Marshmallow-Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole
Updated Nov. 20, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour 55 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 1 hour 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
Advertisement
Ingredients
- 4large sweet potatoes, scrubbed (about 2 ½ pounds)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 3bay leaves, preferably fresh
- 1teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 3tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing pan
- 1 to 2tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1teaspoon coarse kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
- 20large marshmallows, cut in half lengthwise (about 5 ounces)
- ½ cup roasted salted pecans (see Tip)
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)
253 calories; 12 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 16 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 266 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered by
Preparation
- Step 1
Arrange a rack 6 inches from the broiler heat source and another rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Step 2
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or foil. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place on the pan. Bake on the center rack until the potatoes are fork-tender, 1 to 1½ hours.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream, bay leaves and black pepper until bubbling at the edges and steaming. Remove from the heat and let steep until the cream is fragrant and the potatoes are cool enough to handle.
- Step 4
Using your fingers, peel the potatoes (the skins should slip right off), then add the flesh to a large bowl. Pour the cream over the potatoes, holding back the bay leaves and discarding them, then add the butter, brown sugar and salt. Whisk until smooth. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired (the potatoes should taste deeply savory, like mashed potatoes). Set aside to cool slightly.
- Step 5
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart shallow casserole dish with butter. Whisk the eggs into the potatoes until fluffy, about a minute. Spread the mixture in the dish, then place the marshmallow halves, cut sides down, in a single layer across the top, leaving small slivers of space between them (they’ll expand as they bake). Sprinkle with the pecans. (You can cover and refrigerate the casserole at this point for up to 2 days, until ready to bake.)
- Step 6
Bake until lightly browned on top and hot through the center, 20 to 25 minutes. (If the casserole was refrigerated, it may take longer to heat through.) Take the casserole out of the oven and heat the broiler.
- Step 7
Place the dish under the broiler until you see a wisp of smoke and the marshmallows are deeply and evenly browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not take your eyes off the dish, as the marshmallows can burn in an instant. Serve hot or warm.
- If you can’t find roasted salted pecans at the store, toast raw ones in a 350-degree oven until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes, and toss with a drizzle of oil and a sprinkle of salt to lightly coat. Cool completely before using.
Private Notes
Comments
A good shot or two of dark rum added when mashing the potatoes is a welcome addition.
Hi there, it's likely due to the sweet potatoes themselves. Some of them are young and moist; others are old and dry (like the best of us). You have to adjust the cream amount if your potatoes are super wet. Alternately, you could bake them longer to concentrate their sugars and starches. Good luck! E
In the south, they don’t use marshmallows like they do in Illinois or other northern states I have lived in. They replace them with a crumb crust of pecans, brown sugar, butter, spices and some flour placed on top the pumpkin and custard mix. They call it autumn pudding. You can tone down the sugar to your like-ing. All those marshmallows harken back to the 1950s classic recipe.
Very unique take on sweet potatoes. This turned out surprisingly delicious. You might look at the recipe and think "Sugar? Pepper? BAY LEAVES??" but it all comes together in the end.
Loved this. Used garnet yams and fresh bay leaves. Not too sweet. I burned the marshmallows (d'oh!) but picked off the char and the dish was still a huge hit at our thanksgiving table. Watch those marshmallows like a hawk...I only looked away for a hot minute!
The depth of flavor in this was so good! Mine was a little too runny - next time I will adjust the amount of cream based on how wet the potatoes are (as suggested by Eric). I typically don't care much for sweet potato casserole; however, this was my favorite Thanksgiving dish this year.