• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pink Owl Kitchen
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Work with Me
  • E-Cookbook
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Work with Me
    • E-Cookbook
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Pink Owl Kitchen » Side Dishes » Maple Walnut Sweet Potato Casserole

    Maple Walnut Sweet Potato Casserole

    Published: Aug 5, 2021 · Modified: Sep 7, 2021 by Ashley · This post may contain affiliate links

    Sharing is caring!

    519 shares

    This Sweet Potato Casserole features mashed sweet potatoes blended with pure maple syrup and cozy fall spices topped off with a crunchy, sweet walnut streusel topping. You will not want sweet potato casserole any other way!

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    overhead shot of maple walnut sweet potato casserole in a glass baking dish on top of a wooden surface. Striped dish towel underneath dish and wooden spoon in left hand corner.
    Jump to:
    • What Is Sweet Potato Casserole?
    • What You Need To Make This Recipe
    • How To Make This Recipe
    • Storing This Sweet Potato Casserole
    • Making This Casserole Ahead of Time
    • What To Serve With This Dish
    • Variations of This Sweet Potato Casserole
    • Recommended Tools for This Recipe
    • More Fall and Thanksgiving Recipes You Will Love!
    • 📖 Recipe

    Sweet potato casserole is a staple for many during the fall and holiday season, especially Thanksgiving. There are several variations of this dish, however, this walnut streusel-topped recipe remains my favorite! If you've ever had Ruth Chris' sweet potato casserole, this recipe is reminiscent of theirs with the crunchy pecan topping!

    overhead shot of maple walnut sweet potato casserole in a glass baking dish on top of a wooden surface. Striped dish towel underneath dish and a small serving of casserole on a small white plate in left hand bottom corner.

    What Is Sweet Potato Casserole?

    Surprisingly enough, sweet potatoes weren’t present on the first Thanksgiving. Sweet potatoes are native to Central and South America and colonists from Europe introduced the spuds to the new world. The first time sweet potatoes and marshmallows are mentioned together is in 1917, in a recipe booklet published by the Angelus Marshmallow company.

    Sweet potato casserole with pecans is a recipe that originated in the South, and early variations of the recipe included different ingredients like cream or milk. This sweet potato casserole recipe is a variation of the Southern version, made with pure maple syrup and chopped walnuts.

    What You Need To Make This Recipe

    Mashed Sweet Potato Ingredients:

    Four medium-sized sweet potatoes. We need 3 cups of peeled and chopped sweet potatoes for this recipe. If your sweet potatoes are larger, you may only need three. To prepare them for the casserole, the chopped sweet potatoes are boiled in water until fork tender.

    overhead shot of chopped, boiled sweet potatoes in water in a stockpot.

    Granulated sugar. A combination of granulated sugar and pure maple syrup is used to sweeten this casserole. You may also use brown sugar instead if you prefer a more caramel-like flavor.

    Pure maple syrup. Be sure your maple syrup is good quality, pure maple syrup, and not maple-flavored syrup.

    Two large eggs. The eggs will act as a binder in this casserole.

    Vanilla extract. This ingredient lends a great depth of flavor and also brings out the other flavors in the casserole.

    Salt. Adding a small amount of salt to sweet recipes highlights the flavors of the other ingredients.

    Ground cinnamon. This spice provides warmth and subtle spiciness to the casserole.

    Ground nutmeg. A little bit of this spice adds a warm, nutty flavor to the casserole.

    Ground cardamom. This spice has a complex flavor with spicy, sweet, citrusy, minty, and herbal notes combined. It really adds something special to this dish and plays beautifully with the other flavors in this casserole. A little of this ingredient goes a long way.

    Buttermilk. The buttermilk adds creaminess to the sweet potatoes and also adds the most delicious, subtle tanginess to the dish. If you prefer, you can also use regular whole milk instead.

    Streusel Topping Ingredients

    • Brown sugar
    • Unsalted butter
    • All-purpose flour
    • Chopped Walnuts
    • Salt
    • Ground cinnamon

    How To Make This Recipe

    Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray or butter a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.

