Description
This Hot Honey Sweet Potato Casserole is a delightful twist on the classic holiday side dish, combining creamy mashed sweet potatoes with a spicy-sweet honey glaze and a crunchy cornflake-pecan topping. Baked to perfection, it’s a comforting and flavorful addition to any meal that balances warmth, sweetness, and a touch of heat.
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Potato Base
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- ½ cup hot honey
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping
- ¾ cup hot honey, divided (¾ cup total; ½ cup in base, ¼ cup in topping)
- ¾ cup butter, divided (½ cup in base, ¼ cup in topping)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 cups corn flakes
- ½ cup pecans
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 inch baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Add the peeled and cubed sweet potatoes and simmer for 15 minutes until fork tender. Drain them well using a colander.
- Mash Sweet Potatoes: In a large bowl or the cooking pot, combine the cooked sweet potatoes with ½ cup hot honey, ½ cup butter, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Mash everything thoroughly using an electric hand mixer or potato masher until smooth and creamy.
- Assemble Base Layer: Spread the mashed sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
- Prepare Topping Mixture: Melt the remaining ¼ cup butter in a medium bowl. Stir in the remaining ¼ cup hot honey and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon until well combined.
- Prepare Crunchy Topping: Crush the corn flakes and pecans together either using a food processor or by placing them in a large ziplock bag and crushing with a rolling pin. Mix this crumbly mixture into the melted butter and honey mixture to coat.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle the crunchy corn flake and pecan topping evenly over the sweet potato layer in the baking dish.
- Bake: Bake the casserole in the preheated oven for 20 minutes until the topping is golden and crisp.
- Serve: Remove from oven and optionally drizzle with extra hot honey before serving for added sweetness and heat.
Notes
- If hot honey is not available, you can make it by infusing honey with chili flakes or substitute with honey and a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- For a nut-free version, simply omit the pecans or replace them with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
- This casserole can be prepared a day in advance and baked just before serving for convenience.
- Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness of the dish.
