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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 streusel 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 dish 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 pecan crumble 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 fork tender, peel away the skins (then use them to make these sweet potato skin chips) and then mash. Then add in a touch of light brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, melted 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 in a casserole dish 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 freeze, and yes, it travels well too. If you’re on side dish 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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overhead close up photo of Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole with Sweet n Savory Bacon Pecans

This post was originally published on November 11, 2019
4.06 from 2006 votes (1,850 ratings without comment)

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Comments

    1. Hi Ken,
      I would probably double the bake time as well. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions!

      Reply

  2. Can anyone advise the weight used for 4 medium sweet potatoes? Google says about 7 ounces per potato, so that would be 1 3/4 pounds. Is that what you used? That doesn’t seem like much potato…

    Reply

    1. Hi Lisa,
      You will use about 2 pounds of sweet potatoes. Please let me know if you have any other questions!

      I hope you love this recipe!

      Reply

  3. 5 stars
    Amazing… That’s all I can say! I am making a double batch for a potluck at work tomorrow. I work at a hospital and am sure that everyone will want the recipe 😉

    Reply

        1. Hi Robin,
          I have never doubled this recipe. For best results, I would probably separate it into two different 9×13 baking dishes.

          Reply

  4. 5 stars
    This recipe really does make an impressive Thanksgiving side! I pulled up the recipe again this year to make it for a Friendsgiving because I made it last year and won best dish at our last Friendsgiving! Make this recipe with confidence that it will be a crowd-pleaser!

    Reply

  5. This is always delicious. I’m bringing for a Friendsgiving crowd this year. How would you adjust the cook time when doubling the recipe? Or would you recommend two baking dishes with the standard recipe and cooking separate batches for the cook time listed?

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Kendra! For best results, I would do 2 batches with the cooking times as listed. I hope this helps!

      Reply

  7. 5 stars
    Great recipe! It’s a family favourite for years now! Easily adjusted to make gluten and lactose free and I leave out the cayenne pepper because the kids love it too. Worked with extra bacon in the topping and no nuts for a nut free crowd too! It’s easily my favourite dish at thanksgivings now.

    Reply

    1. Thanks so much, Jessica! Love to hear this recipe always turns out well for you, thanks a lot for making it each year!

      Reply

  8. 4 stars
    Absolutely love these delicious flavour combinations. I must say that the amount of sugar in this recipe is really surprising. I omitted the sugar completely from the sweet potato part (the natural sweetness of the sweet potato is enough), and subbed out the sugar in the pecan nut crust for about 1/4 cup maple syrup. It was absolutely delicious, flavoursome and healthier.

    Reply

    1. Hey Jani,
      Fantastic! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Thanks for sharing what worked well for you. Have the best week:) xxT

      Reply

  9. This has been a family thanksgiving staple for 4 years night and is consistently the highlight of the meal! Which cookbook is this printed in? Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Love to hear this, Chris! Thanks for making this recipe each Thanksgiving! This dish is only on the blog:) Happy Holidays! xT

      Reply

      1. Hi Alexandra,
        You can follow the make ahead instructions written above and just freeze rather than keep in the fridge.

        Please let me know if you have any other questions!

        Reply

  10. 5 stars
    This was my favorite dish on the Thanksgiving table!! Love the hint of spice, and bacon to add complexity to the dish!

    Reply

    1. Hi Charity,
      Fantastic! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and your comment! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! xx

      Reply

  11. 5 stars
    My family loved this recipe! I have an old sweet potato recipe from my grandma that I loved and used for years but decided to try this one for a bit of a change this Thanksgiving. I think I might be switching to this one from here on out. I wasn’t too sure about the bacon topping but it was terrific and the bourbon is a must.

    Reply

    1. Hi Deena,
      Amazing! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and your comment! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! xx

      Reply

  12. Does anyone else feel like this recipe called for WAY too much sage? I spent an hour picking out tiny pieces of chopped sage out of the crumble topping because it was way too much.

    Reply

    1. Hi Leslie,
      Amazing! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and your comment! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! xx

      Reply