Southern Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole, made with baked sweet potatoes, and topped with pecans and brown sugar, is a delightful combination of flavors that is sure to draw rave reviews from everyone.
This is a lighter version of the classic dessert-like sweet potato casserole recipe most folks expect to see during the holidays.
But it has a fun twist, a splash of bourbon, a quintessential southern libation. Made without eggs, it includes orange juice, butter, and surprise ingredients: fresh rosemary and cayenne pepper.
Sweet potatoes for the holidays are as traditional as turkey and dressing. And this easy, make-ahead, sweet, savory, southern-style sweet potato casserole will quickly become your new favorite.
Like my Candied Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans, you will love how simple this showstopping side dish is to make, and your guests and family will love how indescribably delicious it is.
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Ingredient notes:
- Sweet potatoes – are the star of this show, and fresh are best!
- Butter – adds rich flavor and creamy deliciousness to the casserole and its topping.
- Orange juice – brings a citrusy element to this casserole and goes beautifully with the sweet potatoes.
- Brown sugar – I think there is a law that all sweet potato casseroles contain this sweet caramelly goodness.
- Bourbon – with its sweet, smooth taste, is a lovely addition to this casserole.
- Salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg – pair beautifully with sweet potatoes and enhance the other flavors in this dish.
- All-purpose flour – helps to bind all of the streusel-type topping ingredients together.
- Pecans – and sweet potatoes are a match made in heaven. These southern nuts add their rich buttery goodness and great crunch to the mouth-watering topping.
- Rosemary and cayenne pepper – are two unusual ingredients that add a pop of unexpected flavor and help balance the casserole’s sweetness.
How to make Southern Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole:
- Preheat the oven to 425° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Use a fork or knife to pierce holes in the top and bottom of the potatoes. Roast the sweet potatoes for 40 to 50 minutes or until they are very soft, and you can easily squeeze them with a potholder.
- Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes, slice them in half, and scoop the flesh into a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the melted butter, orange juice, light brown sugar, bourbon, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and combine all of the ingredients.
- Spray a one-and-a-half quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and add the potato mixture. Spread out evenly and set aside.
- To make the topping, add the brown sugar, flour, pecans, melted butter, cayenne pepper, and fresh rosemary to a small bowl and stir to combine the ingredients.
- Sprinkle this topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake the casserole for 30 minutes and serve hot.
Recipe FAQs:
To make this casserole ahead, prepare the dish according to the directions, but do not bake it. Cover and store the unbaked casserole in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Then before serving, bake it as directed.
This tasty side dish would pair well with other Southern holiday classics such as Smoked Turkey, Turkey Gravy, Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes, Traditional Southern Cornbread Dressing, Southern Cornbread Pudding, Baked Pineapple Cheese Casserole, and Cranberry Sauce.
Southern Sweet Potato Pie or Old-Fashioned Pecan Pie would round things out nicely.
Leftover bourbon sweet potato casserole is delicious when reheated in a 350° F oven for about 10 minutes or in a microwave for about a minute.
It will keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to four days.
Yes, prepare the casserole as directed, but do not bake it, and do not add the pecan topping. Wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to a month. Before baking, let it thaw overnight in the fridge, add the topping, and follow the directions to bake it.
Recipe variations:
- To make this sweet potato casserole a little healthier, you can leave off the topping altogether or sprinkle plain pecans on the top. It will still be delicious.
- You can leave the bourbon out if you prefer. The rosemary is optional but adds a nice touch. You can also substitute fresh sage or leave the herbs out. I wouldn’t substitute dried herbs.
- You can substitute canned sweet potatoes for fresh ones. Drain and rinse the canned potatoes off with water first.
- And, finally, if you are a marshmallow family, feel free to leave off the pecan topping and top your casserole with marshmallows. Or if you are a house divided, top half of it with marshmallows and the other half with the pecan topping.
Sharon’s tips:
- Try to select sweet potatoes that are approximately the same size so they will cook in the same amount of time.
