Description
This Hot Honey Sweet Potato Casserole is a delightful twist on a classic comfort dish, blending the natural sweetness of mashed sweet potatoes with a spicy honey glaze and a crunchy pecan and cornflake topping. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, this casserole brings a balance of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors that makes it an irresistible side dish for any meal.
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 ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- ¾ cup hot honey (divided: ½ cup in sweet potato mixture, ¼ cup for topping)
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 cups corn flakes
- ½ cup pecans
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9 inch x 13 inch baking dish and set it aside to prepare for the casserole.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. Add the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain thoroughly using a colander.
- Mash Sweet Potatoes: Transfer the cooked sweet potatoes to a large bowl or back into the pot. Add ½ cup hot honey, ½ cup butter, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Use an electric hand mixer or potato masher to mash until smooth and well combined.
- Prepare Baking Dish: Spread the mashed sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Make Topping Mixture: In a medium-sized bowl, melt the remaining ¼ cup butter. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup hot honey and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon until fully blended.
- Prepare Crunchy Topping: Crush the corn flakes and pecans together using a food processor or place them into a heavy-duty plastic zipper bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Mix the crushed topping with the melted butter and honey mixture until coated.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle the crunchy topping evenly over the mashed sweet potatoes in the baking dish, covering the surface completely.
- Bake Casserole: Place the casserole in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crisp.
- Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven. Optionally, drizzle extra hot honey over the top before serving to enhance the sweet and spicy flavor profile.
Notes
- Hot honey can be substituted with regular honey mixed with a pinch of cayenne pepper if unavailable.
- To reduce sweetness, adjust the amount of hot honey according to taste.
- For a nut-free version, omit pecans and increase corn flakes for the topping.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best texture.
