Description
This Hot Honey Sweet Potato Casserole combines creamy, mashed sweet potatoes with a spicy-sweet honey butter blend, topped with a crunchy pecan and cornflake crust. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, this dish offers a delightful balance of flavors and textures, ideal as a comforting side for holiday meals or cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Mixture
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
- ½ cup hot honey
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- ¾ cup hot honey, divided
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups corn flakes
- ½ cup pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9-inch by 13-inch baking dish and set it aside to prepare for the casserole.
- Cook the sweet potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over the stove. Add the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes to the boiling water and simmer for about 15 minutes or until they are fork-tender. Drain the potatoes well in a colander.
- Mash the sweet potatoes: In a large bowl or the pot used for cooking, combine the cooked sweet potatoes with ½ cup of hot honey, ½ cup of butter, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Use an electric hand mixer or a potato masher to mash everything together until smooth and well incorporated.
- Transfer to baking dish: Spread the mashed sweet potato mixture evenly into the greased baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Prepare the topping mixture: Melt the remaining ¼ cup of butter in a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup of hot honey and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon until combined.
- Make the crunchy topping: Crush the corn flakes and pecans together either by pulsing in a food processor or placing them in a large plastic zipper bag and using a heavy rolling pin to crush till coarse crumbs form. Mix the crushed corn flakes and pecans into the melted butter and honey mixture to coat evenly.
- Add the topping: Sprinkle the crunchy pecan and cornflake topping evenly over the mashed sweet potatoes in the baking dish.
- Bake the casserole: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes until the topping is golden brown and crisp.
- Serve: Remove from the oven and if desired, drizzle with extra hot honey before serving to add an extra layer of sweetness and heat.
Notes
- Hot honey can vary in spiciness; adjust the amount according to your heat preference.
- The extra drizzle of hot honey at the end is optional but adds a lovely finish.
- Make sure to thoroughly drain the sweet potatoes to avoid a watery mash.
- You can substitute pecans with walnuts if preferred.
- This casserole can be prepared a day ahead and reheated before serving.
