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Best Easy Maple Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Streusel

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This maple bourbon sweet potato casserole features roasted sweet potatoes with a warm maple-bourbon glaze and a crunchy pecan streusel topping. It’s a grown-up twist on a classic holiday side dish that’s perfect for both special occasions and cozy weeknight dinners.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 medium-large potatoes)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon (mid-range like Buffalo Trace or Maker’s Mark)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Give it a full 15-20 minutes to come to temperature.
  2. Scrub and pierce the sweet potatoes. Don’t peel them yet. Use a fork to poke several holes all over each potato.
  3. Roast the sweet potatoes directly on the oven rack (or on a baking sheet) for 45-60 minutes, until soft all the way through and easily pierced with a fork.
  4. While the potatoes roast, make the pecan streusel: In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold butter cubes and chopped pecans. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  5. When sweet potatoes are done, let them rest for 10-15 minutes until cool enough to handle.
  6. Peel the sweet potatoes (skins should slip off easily) and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  7. Mash the sweet potatoes with a fork or potato masher to desired consistency (some texture is nice).
  8. Add melted butter, maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  9. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly in a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Smooth the top with a spatula.
  10. Sprinkle the pecan streusel evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Don’t press it in.
  11. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown and the edges are bubbly. If streusel browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
  12. Let the casserole rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Roast sweet potatoes instead of boiling to concentrate their natural sweetness and avoid a watery casserole. Don’t skip the black pepper—it balances the sweetness. Keep the streusel cold for a crunchy topping. The casserole can be assembled (without streusel) up to 2 days in advance. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute bourbon with 1 tablespoon extra maple syrup and a splash of vanilla.

Nutrition

Keywords: sweet potato casserole, maple bourbon, pecan streusel, Thanksgiving side dish, holiday side dish, roasted sweet potatoes

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