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Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cornflake Crunch

If you love a nostalgic take on recipes, this class Thanksgiving side dish was made for you. The filling consists of freshly mashed, gently spiced sweet potatoes, topped with a crunchy, brown-sugary cornflake topping for the ultimate blend of textures. One bite will bring you right back to your golden youthful days watching Saturday morning cartoons and eating a big bowl of cornflakes.

White casserole dish with a golden spoon inside.

Ingredients: 

  • sweet potatoes
  • butter
  • brown sugar
  • cinnamon
  • whole milk
  • egg
  • kosher salt
  • pure vanilla extract
  • cornflakes
  • pecans
  • marshmallows

Mashed sweet potatoes on a Thanksgiving table with a golden spoon.

How to make Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Cornflake Crunch: 

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. To make the filling, scrub and pat dry sweet potatoes. Pierce each sweet potato with a fork all over. Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until very fork-tender. Allow potatoes to cool a bit before handling, and reduce oven temp to 350°F.
  3. Cut each sweet potato in half and scoop out the sweet potato flesh into a medium mixing bowl. Add in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, milk, egg, salt, and vanilla extract. With a hand masher or electric mixer, mix together potato mixture just until smooth and creamy. Transfer sweet potatoes to a buttered 9 x 13–inch pan or medium casserole dish.
  4. To make the topping, in a small bowl, mix together crushed cornflakes, pecans, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture on top of sweet potatoes. Bake for 25 minutes. If the cornflakes start to burn, tent the dish with foil.
  5. Remove from oven and scatter marshmallows on top. Bake for an additional 5–10 minutes, or until marshmallows are browned.


Find this Recipe in Everyday Entertaining!

Find this recipe and other holiday classics in my cookbook Everyday Entertaining -from the Tis the Season! 

Platter of mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows and a golden spoon next to the dish.

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Mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top and a golden spoon in a white casserole dish.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cornflake Crunch

  • Author: Elizabeth Van Lierde
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Side
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Description

A delicious take on classic mashed sweet potatoes. Subtly sweet filling with a butter, brown sugar crunch topping. Easy to make, can mostly be made ahead and 100% guaranteed to satisfy this Thanksgiving side classic. 


Ingredients

Scale

For the filling:

5 medium sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter + more for pan
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup whole milk
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

2 cups crushed cornflakes
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
12 cups mini marshmallows


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. To make the filling, scrub and pat dry sweet potatoes. Pierce each sweet potato with a fork all over. Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until very fork-tender. Allow potatoes to cool a bit before handling, and reduce oven temp to 350°F.
  3. Cut each sweet potato in half and scoop out the sweet potato flesh into a medium mixing bowl. Add in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, milk, egg, salt, and vanilla extract. With a hand masher or electric mixer, mix together potato mixture just until smooth and creamy. Transfer sweet potatoes to a buttered 9 x 13–inch pan or medium casserole dish.
  4. To make the topping, in a small bowl, mix together crushed cornflakes, pecans, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture on top of sweet potatoes. Bake for 25 minutes. If the cornflakes start to burn, tent the dish with foil.
  5. Remove from oven and scatter marshmallows on top. Bake for an additional 5–10 minutes, or until marshmallows are browned.

Notes

Get Ahead: Prep your sweet potato mixture a day or two before and top off with the cornflake mixture right before baking.

Keywords: sweet potato, side dish, thanksgiving

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