Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole is a show-stopping side dish that brings warmth, nostalgia, and pure comfort to your holiday table! With roasted sweet potatoes, plump raisins, fluffy marshmallows, and a crunchy maple-pecan topping, this casserole is the perfect balance of sweet, spiced, and absolutely irresistible.
Love More Sweet Potato Recipes? Try My Cranberry Apple Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes or this Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Soup next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
What makes this recipe truly special is the roasted sweet potatoes—roasting them instead of boiling intensifies their natural sweetness and creates those gorgeous caramelized edges we all crave. The combination of warm spices, maple syrup, and a crunchy pecan topping creates layers of flavor and texture that’ll have everyone coming back for seconds. Plus, with the surprise addition of raisins and those classic marshmallows, every bite is a little adventure!
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Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
Description
A classic Southern holiday side dish featuring roasted sweet potatoes combined with warm spices, maple syrup, brown sugar, raisins, and marshmallows, topped with maple-glazed pecans for the perfect sweet and crunchy finish.
Ingredients
Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Filling / Casserole Base:
- ½ cup almond milk (or whole milk / plant-based milk)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground allspice
- 1 cup raisins (soaked and drained)
- 2 cups marshmallows
Topping:
- 1½ cups raw pecans
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F (about 200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper—this makes cleanup SO much easier, trust me!
Peel your sweet potatoes and cut them into roughly 1-inch cubes. Try to keep them fairly uniform so they roast evenly. In a large bowl, toss the cubed sweet potatoes with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg until every piece is well coated.
Spread the seasoned sweet potatoes on your prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd them—they need space to caramelize properly! Roast for 50–60 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking. You want them tender, golden, and with some beautiful caramelized edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly while you prepare the rest.
Turn your oven down to 375°F (about 190°C). Grease your 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
This is where the magic happens! In a large bowl, combine your roasted sweet potatoes, milk, vanilla extract, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, drained raisins, and marshmallows. Stir gently—you want some of the sweet potatoes to mash and create a creamy base while leaving some chunks for texture. It’s perfectly imperfect!
Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into your prepared baking dish. Now nestle those butter cubes throughout the filling—they’ll melt and create pockets of richness. Feel free to tuck in a few extra marshmallows on top if you’re feeling generous (and I always am!).
In a medium bowl, toss the pecans with ¼ cup maple syrup until they’re nicely coated. This maple coating will help them toast beautifully and add an extra layer of flavor.
Sprinkle the maple-coated pecans evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 15 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown, the marshmallows are puffed and starting to turn golden, and the pecans are beautifully toasted. Your kitchen will smell AMAZING!
Remove from the oven and let the casserole cool for about 5–10 minutes before serving. This allows everything to set up slightly and makes it easier to serve.
Notes
- Even Roasting: Cut your sweet potatoes as uniformly as possible. I aim for 1-inch cubes. This ensures they all finish cooking at the same time.
- Check for Doneness: Your roasted sweet potatoes should be fork-tender and have some caramelized edges. If they’re not quite there at 50 minutes, give them another 5–10 minutes.
- Prevent Burning: Watch your pecan topping during that final uncovered bake. If they’re browning too quickly, you can tent the dish loosely with foil again.
- Marshmallow Magic: Don’t stir the marshmallows in too vigorously—you want them to maintain their shape somewhat so they create those lovely melty pockets throughout.
- Make It Gooey: Want extra marshmallow goodness? Add more marshmallows on top before that final bake. They’ll get golden and toasted on top while staying gooey underneath.
- Common Mistake to Avoid: Don’t overwork the mixture when combining everything. You’re not making mashed potatoes—you want textural variety!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes (60 min roasting + 15 min baking)
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
Roasted Sweet Potatoes:
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2–3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Filling / Casserole Base:
- ½ cup almond milk (or whole milk / plant-based milk)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground allspice
- 1 cup raisins (soaked and drained)
- 2 cups marshmallows
Topping:
- 1½ cups raw pecans
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
Why These Ingredients Work
Sweet Potatoes: Roasting makes them taste like themselves but louder. Boiling waters them down to nothing.
