Browned Butter Sweet Potato Casserole

Published November 16, 2015. Updated March 11, 2020

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Sweet Potato Casserole – a classic fall recipe upgraded with rich browned butter!

Buttery mashed sweet potatoes are topped with crisp cornflakes and melty marshmallows and toasted. It must try side dish!

Sweet Potato in a white casserole dish. One scoop is removed to show sweet potato layer. It's topped with rows of crushed cornflakes and pecans then alternating rows of mini marshmallows.

A Must Have Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe!

This sweet potato dish has the best of everything and just the right amount of contrast with it’s creamy sweet potatoes, gooey melty marshmallows and that finishing crisp you get from the cornflakes and crunchy pecans.

Simply put this casserole is heavenly!

Who know the word casserole and heavenly could ever go together in the same sentence but it just does with this one. Try it and see for yourself! It might just become a family favorite for your family too!

Single serving of sweet potato casserole being scooped onto a white serving plate.

Can I Make This Ahead of Time?

For make ahead you can prepare the sweet potato portion the day before and refrigerate but wait until the following day to add the butter to the topping and wait to add the topping to the casserole until you’re just ready to bake and serve so it doesn’t go stale.

Showing how to make sweet potato casserole. Staring by baking sweet potatoes.

How to Make Browned Butter Sweet Potato Casserole

  • Bake the sweet potatoes until tender and mash.

Mashing sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl.

  • Brown the butter in a saucepan.
  • Add to sweet potatoes along with sugars and salt and mix.

Adding sugars, salt and melted browned butter to sweet potatoes in mixing bowl.

  • Blend in milk and eggs.

Adding eggs and milk to sweet potatoes in mixing bowl.

  • Spread mixture into an even layer in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

Spreading sweet potatoes into an even layer in baking dish.

  • Mix cornflakes, pecans, and melted butter and brown sugar.

Making cornflake pecan topping for sweet potato casserole.

  • Spread mixture into rows over sweet potatoes. Bake 30 minutes.

Spreading topping into rows over sweet potatoes layer.

  • Remove from oven, cool 5 minutes add marshmallows between cornflake rows and bake 5 – 10 minutes.

Adding mini marshmallows to sweet potato casserole in rows.

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5 from 10 votes

Browned Butter Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole - with browned butter! A perfectly buttery and sweet layer of mashed potato potato is topped with crisp cornflakes and melty marshmallows. It's the perfect side dish in the fall and during the holidays!
Servings: 12
Prep30 minutes
Cook1 hour 40 minutes
Ready in: 2 hours 10 minutes

Ingredients

Sweet Potatoes

Topping

  • 2 cups (128g) crushed corn flakes*
  • 1/2 cup (54g) chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup (55g) packed light-brown sugar
  • 3 Tbsp (42g) salted butter, diced into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 cups (148g) miniature marshmallows

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pierce each sweet potato several times with a fork and transfer to a rimmed cookie sheet. Bake about 1 hour, or until very tender when pierced with a fork.
  • Meanwhile melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and allow to brown, swirling pan occasionally.
  • Remove potatoes from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350. Cut each in half and scoop out flesh into a large mixing bowl. Mash potatoes with a potato masher.
  • Pour in 1/2 cup browned butter, using a rubber spatula to scrape excess butter from pan, add granulated sugar, 1/4 cup light-brown sugar and salt then using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, blend together until well combine. 
  • Add in eggs and mix until well blended, then pour in milk and mix until well blended. Pour mixture into a buttered 13 x 9 baking dish and spread into an even layer.
  • Brown remaining 3 Tbsp butter in a saucepan. Pour crushed cornflakes into a mixing bowl, along with chopped pecans and 1/4 cup light-brown sugar and mix to combine. Pour browned butter over mixture and toss to evenly coat. 
  • Spread mixture into diagonal rows over mashed sweet potato mixture leaving about a 1 1/2-inch gap between rows. Bake in preheated oven (350 degrees) for 30 minutes (if it's browning too much near the end you can tent with foil if needed).
  • Remove from oven and rest 5 minutes, then spread marshmallows between rows of corn flake topping. Return to oven and bake until marshmallows are melty and lightly golden if desired about 5 - 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes

  • *Begin with about 4 1/2 cups cornflakes and crush to 2 cups.
  • Note that if you are making this in advance to refrigerate then bake the following day, don't add the corn flake topping until baking or it will become stale. Also I'd recommend placing cold casserole in cool oven and let it preheat with oven.
Nutrition Facts
Browned Butter Sweet Potato Casserole
Amount Per Serving
Calories 451 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 69mg23%
Sodium 353mg15%
Potassium 709mg20%
Carbohydrates 75g25%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 34g38%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 27395IU548%
Vitamin C 6.8mg8%
Calcium 85mg9%
Iron 4.6mg26%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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73 Comments

  • Anna

    I made this the past weekend for a potluck and it was delicious and pretty. Will definitely make this again.

  • Cassy Hollis

    I have made this recipe for about 4 years now. I never liked sweet potatoes until I made this! The first time I made this, I was bringing this as a side dish to a Thanksgiving dinner for Marines…it was the first thing GONE! I have made it every year since. I won’t use another recipe! Also, my son who is a picky eater and hates potatoes will ONLY eat this form/recipe. Everyone LOVES it!!!

  • Lauren

    I made this casserole for Thanksgiving this year and it was a big hit! Even though I was too lazy to brown the butter (Shhhhh) it was still amazing. :-)

  • Cassandra

    I’ve made this two years in a row, and going on the third right now! People who say they don’t like sweet potatoes love this recipe. Thank You! ????

  • Kathy

    Hi, do you think the time being in the oven will be the same if I make it in a disposable foil dish?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      It should be close to it, maybe a few minutes less. Hope you love it, and happy holidays!

  • Brenda

    I have made this recipe for the past 5 years at Thanksgiving, there are never any leftovers! It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious!

  • Kristine

    Thank you for sharing such a beautiful sweet potato casserole!!

    I just made this but completely forgot the milk. Do you think it’ll make much of a difference?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Since it’s only 1/3 cup you should be fine it will just have slightly thicker texture. I hope you love it! Happy Thanksgiving!

      • Kristine

        Thank you so much for your response!! The casserole came out amazing my whole family loved it!! Hope your thanksgiving was fantastic!!

  • Candice Wilson

    I am wanting to make this for my in-laws this Thanksgiving. They are about 40 minutes away and I was wondering your recommendations on how to transport/make in advance? Can I make and bake the entire thing right before we leave and place it in a thermal cover or would that make it all soggy? Thanks!