    To a large mixing bowl, add the sweet potatoes, sugar, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Using a potato masher or large fork, mash the potatoes together with the other ingredients. Once the potatoes are mashed, add the buttermilk and use a wire whisk to mix all of the ingredients until well combined.

    Transfer the sweet potato mixture to your prepared baking dish and set it aside while you make the streusel topping.

    • overhead shot of mashed sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl.
    • overhead shot of mashed sweet potatoes spread out into a glass baking dish.

    In a medium mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, melted butter, flour, chopped walnuts, salt, and ground cinnamon. Using a fork, mix the ingredients together until all of the flour is moistened and a crumbly texture is formed.

    Spoon the streusel topping over top of the sweet potato mixture and spread out into an even layer. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the casserole is golden and bubbly.

    • overhead shot of walnut streusel topping in a mixing bowl.
    • overhead shot of maple walnut sweet potato casserole in a glass baking dish before going into the oven.

    Storing This Sweet Potato Casserole

    Leftover casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

    You can also freeze leftover casserole by transferring it to a zip-top freezer bag, removing as much air as possible before sealing. Wrap the freezer bag tightly in plastic wrap and store it in a lying-down position in the freezer. The casserole will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

    overhead shot of maple walnut sweet potato casserole in a glass baking dish on top of a wooden surface. Striped dish towel underneath dish and wooden spoon in the top left hand corner.

    Making This Casserole Ahead of Time

    You can prepare and bake this casserole as directed up to two days before, wrap it in plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat it in the oven, covered in foil, for 20 minutes the morning of. Remove the foil for the last minutes to crisp the top.

    You can also prepare and bake the sweet potato mixture up to two days before, then top the casserole with the crumble mixture, and bake uncovered for 20 minutes the morning of.

    close up shot of maple walnut sweet potato casserole section wher a serving has been removed.

    What To Serve With This Dish

    So many dinner recipes pair wonderfully with this sweet potato casserole! Here are a few of my favorites from the archives:

    One-Pan Sage Butter Chicken and Orzo

    Cornbread Vegetable Pot Pie

    Creamy Garlic Tuscan Salmon

    Spicy Shrimp Creole

    Variations of This Sweet Potato Casserole

    You can really get as creative as your imagination allows here as there are countless variations of sweet potato casserole out there and they're all delicious!

    • Add marshmallows to the topping for a more classic version of this dish.
    • Use heavy cream instead of milk in the mashed sweet potatoes for a more rich casserole.
    • Substitute butternut squash for the sweet potatoes in the casserole or use a combination of both.
    close up shot of maple walnut sweet potato casserole section wher a serving has been removed.

    Recommended Tools for This Recipe

    9x13 baking dish

    Mixing bowls

    Potato Masher

    More Fall and Thanksgiving Recipes You Will Love!

    Browned Butter Praline Poke Cake

    Maple Chess Pie With Toasted Meringue

    Sweet and Spicy Turnip Greens

    Southern Cornbread Dressing

    Harvest Vegetable Soup

    Creamy Sweet Potato Soup

    📖 Recipe

    overhead shot of maple walnut sweet potato casserole in a glass baking dish on top of a wooden surface. Striped dish towel underneath dish and wooden spoon in left hand corner.

    Maple Walnut Sweet Potato Casserole

    Ashley
    This Sweet Potato Casserole features mashed sweet potatoes blended with pure maple syrup and cozy fall spices topped off with a crunchy, sweet walnut streusel topping. You will not want sweet potato casserole any other way!
    4.91 from 10 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Total Time 55 mins
    Course Holiday Side Dish, Side Dish
    Cuisine American, Holiday
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 369 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups sweet potatoes peeled, chopped and boiled in water until fork tender, about four medium-sized sweet potatoes*
    • ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • ¼ cup pure maple syrup**
    • 2 large eggs beaten
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
    • ⅓ cup buttermilk***

