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Switching things up this Thanksgiving with this Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans. The classic sweet potato casserole we know and love, but topped with sweet and savory bacon pecans. These sweet potatoes are buttery, hinted with cinnamon, and lightly sweetened. The pecan topping is just a touch spicy, perfectly sweet, herby, and a little salty too. When baked together the potatoes and topping create the perfect balance and make for the BEST sweet potato casserole. Make these ahead of time for an easy holiday side that everyone will love.

overhead photo of Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet n Savory Bacon Pecans

It’s the second week of November and I very much have Thanksgiving on my mind. Anyone else?

It’s been a little tricky to get my menu fully planned, photographed, and written up in between traveling for HBH Super Simple. But I’m excited to finally say that I will be sharing my full menu this week! Are you guys in planning mode? Hoping so, because I have some good recipes coming, and it all starts with this casserole.

I’m sure I have said this before, but when it comes to Thanksgiving I really love a traditional menu. Herby roasted turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, popovers, vegetable sides, and of course, sweet potato casserole. Some of you may be surprised to hear this, since I love to share all kinds of different recipes, but when it comes to both Thanksgiving and Christmas, I’m all about tradition. And the older and more traditional the better.

The classics keep things simple and perfect every time. It’s why we look forward to the holidays so much. All the traditions!

That said, every year I try to create a few new dishes that are spins on the classics. They still feel like the classics, just updated a bit. My brothers only care about the turkey, mashed potatoes, and rolls, so I keep those basic (but good). But when it comes to the vegetables? I have some room to play with, and have a little fun.

Enter this sweet potato casserole. It’s just like my grandma’s sweet potatoes, but with a sweet, savory, and salty topping…that everyone loves.

raw sweet potato with steam

Let’s talk about the sweet potatoes…

Like most sweet potato casseroles, this bourbon sweet potato casserole is so simple and easy to make. The longest part of the process is roasting the potatoes. But nothing is hard and you might even have all the ingredients on hand right now.

So…start with the sweet potatoes. Yes, you can buy canned sweet potatoes, but I highly recommend roasting fresh potatoes for best flavor and color. If you have an instant pot, you can cook the potatoes quickly in there. If not, go the oven route. It’s my preferred method.

Once the potatoes are soft, peel away the skins (then use them to make these sweet potato skin chips) and then mash. Then add in a touch of brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, butter, and a splash of bourbon, and that’s it. This is my grandma’s base recipe and it never fails. Simple, but so delicious, and not overly sweet, which I think is really nice.

Question: are you a sweet or savory, sweet potato casserole person? I prefer a savory casserole…with just a touch of sweetness!

Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole before adding the pecans

Now about those bacon pecans…

While the potatoes are roasting, start working on the bacon pecans.

Oh, these bacon pecans. Basically, this is a topping of candied bacon with pecans, and it’s incredibly delicious. Sweet and savory with a little crunch from the pecans, and saltiness from the bacon. I added sage and a little rosemary to bring in some savory flavors and balance out the sweetness. These herbs may sound like an odd addition but go with me on this because it’s so GOOD.

Also, if rosemary isn’t your thing, or you’re worried it may overpower the other flavors, then simply leave it out. My dad’s not the biggest rosemary fan. He sometimes complains that it’s overpowering. Use your best judgment here and go with your own personal taste.

Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet n Savory Bacon Pecans before baking

Put it all together…

Last up, layer the topping over the sweet potatoes and bake. It’s simple, nothing too fancy, and so EASY. While this bakes, your house will smell incredible, just like Thanksgiving should. You’ll soon find out that every bite is just as delicious as it smells.

These potatoes are sweet and buttery and the topping is crunchy. It’s the sweet potato casserole your Thanksgiving table needs. Promise.

And finally, you can easily prepare this ahead of time, and yes, it travels well too. If you’re on sidedish duty this Thanksgiving, this is your dish!

overhead photo of Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet n Savory Bacon Pecans with spoonful removed from casserole

If you make this bourbon sweet potato casserole with sweet ‘n’ savory bacon pecans, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans.

