adding it to a big mixing bowl. Add the sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk. Mix together well and pour into a well greased casserole dish. I use a 9x13 inch dish.
- Mix together all of the ingredients until crumbly. Add to the top of the potatoes. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes, uncovered.
- EAT!!!
- Refrigerate any leftovers and reheat in the oven until warm.
