Sweet Potato Mash Marshmallows (Printable)

Creamy mashed sweet potatoes topped with golden toasted marshmallows for a cozy side.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sweet Potato Base

01 - 4 large sweet potatoes (approximately 3.5 lbs), peeled and cut into chunks
02 - ¼ cup whole milk
03 - ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
05 - 2 large eggs
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - ½ teaspoon salt

→ Topping

10 - 1 cup mini marshmallows
11 - ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
02 - Place sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Transfer sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add milk, softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mash until smooth and fully combined.
04 - Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish.
05 - Optionally sprinkle chopped pecans evenly over the sweet potato layer.
06 - Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
07 - Remove from oven, evenly top with mini marshmallows, then return to oven for 10 to 15 minutes until marshmallows are golden and toasted.
08 - Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The marshmallows get crispy on top and gooey underneath, creating a textural contrast that makes people close their eyes when they taste it.
  • It tastes rich and indulgent but comes together in under an hour with minimal effort, so you can actually enjoy your holiday instead of being stuck in the kitchen.
  • Sweet potatoes have this natural sweetness that means you don't need much added sugar, so it feels a little bit like eating something good for you while secretly having dessert.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the sweet potatoes well—I learned this the hard way when my first attempt turned into a soupy mess that wouldn't hold together, and I nearly threw the whole thing away.
  • The marshmallows will continue to brown slightly even after you pull the dish out, so it's better to remove them when they're barely golden than to wait for them to look perfectly toasted in the oven.
  • If your marshmallows seem to be browning too fast while the casserole underneath isn't done, cover the top loosely with foil for part of the cooking time.
03 -
  • Make the sweet potato mixture the day before and refrigerate it, then add the marshmallows and bake the next day—this actually makes the flavors deeper and the texture even better.
  • If your casserole is taking longer than expected to bake, tent it loosely with foil so the edges don't dry out while the center catches up.

Go Back