Sweet Potato Pudding

Sweet Potato Pudding will be a side dish on my Thanksgiving table year after year. Creamy whipped sweet potatoes with sage brown butter, brown sugar, vanilla and marshmallows. A simple recipe that everyone will be swooning over after their first time trying it.

We used to have a side dish like this growing up. Very similar to a traditional sweet potato casserole.

The brown butter and sage really take these whipped sweet potatoes over the top. Blending them with evaporated milk helps give this sweet potato pudding recipe its cloud like texture.

This recipe will soon become a family favorite, loved by kids and adults the same! If this sweet potato recipe is right up your alley then you would love Sweet Potato Ice Cream and Southern Sweet Potato Pie. Sweet potato recipes are some of my absolute favorite dishes, especially around the holidays.

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Pudding has simple ingredients that give the best flavor to this yummy side dish or wonderful dessert. Most of these are pantry staples.

• Sweet Potatoes – Fresh sweet potatoes are the best way to go with this sweet potato pudding recipe.
• Brown Butter – Used unsalted butter to make your own brown butter.
• Kosher Salt – Salt helps bring out the flavor of all the ingredients in this sweet potato dish. I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
• Sage – I use fresh sage in this recipe. I like the flavor and to garnish the sweet potatoes with the leaves.
• Evaporated Milk – Find this in the baking aisle of your local grocery store.
• Brown Sugar – Brown sugar and sweet potatoes are a match made in heaven.
• Vanilla Extract – Pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean paste work just fine here.
• Marshmallows – These are an optional topping but highly recommended.

How To Make Sweet Potato Pudding

Making Sweet Potato Pudding is as easy as can be. The hardest part is not eating this whole delicious recipe to yourself. Follow these simple directions and have your new favorite sweet potato recipe!

• Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F then line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roast sweet potatoes in preheated oven for 90 minutes or until sweet potatoes are soft and oozing brown. Set aside to cool for a few minutes then peel.
• Step 2: Make brown butter. Cook butter in a medium sauce pot over low-medium heat until melted. Add sage leaves. Let melted butter sputter, giving an occasional stir. Butter will slowly stop bubbling and become quiet, it will be a medium brown color. Remove from heat immediately and set aside. Remove sage leaves before blending with sweet potato.
• Step 3: Blend sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.
• Step 4: Mix in salt, brown butter, brown sugar and evaporated milk. Blend on medium speed until smooth.
• Step 5: Transfer sweet potato mixture from large bowl to pie pan or baking dish, top with marshmallows then bake for 5-7 minutes until marshmallows are puffed and golden brown. Top with vanilla ice cream for more of a dessert feel.

Substitutions & