Sweet Potato Praline Casserole

This Thanksgiving casserole is so decadent you could just as easily eat it for dessert. But it’s a family favorite as a Thanksgiving side dish in our house. About 15 years ago I was part of a food co-op. I paid a monthly fee and received a box of food at wholesale prices every two weeks. This co-op had a monthly newsletter that came with the box. The November newsletter had a recipe for Sweet Potato Praline and because the box came with most of the ingredients, I decided to give it a try. I’ve made it almost every Thanksgiving since then. Sadly, the co-op is not around any longer. But the recipe will last a lifetime. And now I’m sharing it with you!

Candy Thermometer

Although you won’t need it until the end of the recipe, don’t start making this until you have a candy thermometer. Candy thermometers are long and narrow so they can safely take the temperature of liquids such as sugar, jams, and even oil while cooking. They also list the stages of cooking sugar- thread, soft ball, hard ball, soft crack, hard crack – which make a candy thermometer particularly important for this recipe. They are easy to find at craft stores, big box stores, Amazon, or even better ask a friend to borrow theirs. You’d be surprised how many people have one!

Making the Sweet Potatoes

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Even though this recipe may look complicated, it’s actually super easy. If you are prepping for Thanksgiving, you can make the sweet potato mixture a day or two ahead. Then make the praline topping Thanksgiving day and bake when you’re ready. To bake the sweet potatoes, simply wash and place them on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, until they are tender. When they are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off by hand. The skins should almost fall off, but if not you can half the sweet potatoes and use a spoon to scoop out the sweet potato pulp. Put all of the peeled sweet potatoes into a bowl and mash with a potato masher or whisk. Make sure you don’t over mash them or they will get runny. I used a hand mixer once and they became a mushy mess.

While the sweet potatoes are still hot, add the butter, milk, sugar, pumpkin pie spices, vanilla, and eggs. Gently mix in these ingredients until they are all incorporated. Spoon this mixture into a casserole dish. If you are prepping this dish ahead of time, cover and refrigerate the casserole until you are ready to make the praline topping.

Praline Topping

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Praline is a candy of sugar and nuts, Yum! This part of the recipe really takes your undivided attention because it’s easy to burn or overcook the sugar. Simmer the cream in a small pot and mix in the brown sugar. Put the candy thermometer into the cream and sugar mixture and continue to simmer, watching the thermometer closely as it’s cooking. When the thermometer reaches “soft ball”, remove from heat. Mix in the melted butter and pecans and pour the wonderful gooey mixture on top of the sweet potatoes. Pop it all in a 350 degree oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. I like to let it sit for about 10- 15 minutes before serving so the praline topping has a chance to solidify. Otherwise, it may run off the top a little when you serve it.

My family jokes that it’s so sweet and decadent that I could serve it for dessert. But that never stops them from eating it for dinner! My daughter is vegan and has missed this the last few years. So this year, I’m already working on a vegan version of this recipe. Follow me on instagram, @enjoy_life_inspired, to see updates on the vegan version. I’d love to see this recipe at your Thanksgiving table. Post your pictures in the comments!