Brown Sugar Mashed Sweet Potatoes
This decadent brown sugar butter sweet potato casserole features roasted and mashed sweet potatoes topped with a caramelized brown sugar and butter topping!
The Family Recipe No One Wrote Down
Brown sugar butter mashed sweet potatoes have been a staple at our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners forever! Problem was there was no written recipe. Anywhere! When my Nana passed, my mom took over the job of making it, and then when she passed, my aunt made them. They just seemingly knew exactly how to make them just like my Nan.
None of us thought to ask how they made them. Now that all the elders of the family are no longer with us, we knew we had to continue with the tradition, but had no idea what the recipe was!
I knew it would be impossible to recreate their recipe exactly, (did they even measure anything back in the day!) But, I wanted to honour the tradition and having this dish at the table makes us feel like they are all there with us.
It’s funny how I did remember to ask my Nana for her cherry chews recipe, which is another beloved holiday family tradition, but forgot about this one! Must be the baker in me!
My Cozy Take on a Long Loved Dish
The version that I remember was not a pretty one! It featured mashed sweet potatoes covered in a slick of melted butter over brown sugar, but it was so good. Everyone dug, in vying to get the most of the sweet butter topping.
Here’s how I approached this family favourite:
- roasted the sweet potatoes with a bit of olive oil to enhance and caramelize their flavour
- boiled the brown sugar and butter until thick and bubbly, whisking to create a cohesive caramel-like sauce
- baked until the topping was bubbling and slightly bruleed
I might add that it pairs perfectly with my loaded leftover turkey sandwiches!
Ingredients You Will Need
- sweet potatoes or yams
- brown sugar
- butter
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
How to Make Brown Sugar Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Peel and cube the sweet potatoes. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat, add salt and pepper. Roast at 425 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes until very soft and caramelized.
Transfer roasted potatoes to a large bowl and mash thoroughly, then transfer to a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray, pressing them down into the dish slightly. Add butter and brown sugar to sauce pan.
Over medium heat, cook butter and brown sugar until melted, then increase heat slightly, whisk and cook until mixture is well combined, thick and bubbly. Boil for about a minute, stirring constantly. Pour over prepared mashed sweet potatoes.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes until bubbly, and brown sugar topping is beginning to brown and brûlée. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving.
Crispy Caramel Topping
Although everyone’s favourite will still be the buttery brown sugar topping, I think roasting the potatoes ramps up the sweetness and flavour of the sweet potatoes ensuring everyone gets the perfect bite!
Even if this recipe isn’t exactly the same, it still made with love, and the memories it brings to our family table are simply irreplaceable!
The topping has just a bit of crunch but when you spoon it out of the dish, the sweet buttery goodness underneath trickles down through the sweet potatoes as you scoop.
Tips
- I use a square 1 quart casserole dish, but if doubling recipe I recommend using a rectangle shaped dish to allow more surface of the potatoes to be covered with the topping
- be sure to toss sweet potatoes to fully coat with olive oil before roasting for a consistent caramelization
- don’t over crowd the baking sheet with sweet potatoes, and toss every 10 minutes during roasting – I find 30 minutes total roasting time the sweet spot
- mash the potatoes throughly, but do not add any milk or butter when mashing
Keeping Traditions Alive
As our holiday table has changed over the years, it’s recipes like this that keep our traditions alive. And, I’m not sure my brother would even attend if this wasn’t on the table!! He’s the first in line for seconds and to package up any leftovers to take home!
Let this be a public service announcement to make sure you don’t wait until it’s too late before you ask for that family favourite recipe that appeared on the table every year!
Other Holiday Side Dish Ideas
While these may not be traditional family recipes, these side dish options are perfect for the holidays or any time of year!
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Brown Sugar Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 sauce pan
- 1 casserole dish
- 1 large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
- ¼ cup butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉ and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place cubed sweet potatoes on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast at 425℉ for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until soft and slightly caramelized. Remove from oven, carefully transfer to a large mixing bowl and mash thoroughly. Transfer to casserole dish and set aside.
- Reduce oven temperature to 400℉. Place butter and brown sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan, cook over medium heat until melted. Whisk to combine and bring to a boil, whisking often. Boil over medium heat for about a minute, while constantly stirring. Remove from heat and pour over mashed sweet potatoes.
- Bake at 400℉ for 20 to 30 minutes, until topping is bubbly, and starting to caramelize. Watch carefully after 20 minutes to make sure the topping does not burn. Remove from oven and cool for just a minute before serving.