Olive Oil: Butter burns at 400. Found out the hard way. Smoke alarm and everything.
Warm Spices: Grandma’s recipe had cinnamon. I added nutmeg and allspice one year without telling anyone. Now that’s “the family recipe.”
Pure Maple Syrup: Aunt Jemima is not maple syrup. It’s corn syrup with maple flavoring. Real stuff tastes completely different—woodsy, deep, actually interesting.
Brown Sugar: It’s just white sugar with molasses but that molasses does work. Don’t substitute.
Raisins: David picks every single one out. Takes him like 10 minutes. The kids fight over them. Democracy says they stay.
Marshmallows: Half melt into gooey pockets. Half toast on top. That’s the deal. No marshmallows means it’s just roasted sweet potatoes with delusions of grandeur.
Pecans: Need crunch. Everything else is soft. Pecans don’t turn bitter when they toast like walnuts can.
Almond Milk & Butter: Using almond milk because Emma’s dairy-free now. Regular milk works fine though. Butter’s staying. Not up for discussion.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- 9×13 inch baking dish
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium bowl (for topping)
- Aluminum foil
- Vegetable peeler
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spatula
How To Make Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole
Step 1: Preheat and Prep
Preheat your oven to 400°F (about 200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper—this makes cleanup SO much easier, trust me!
Step 2: Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Peel your sweet potatoes and cut them into roughly 1-inch cubes. Try to keep them fairly uniform so they roast evenly. In a large bowl, toss the cubed sweet potatoes with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg until every piece is well coated.
Step 3: Roast the Sweet Potatoes
Spread the seasoned sweet potatoes on your prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd them—they need space to caramelize properly! Roast for 50–60 minutes, stirring once or twice during cooking. You want them tender, golden, and with some beautiful caramelized edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool slightly while you prepare the rest.
Step 4: Reduce Oven Temperature
Turn your oven down to 375°F (about 190°C). Grease your 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
Step 5: Make the Casserole Base
This is where the magic happens! In a large bowl, combine your roasted sweet potatoes, milk, vanilla extract, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, drained raisins, and marshmallows. Stir gently—you want some of the sweet potatoes to mash and create a creamy base while leaving some chunks for texture. It’s perfectly imperfect!
Step 6: Transfer to Baking Dish
Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into your prepared baking dish. Now nestle those butter cubes throughout the filling—they’ll melt and create pockets of richness. Feel free to tuck in a few extra marshmallows on top if you’re feeling generous (and I always am!).
Step 7: Prepare the Maple Pecan Topping
In a medium bowl, toss the pecans with ¼ cup maple syrup until they’re nicely coated. This maple coating will help them toast beautifully and add an extra layer of flavor.
Step 8: Add Topping and First Bake
Sprinkle the maple-coated pecans evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for about 15 minutes.
Step 9: Final Bake
Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown, the marshmallows are puffed and starting to turn golden, and the pecans are beautifully toasted. Your kitchen will smell AMAZING!
Step 10: Cool and Serve
Remove from the oven and let the casserole cool for about 5–10 minutes before serving. This allows everything to set up slightly and makes it easier to serve.
You Must Know
Room Temperature Matters: Small butter cubes melt even. Big chunks make grease puddles. Nestle them in. Don’t stir.
Soak Those Raisins: Warm water, 10-15 minutes, drain. Skip it and they’re rocks. They’ll steal all the moisture and turn hard.
Don’t Skip the Roasting: Boiling is lazy. Roasted tastes like actual food. The hour matters. This is the hill.
Personal Secret: Barely mix. Ten turns. Maybe. Some breaks down, some chunks stay. Every bite’s different. Smooth is boring. Texture is the whole game.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Even Roasting: Same size chunks. One inch. Otherwise it’s mush and raw at the same time.
- Check for Doneness: Fork test at 50 minutes. Easy? Done. Hard? More time.
- Prevent Burning: Pecans burn in seconds. Literally. Watch the oven.
- Marshmallow Magic: Gentle fold. Don’t beat them to death. Keep their shape for pockets.