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 426 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecans

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes and bake for 1 hour or until soft and tender. When the sweet potatoes are cooked, slice them in half and allow to cool.
    2. Meanwhile, make the bacon pecans. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain onto a paper towel. In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, pecans, butter, cayenne, sage, and rosemary (if using). Stir in the bacon.
    3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Peel the skins away from the flesh of the sweet potato. Add the sweet potatoes to a mixing bowl. Mash well. Mix in the brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, milk, butter, eggs, and bourbon until combined. Season with salt.
    4. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over top.
    5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the pecans are golden. Serve warm topped with flaky sea salt.

Notes

To Make Ahead: Prepare the casserole through step 4. Cover and store the assembled casserole in the fridge for up to 2 days. To bake, remove the casserole from the fridge while the oven preheats, then bake as directed. 
To Make Gluten Free: Use an equal amount of your favorite gluten free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour. I recommend Cup4Cup gluten free flour. 
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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve made this twice in the last 2 months and it’s raved about! Skipped the bourbon and it still taste amazing! The cayenne pepper brings it to life! Thank you!!

    Reply

    1. Hey Michele,
      Awesome!! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Have the best week! xTieghan

      Reply

  2. 5 stars
    I made this for Christmas this year and oh my gooooood. This was insane. Huge hit and it’ll be a new permanent recipe on the menu moving forward. Thank you!!!!

    Reply

    1. Hi Jessica,
      Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Happy New Year!? xTieghan

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    These are fantastic! I just started following you this fall and everything I have made is wonderful. I made these potatoes for Thanksgiving. They were such a hit I made for Christmas. The sweet and savory flavors are a nice change. This recipe will be the new go to for sweet potatoes?

    Reply

  4. 4 stars
    For me, the recipe was okay, but my husband said it rivals his grandmas recipe – which I feel like is the ultimate compliment lol. One tip – don’t forget your bowl of melted butter in the microwave ?‍♀️ Found it the next morning and had to just pour it over the top of the leftovers

    Reply

    1. Hey Julia,
      Awesome! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it. Happy Holidays!❄️ xT

      Reply

  5. 5 stars
    Made this for thanksgiving this year and it was a huge hit! My dad is a traditionalist when it comes to his sweet potatoes with marshmallows and even he was won over! The sage and cayenne really balance out all the sweetness and put it over the top!

    Reply

    1. Hey Rachel,
      Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays!? xx

      Reply

    1. Hi Eileen,
      Happy Friday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for making it and happy holidays!❄️ xTieghan

      Reply

  7. 5 stars
    Made this for thanksgiving and everyone was completely obsessed! Even my husband who would have sworn on his life he hated sweet potatoes and everything about them loved it!

    Reply

    1. Hey Kailyn,
      Awesome!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan

      Reply

    2. I wish I would have seen this before Thanksgiving; found this site looking up Christmas cookie recipes! I’m going to try this next time I make sweet potato casserole, as my go-to is good, but sooooo sweet. This sounds like a good one!! ?

      Reply

    1. Hey Missie,
      Happy Friday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks to much for giving it a try!! xTieghan

      Reply

  10. 5 stars
    Delish!!! I was amazed with the combination of flavors, it was a wonderful burst of sweet/savory explosion in my mouth. Everyone loved it. Thankfully I made a double batch! My husband loved it. It certainly was a winner ! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    I made this recipe this year for family Thanksgiving and it was loved by all! Last year I made a marshmallow topped recipe and only a couple of people tried it but this casserole was almost finished by the end of the meal. The bacon/pecan topping is to die for!

    Reply

  12. 5 stars
    I made this casserole for thanksgiving this year, along with LOTS of other food (other HBH recipes and recipes found elsewhere) and it was by far my favorite item on the menu. It is truly delicious! It has just the right amount of spice to balance out the sweet without being overpowering, and the topping is truly divine. Thanks, Tieghan, for another fantastic recipe!

    Reply

    1. Hi Rachel,
      Fantastic! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan

      Reply

    1. Hey Kara,
      Fantastic! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan

      Reply

  14. 5 stars
    Really enjoyed this recipe. Even family members that don’t care for sweet potatoes liked this dish! Great savory/sweet combination.

    Reply

    1. Hi Mercedes,
      Fantastic! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan

      Reply

  15. 5 stars
    AMAZINGLY flavorful! And not too difficult to make either. It was such a hit at thanksgiving. Going to have to make this again every chance I get!

    Reply

    1. Hi Kate,
      Wonderful!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great weekend! xTieghan

      Reply