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Easy Wholesome Brown Sugar Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole

brown sugar bourbon sweet potato casserole - featured image
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A lighter take on a classic comfort dish, this sweet potato casserole features creamy sweet potatoes with warm bourbon and a crackly brown sugar pecan topping. It’s wholesome enough for a weeknight but special enough for Thanksgiving.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4–5 medium), peeled and cubed
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or 2%)
  • ¼ cup milk (whole milk or non-dairy alternative)
  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed (for topping)
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour for gluten-free)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes (for topping)
  • ½ cup chopped pecans (optional, for topping)
  • Pinch of salt (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Place the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about an inch. Add a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the cubes are fork-tender.
  3. Drain the sweet potatoes in a colander and let them steam dry for a minute or two. Return them to the pot and mash until smooth (or with a few small lumps for texture).
  4. To the mashed sweet potatoes, add the melted butter, Greek yogurt, milk, brown sugar, bourbon, beaten egg, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir until everything is well combined and silky.
  5. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula.
  6. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and salt for the topping. Add the cold butter cubes and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the pecans if using.
  7. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the casserole is bubbly around the edges.
  8. Let the casserole sit for 5-10 minutes after baking before serving.

Notes

Don’t overboil the sweet potatoes—cook just until tender to avoid a watery casserole. Toast pecans for extra flavor. Use room-temperature ingredients for smoother blending. The casserole can be assembled (without topping) up to 2 days in advance. For a less boozy version, substitute bourbon with apple cider or orange juice plus vanilla extract.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, bourbon sweet potato, brown sugar sweet potato, Thanksgiving side dish, holiday casserole, easy sweet potato recipe

Find it online: https://dinadinnertable.com/easy-wholesome-brown-sugar-bourbon-sweet-potato-casserole/