- If you are in a hurry, you can cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave. To do this, prick the skin of the potato three to four times with a fork and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Then, microwave it for five minutes. If it isn’t soft enough, turn it over and microwave it for additional 30-second intervals until it is done.
- If you plan to take this casserole to a potluck or travel with it, make it in a disposable aluminum pan, and bake it on a baking sheet so it will cook evenly. It will also be easier to get in and out of the oven.
More sweet potato recipes:
If you like sweet potatoes as much as we do, be sure to check out these other scrumptious recipes on my blog:
If you need even more recipes, you might also like Sweet Potato Biscuits with Cranberry Aioli or my collection of 15 Sweet and Savory Sweet Potato Recipes.
★★★★★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones! I hope you come back soon!
📋 Recipe:
Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- Casserole dish, 9.5" x 7.5" or one and a half quarts
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Casserole Ingredients:
- 4 sweet potatoes medium
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Pecan Topping Ingredients:
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ⅔ cup pecan halves, raw
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary finely chopped
Instructions
Casserole Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425 °F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Use a fork or knife to pierce holes in the top and bottom of the potatoes. Roast the sweet potatoes for 40 to 50 minutes or until they are very soft, and you can easily squeeze them with a potholder.
- Let the potatoes cool for a few minutes, slice them in half, and scoop the flesh into a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the melted butter, orange juice, light brown sugar, bourbon, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes and combine all of the ingredients.
- Spray a one-and-a-half quart baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and add the potato mixture. Spread out evenly and set aside.
Topping Directions:
- To make the topping, add the brown sugar, flour, pecans, melted butter, cayenne pepper, and fresh rosemary, to a small bowl and stir to combine the ingredients.
- Sprinkle this topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake
- Bake the casserole for 30 minutes and serve hot.
Notes
- Try to select sweet potatoes that are approximately the same size so they will cook in the same amount of time.
- If you are in a hurry, you can cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave. To do this, prick the skin of the sweet potato three to four times with a fork and place it on a microwave-safe plate. Then, microwave it for five minutes. If it isn’t soft enough, turn it over and microwave it for additional 30-second intervals until it is done.
- If you plan to take this casserole to a potluck or travel with it, make it in a disposable aluminum pan, and bake it on a baking sheet so it will cook evenly. It will also be easier to get in and out of the oven.
- To make this casserole ahead, prepare the dish according to the directions, but do not bake it. Cover and store the unbaked casserole in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Then before serving, bake it as directed.
3 Tbsp of bourbon? That’s just enough to be able to use the word bourbon in the recipe title.😋
This sounds amazing! Would you recommend (1) 29 oz can If substitute canned for fresh sweet potatoes?
Hi Jeannine,
You will need about 3 1/2 cups of sweet potato. I’m not sure how much sweet potato is in a can of that size because some of the weight is syrup but I would guess that should be plenty. I hope you enjoy it and Happy Thanksgiving.
All the best,
Sharon
In these days of social isolation and infrequent shopping, our resident bourbon drinker wanted to preserve his supply. So I substituted dark rum for the bourbon, and it was wonderful. Thanks for another easy and delicious recipe. It was great with our Easter pork roast.
Hi Susan, thanks so much for the sweet comment, I’m so glad you guys enjoyed it and am glad you were able to preserve your bourbon supply. The rum was a great substitute. I’ll have to try that next time!
All the best,
Sharon
Here in our house we are marshmallow fans but I love the idea of your pecan topping. I have always put bourbon in my sweet potato casserole. I always say, “Everything tastes a little better with a little JACK.” I make mine just like you do but when I bake the sweet potatoes I rub them with a little vegetable oil.
Carolyn
How have I never heard of bourbon in sweet potatoes before? For some reason, I just never thought about it, but it is certainly a marriage made in heaven!
PS: I saw your Blood Orange Margarita recipe on your blog the other day and have been dreaming about one ever since…