Bourbon sweet potato casserole is hands down one of my favorite side dishes. Buttery sweet potatoes are always a treat, but for Thanksgiving dinner, this dish takes it to the next level with rich bourbon, warm fall spices, yams, and crunchy pecans. It doesn’t get more "fall" than this!
First published November 4, 2014. Last Updated November 20,2024, to improve readability and update information.
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
- 🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
- Table template
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat bourbon sweet potato casserole
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- Bourbon balances the sweetness and adds layers of flavor while the crunchy praline adds texture.
- This is a classic holiday recipe but it's delicious any time of the year.
- The best way to cook the sweet potatoes for this recipe is by baking. If you've never done it before check out my tutorial on how to bake sweet potatoes !
This is a little upgrade on the classic Thanksgiving side dish, sweet potatoes with marshmallows. Even if you're not a fan of yams/sweet potatoes you may find yourself taking another helping!
Another family favorite holiday dish is this pineapple casserole recipe - we just can't get enough!
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Sweet potatoes or yams can be fresh or canned. Technically, in the US they are the same thing.
- If you prefer not to use bourbon you can use extra cream, cream soda, or even ginger ale in place of it.
- A teaspoon of vanilla extract is delicious in this - especially if you're leaving the bourbon out.
- Heavy cream lightens the sweet potatoes and gives them creaminess. You can substitute whole milk or evaporated milk if you wish to cut down on some of the fat. The texture will not be the same.
- You can use walnuts in place of the pecans if you like.
🔪 Step-by-step guide: instructions for success
This is an overview of the instructions. Be sure to watch the video below. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- After baking, scoop the sweet potato flesh out into a mixer and throw the peels away. If you're using canned yams then be sure to drain them thoroughly.
- Whip on high speed until fluffy.
- Add vanilla and spices to the mashed sweet potatoes.
- Whip in the brown sugar.
- Add melted butter, heavy cream, and bourbon.
- Spoon the sweet potato mixture into a greased baking dish and set aside.
- Chop the pecans.
- Combine sugar and melted butter. Mix in the pecans.
- Saute until the brown sugar is melted and no longer grainy. Watch carefully!
- Place the candied pecans on the top of the casserole and bake.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Sprinkle a little flaked sea salt or smoked sea salt over the top before serving - not too much. It balances out the sweetness and brings out the flavor of the pecans.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial
Table template
Sometimes you need to bake two things at once - here's how to adjust the time and/or temperatures of your casserole!
These times are only an estimate. Be sure to check your casserole often. It's done when an instant-read thermometer registers 165F when stuck in the middle of the casserole.
| Temperature | Time | Time From Frozen |
| 300F | 1 hour | Don't recommend |
| 325F | 50 minutes | 1 ½ hours |
| 350F | 40 minutes | 1 hour and 10 minutes |
| 375F | 30 minutes | 1 hour |
| 400F | 20 minutes watch the topping that it doesn't scorch. Cover with foil if needed. | 40 minutes - watch the topping that it doesn't scorch. Cover with foil if needed. |
🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat bourbon sweet potato casserole
While we all love to sit around the table and chat after dinner be sure to cover and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Refrigerate
Leftover sweet potato casserole should be covered with plastic wrap or put in an airtight container and refrigerated promptly. This will be fine in the fridge for 3 or 4 days total.
Freeze
For longer storage you can freeze it for up to 3 months. Cover tightly with plastic wrap then aluminum foil.
Make ahead
This is the perfect side dish recipe for Thanksgiving Day because you can make it up to 3 days ahead of time and cover it with plastic wrap. Make the topping and put it in a separate container.
When ready to bake just uncover, add the topping in an even layer, and bake as directed. Since it's cold you may need a few extra minutes of cooking time.
Reheat
To reheat just cover with aluminum foil and reheat in a 325F oven for about 15 minutes. Take the foil off and let the topping crisp up for a few minutes more.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Due to differences in ovens and casserole dishes baking times can vary. Be sure to check the sweet potato casserole after about 20 minutes... The internal temperature will be 160F-165F.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Make sure fresh sweet potatoes are firm to the touch and the skin is intact with no soft spots.
