Sweet Potato Casserole with Spiced Brown Sugar-Pecan Topping

Packed with warm spices and the luscious sweetness of sweet potatoes and topped with a sweet, spicy, nutty layer of pecans and Demerara Style Sugar, this casserole never fails to impress and delight.

Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook & Bake Time
45 minutes
40 minutes
Image
A woman wearing a sweater serving sweet potato casserole garnished with a rosemary sprig from a baking dish, shown with a radicchio and citrus salad, glasses of wine, and bowls of golden yellow and demerara sugar.

Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar & Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar

Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar

Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar

Light-coloured and just right for baking, the subtle notes of caramel and moist texture make it ideal for allowing delicate flavours to shine through in your creations.

Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar

Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar

Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar

A rich and unique sugar with our deepest flavour, the large crystals add a bit of crunch to your baking and crumble-style toppings.

Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar

Baking sheet

Parchment paper

Fork

Paring knife

Scale OR dry measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Medium bowl

Whisk

Large bowl x 2

Casserole dish (9 x 13-inch)

Cutting board

Chef’s knife

Large spoon

Potato masher OR hand mixer

Large rubber spatula

Servings
10 to 12 servings
For the sweet potatoes:
  • 5 pcs (4 lbs / 1816 g) sweet potatoes, large, washed well
  • ⅓ cup (76 g) butter, melted
  • ¼ cup (54 g) Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, packed
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) bourbon (or brandy or orange liqueur)
  • 1 tsp (6 g) salt
  • 1 tsp (2 g) orange zest, finely grated
  • 1 tsp (2 g) ground ginger
  • ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, preferably freshly ground
  • ¼ tsp (1 g) ground nutmeg
For the brown sugar-pecan topping:
  • ⅔ cup (145 g) Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar, packed
  • 1 tbsp (15 g) fresh rosemary, minced
  • 1½ tsp (5 g) ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp (2 g) salt
  • ⅛ tsp (1 g) cayenne pepper
  • 2 cups (210 g) pecans, roughly chopped
  • ¼ cup + 3 tbsp (100 g) butter, melted
Instructions
For the sweet potatoes:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

With a fork, pierce the sweet potatoes all over. Place the potatoes onto the lined baking sheet and place into the preheated oven; bake for 45 minutes or until a knife slides easily into the centre. (While the sweet potatoes are roasting in the oven, skip to the next section and prepare the topping.)

Step 3

Remove from oven. Cool slightly or until sweet potatoes can be easily handled.

Step 4

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C).

For the topping:

Step 1

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the Redpath® Demerara Style Sugar with the minced rosemary, ground cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper until well combined.

Step 2

In a large bowl, toss the chopped pecans with the melted butter. Add the spiced brown sugar mixture to the pecans and stir to coat evenly.

For the casserole:

Step 1

Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish with butter. Set aside.

Step 2

Slice the slightly cooled sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the insides from the skins into a large bowl; discard skins.

Step 3

Add melted butter, the Redpath® Golden Yellow Sugar, bourbon, salt, orange zest, ground ginger, black pepper, and nutmeg to the bowl. With a potato masher or a hand mixer, mash the sweet potatoes until the desired consistency is reached.

Step 4

Spread the mashed sweet potatoes into the greased casserole dish. Evenly top the sweet potatoes with the spiced brown sugar-pecan topping.

Step 5

Place into the preheated oven and bake until the pecans are caramelized and fragrant and the filling is bubbling around the edges; 35 to 40 minutes.

Image
A partially served sweet potato casserole garnished with a rosemary sprig in a baking dish, shown with a serving spoon, a plate of casserole, and bowls of golden yellow and demerara sugar.