    For the Streusel Topping

    • ¾ cup brown sugar
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup chopped walnuts
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray or butter a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.
    • To a large mixing bowl, add the sweet potatoes, sugar, maple syrup, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Using a potato masher or large fork, mash the potatoes together with the other ingredients. Once the potatoes are mashed, add the buttermilk and use a wire whisk to mix all of the ingredients until well combined.
    • Transfer the sweet potato mixture to your prepared baking dish and set it aside while you make the streusel topping.
    • In a medium mixing bowl, add the brown sugar, melted butter, flour, chopped walnuts, salt, and ground cinnamon. Using a fork, mix the ingredients together until all of the flour is moistened and a crumbly texture is formed.
    • Spoon the streusel topping over top of the sweet potato mixture and spread out into an even layer. Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the casserole is golden and bubbly. Allow the casserole to cool for about 10 minutes then serve warm.

    Notes

    *add peeled and chopped sweet potatoes to a large stockpot, cover with water and boil until fork-tender. If your sweet potatoes are larger you may only need three.
    **make sure you are using pure maple syrup and not maple-flavored syrup to ensure the best flavor.
    ***you can also use regular whole milk.
    SEE THE BLOG POST ABOVE FOR OTHER IMPORTANT TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 369kcalCarbohydrates: 50.7gProtein: 7.5gFat: 16.6gSaturated Fat: 4.7gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 176mgPotassium: 626mgFiber: 4gSugar: 26.5gCalcium: 66mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword fall side dishes, holiday sides, sweet potato casserole, thanksgiving sides
    Tried this recipe?Tag @thepinkowlkitchen on Instagram! Don't forget to leave a star rating and review!

    Sharing is caring!

    519 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marlon Boyd

      August 06, 2021 at 3:48 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for the my family and they all love it! So easy to make and the flavor was amazing! I will definitely be making this again!

      Reply
      • Ashley

        August 06, 2021 at 4:03 pm

        This is so wonderful to hear! It's a favorite dish in our home as well. Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Coby

      August 28, 2021 at 1:51 am

      5 stars
      This was so delicious! That streusel topping is fantastic, and my kids said this was their new favorite way to eat sweet potatoes! We will definitely be making this again!

      Reply
    3. Kelli

      November 18, 2021 at 7:22 pm

      Any way to omit the eggs?

      Reply
      • Ashley Boyd

        November 18, 2021 at 8:43 pm

        Hi Kelli,

        You may omit the eggs! There is no need to replace them with anything. The casserole may be a little less sturdy but equally delicious. I hope you enjoy!

        Reply
    4. Elizabeth

      November 19, 2021 at 3:55 am

      can this be made ahead (night before) and baked the next day?

      Reply
      • Ashley Boyd

        February 10, 2022 at 3:22 pm

        Hi Elizabeth! Absolutely! Make-ahead instructions are listed in the blog post 😊

        Reply

    Share Your Thoughts! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Ashley Boyd - creator of Pink Owl Kitchen

    Hi! I'm Ashley.

    I'm Ashley, go-to chef and hostess for huge family gatherings, new mom to a beautiful baby boy, and founder of Pink Owl Kitchen. All of our recipes are influenced by my southern upbringing and feature fresh, seasonal ingredients to encourage families to come together around the dinner table more!

    Learn more about me →

    Let's Connect!

    Trending Recipes

    • Blackened Catfish and Smoked Gouda Grits
    • Browned Butter Praline Poke Cake
    • Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
    • Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Creole Sauce

    As Seen In!

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    DON'T MISS OUT ON THE LATEST RECIPES!
    JOIN THE PINK OWL KITCHEN FAMILY
    We promise not to spam you. Unsubscribe at any time.
    Invalid email address
    Thanks for subscribing!

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Work With Me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Nutrition Disclaimer. All information and tools presented and written within this site (thepinkowlkitchen.com) are intended for informational purposes only.

    Copyright © 2022 Pink Owl Kitchen LLC | All Rights Reserved

    519 shares