Sweet Potato Casserole with Rum and Candied Pecans is a must-have holiday side dish. Fluffy and creamy with a spike of rum flavor and crunchy sweet pecan topping, it’s the perfect accompaniment to Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham.
This sweet potato casserole with rum and candied pecans goes down in the annals of my kitchen adventures as a happy accident.
Many years ago when Candy Crush was still the craze, I excitedly tossed a few pounds of sweet potatoes in the oven with the intention of turning them into twice-baked sweet potatoes but I got distracted along the way. I logged in to Facebook while waiting for my favorite tubers to roast and by the time I remembered to check, they were too soft to hold shape for the twice baked recipe I had in mind. If you’ve ever played that silly game, you understand.
Well, you can just imagine how frustrated I was with myself but as I am not one to waste, I decided to salvage the mushy mess and make this sweet potato casserole instead. May I say, all’s well that ends well?
The casserole turned out so creamy and delicious G and I not only polished the whole eight servings between us in one meal that day, it has also become a side dish we make regularly year-round. With fluffy sweet potatoes bursting with rum flavor and bits of sugary pecans, it absolutely screams comfort food.
If you’re looking for the perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas ham, this sweet potato casserole with rum and candied pecans won’t disappoint. Serve alongside everyone’s favorite green beans and you’ll have a holiday feast to remember!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving, my friends. May life give you many reasons to be thankful.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- rum sauce
- 1 cup candied pecans, chopped
For the Rum Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons rum
Instructions
- Scrub sweet potatoes well and pat dry. Arrange on a baking sheet and with a fork, pierce each potato 2 or 3 times.
- Bake in a 400 F oven for about 45 to 50 minutes or until fork-tender. Allow to cool and then peel, discarding skins.
- In a large bowl, mash the roasted sweet potatoes until smooth.
- Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and rum sauce. Whisk together until well combined.
- Transfer the mixture to a buttered baking dish. Smooth top and sprinkle with candied pecans.
- Bake in a 350 F oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned and heated through.
For the Rum Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add butter and sugar and cook, stirring regularly, until sugar is melted.
- Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer, stirring regularly, until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in rum.
Nutrition Information
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
First published November 16, 2013.
Jennifer Ellerman-Queen says
I somehow managed to get to the age of 43 without making a sweet potato casserole. I was also cooking my first turkey this year, so I wanted to do it all. I happened across this recipe, and WOW! Absolutely fantastic. I have one family member who is conscious about sugar, so I only added the brown sugar to the rum sauce. The sweetness was just right. I made the candied pecans myself, too, and it was heavenly. Something tells me I will be making this again in the future.
Lalaine says
Thank you so much, Jennifer, for the feedback. This sweet potato casserole is a holiday staple for us and I am glad you enjoyed it. Happy holidays!
bristol plasterer says
This sounds lovely. Going to give this a go. thanks for sharing this recipe.
Simon
nikki says
Hi Lalaine,
what rum did you use?