Description
This Hot Honey Sweet Potato Casserole blends the natural sweetness of tender sweet potatoes with a spicy touch from hot honey, topped with a crunchy pecan streusel. It’s an ideal side dish for holiday meals or cozy dinners, offering a perfect balance of sweet and spicy flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Mixture
- 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup hot honey (or regular honey mixed with a pinch of cayenne)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, for extra heat)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside to ensure the casserole doesn’t stick during baking.
- Cook sweet potatoes: Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly to remove excess water.
- Mash and mix: In a large bowl, mash the cooked sweet potatoes until smooth. Add melted butter, hot honey, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until all ingredients are combined into a creamy, uniform mixture.
- Spread sweet potato layer: Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly to form the base layer of the casserole.
- Prepare pecan topping: In a separate bowl, combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and cayenne pepper if using. Add cold, diced butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to blend until the mixture forms coarse crumbs with a slightly chunky texture.
- Add topping to casserole: Evenly sprinkle the pecan topping over the sweet potato layer, ensuring full coverage for a crunchy finish.
- Bake the casserole: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and crisp, and the casserole is thoroughly heated.
- Cool and serve: Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to cool slightly before serving to let the flavors meld and for easier portioning.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of hot honey or cayenne pepper to suit your preferred spice level.
- For a vegan version, substitute unsalted butter with coconut oil and use a plant-based milk alternative.
- The casserole can be assembled up to a day ahead and refrigerated; bake right before serving, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time if baking from chilled.