- Make It Gooey: Save marshmallows for the top. Toast outside, gooey inside. Best bite.
- Common Mistake to Avoid: Stop mixing. Put the spoon down.
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
- Extra Spicy: Ginger or cardamom. Pinch.
- Citrus Twist: Orange zest. Brightens heavy meals.
- Skip the Raisins: David does. Takes forever. You can leave them out. Dried cranberries work too.
- Bourbon Boost: Two tablespoons. Alcohol cooks off. Flavor stays. Really good.
- Different Nuts: Walnuts. Or mix.
- Extra Crunchy: Crushed cornflakes, melted butter, on top. Rachel’s move. Actually great.
- Coconut Lovers: Shredded coconut. Toasts with pecans.
Make-Ahead Options
Thanksgiving’s chaos. Prep early.
1–2 Days Before: Roast potatoes. Fridge. Longest step done. Saves your sanity day-of.
Day Before: Whole thing, no pecans. Cover tight. Fridge. Next day, counter 20-30 minutes, add pecans, bake. Maybe 5 extra minutes cold start.
Morning Of: Make pecan topping. Bowl. Counter. Add when ready.
Freezing: Before baking. Plastic wrap tight, then foil. Two months. Thaw overnight fridge. Marshmallows might be weird after but tastes fine.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- Rough and chunky. Not smooth. That’s correct.
- Roasted potatoes look dry sometimes. Don’t panic. Wet ingredients fix it.
- Marshmallows melt in AND puff on top. Both. That’s right.
- Cool potatoes 5-10 minutes before marshmallows. Too hot and they disappear.
- Looks soupy going in. Firms up baking. Normal.
- Pecans don’t cover everything. Shouldn’t. Want to see filling through.
Serving Suggestions
Goes with:
- Thanksgiving Turkey: Required. Like actually required.
- Glazed Ham: Sweet on sweet. Weird but works.
- Roasted Chicken or Pork: Makes Tuesday feel like a holiday.
- Green Bean Casserole: Always neighbors on the table.
- Cranberry Sauce: Need tart. Essential balance.
Serving Tips:
- Hot. Right out.
- Big spoon. It’s messy.
- Extra pecans for show.
- Savory stuff on plate too. It’s sweet.
Best Occasions:
- Thanksgiving
- Christmas
- Easter brunch
- Potlucks—everyone asks
- Fall Sundays
How to Store Your Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole
Room Temperature: Fridge in 2 hours. Food safety.
Refrigerator: Cover tight. Four days. Usually gone faster.
Freezer: Two months. Thaw overnight fridge.
Reheating Instructions:
- Oven (Best Method): 350. Foil. 15-20 minutes. Foil off last 5 for crispy topping.
- Microwave: Single serving, 1-2 minutes. Not crispy but good.
Allergy Information
This recipe contains:
- Nuts: Pecans
- Dairy: Butter
Allergy-Friendly Substitutions:
Dairy-Free/Vegan: Plant butter, non-dairy milk. Fine. Do it for Emma all the time.
Nut-Free: No pecans. Streusel instead—½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup flour, 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Crumble on.
Gluten-Free: Already is. Check marshmallow brand.
Refined Sugar-Free: Coconut sugar for brown sugar. Specialty marshmallows or skip them.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
My topping got too dark—what happened?
Your oven might run a bit hot, or the pecans were too close to the top heating element. Next time, check the casserole at the 10-minute mark after removing the foil. If the pecans are browning quickly, tent it loosely with foil again or move the rack to a lower position.
Why do I need to soak the raisins?
Soaking plumps up the raisins and prevents them from absorbing moisture from your casserole during baking. Nobody wants dry, hard raisins! A quick 10-minute soak in warm water does the trick perfectly.
Can I use canned sweet potatoes instead of fresh?
While you can use canned, I really don’t recommend it for this recipe. Canned sweet potatoes are already cooked in liquid, so they’re much softer and wetter—they won’t give you those beautiful caramelized edges or concentrated flavor that roasting provides. Fresh is definitely the way to go here!
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole turned out and if it became a new holiday favorite in your home!