- Completely drain canned yams.
- Even though it's not in a traditional sweet potato casserole use a good bourbon in this. Trust me! It makes a huge difference in the flavor.
- The bourbon cooks out - you don't have to worry about getting the kids tipsy.
- Put your casserole dish on a baking sheet in case there are bubble overs.
- I prefer to roast or bake the potatoes when I make this dish with fresh produce. I think it gives them more flavor.
- I don't recommend chopping the pecans with a food processor. Chop them by hand. They need to be coarsely chopped for the best texture.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Yes, just prepare as directed but leave the topping off and don't bake it. Cover with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. The night before you plan to serve it put it in the fridge to thaw. Add the pecans, bake, and serve as directed.
You can cover it tightly with plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator 3-5 days.
Cover with aluminum foil and reheat in a 325F oven for about 15 minutes.
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
If using fresh sweet potatoes, microwave them instead of boiling or baking.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
More great sweet potato recipes. If you're looking for classic sweet potato casserole try the Southern candied yams.
🍽️ No waste: creative ways to repurpose
Use leftover mashed sweet potatoes in place of pumpkin in pumpkin bread or in this sweet potato rum cake. They can be used in place of pumpkin in most recipes.
You may want to skim the topping off first.
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
These creamy sweet potatoes are a family favorite! Sometimes I skip the "crunch" topping and use marshmallows instead, but no matter what, this dish is always on our Thanksgiving table.
It’s a recipe I’ve been making for over 40 years, and I’m sure you’ll fall in love with it just as much as we have. With its sweet, comforting flavors, it’s perfect as a side dish—or even as a semi-healthy dessert!
Click over to this post for more prep ahead sides for Thanksgiving
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Bourbon Sweet Potato Crunch Casserole
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 4 pounds sweet potatoes/yams, or 3 29-ounce cans, drained
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup bourbon
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Topping
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup butter
Instructions
- Slice sweet potatoes in half, brush with butter, and bake at 350F until tender - or drain canned yams.
- Remove the peels and add the cooked sweet potatoes to the bowl of your mixer and blend until smooth.
- Add the remaining ingredients, except topping, and whip until well blended and fluffy.
- Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Spoon into a greased casserole dish.
- Sprinkle with the pecan topping.
- Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
Topping
- Melt butter in a heavy saucepan.
- Add the chopped pecans and brown sugar.
- Cook, stirring often, until the pecans are well coated.
- Spoon the topping over the yam mixture.
Notes
-
- Use a good bourbon in this. Trust me! It makes a huge difference in the flavor.
- If you prefer not to use bourbon you can use extra cream, cream soda, or even ginger ale in place of it.
- Save time by using canned yams that have been well drained - but... it won't be as good.
- I don't recommend chopping the pecans with a food processor. Chop them by hand. They need to be coarsely chopped for the best texture.
- You can prepare this sweet, buttery sweet potato side dish about 3 days ahead of time, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Bake before serving.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
Don't lose this recipe!
Bourbon sweet potato casserole
Pin to your favorite Pinterest board to keep it handy.
What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness! Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!
Laurie says
This sounds delicious, but my goodness, why wear sleeves that get into the ingredients and all over your sleeves? Just a critic to let you know that the recipe and ingredients sound wonderful. I'd like to make this recipe. I also LOVE that mixer. Does it compare with a Kitchen Aid for durability and mixing stiff ingredients which put a load on a mixer? What's the name of the brand. I think I would replace my Kitchen Aid (knock off) Kenmore mixer for one like your's.
Marye says
I have a kitchen aid - this is a Bosch and I do love it. It kneads up to 6 pounds of bread dough and my last one lasted for 20 years before it needed to be replaced.
Amanda says
Can you use pumpkin pie spice instead of all of the seasonings?
Marye says
sure.