Just like Granny makes it! This Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans is the perfect combination of sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy. It’s always a favorite at holiday dinners and there are never any leftovers!
Granny’s Sweet Potato Casserole
No holiday dinner would be complete in our household without this classic sweet potato casserole with pecan topping. Granny never made the sweet potato casserole with marshmallows; instead she made this version.
There are two parts to this casserole. There is the sweet potato part that is creamy, sweet, and delicious. The butter, milk, and a little sugar bring out the taste of the sweet potatoes.
On top of this, is a crunchy, sweet pecan mixture that compliments the sweet potato mixture beautifully.
This is a great dish that you can prepare the day before or the morning of. You can definitely get your potatoes prepared ahead of time.
And nope, not a marshmallow in sight!
Trust me, once you have it this way, you’ll never go back!
Related: Try our Old-Fashioned Corn Casserole recipe too!
What You Need to Make Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
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Ingredients for the Sweet Potato Base
- Cooked mashed sweet potatoes — Use 3 large sweet potatoes or four smaller ones
- Sugar
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Butter
Pecan Topping Ingredients
- Chopped pecans
- Brown sugar
- Flour
- Butter
Kitchen Tools Used
How to Make Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
If you’re looking to make sweet potato casserole without marshmallows, this recipe can’t be beat!
First, Prep the Sweet Potatoes
We bake our sweet potatoes in the oven first. Before baking, wash the potatoes and dry them. Use a fork to poke a few holes in each potato. Line up the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet covered with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes at 425.
You’ll know they’re done when you can easily poke through them with a knife. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool.
Once cool, peel sweet potatoes, add to a mixing bowl, and mash them up a bit.
Now we’ll make the sweet potato base.
Add eggs, sugar, milk, vanilla, and butter to your bowl of sweet potatoes.
Use a hand mixer to thoroughly mix everything until mostly smooth.
Rub a little butter around an oven safe baking dish. Scoop sweet potato mixture into dish and spread evenly.
Now it’s Time for the Candied Pecan Topping
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Combine melted butter, chopped pecans, flour, and brown sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until well mixed.
Spread carefully over the sweet potatoes.
Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and brown about 1/2 hour.
Can you use canned sweet potatoes?
We always use fresh sweet potatoes — that’s the way we’ve always done it. Canned sweet potatoes save time, though I personally think that the fresh potatoes taste better. However, if you’re really in a pinch, canned potatoes DO work and will save you an hour of baking time.
If using canned, you’ll want the big can (should be about 29oz). Add the potatoes to your mixing bowl and puree, then continue with the recipe as written.
More Casserole Recipes To Try
Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe with Pecans (Printable Copy)
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Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
Equipment
- Casserole dish
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Base
- 3 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes Use 3 large sweet potatoes or four smaller ones
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- ¼ cup butter
Pecan Topping
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup flour
- ½ butter
Instructions
To Prep the Sweet Potatoes
- Wash and dry sweet potatoes, then poke a few holes in each one with a fork. Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Bake 50 to 60 minutes at 425°F.
- Check for doneness by inserting knife into thickest part of each potato -- it should go in easily.
- Remove from oven and let the potatoes cool. When they are cool, peel and place in a mixing bowl. Mash well.
To Make the Sweet Potato Base
- Add 2 eggs, 1/2 cups sugar, 1/4 cup of milk, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/4 cup of butter to the mashed sweet potatoes.
- Use a hand mixer to thoroughly combine the sweet potatoes with the rest of the ingredients.
- Rub a little butter around an oven safe baking dish.
- Add sweet potato mixture and smooth out the top with a spatula.
To Make the Pecan Topping
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Melt 1/2 cup of butter.
- Chop pecans by hand or in food processor so that finished amount is equal to one cup.
- Stir together melted butter, pecans, 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup of brown sugar until well blended.
- Spread topping carefully over the sweet potatoes in the casserole dish.
- Bake at 350 degrees until bubbly and brown -- about 1/2 hour.
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Can I make this recipe up a couple hours ahead of time not cook it
Yes, I make it ahead of time and keep in the fridge until time to cook. It may need a few extra minutes to brown.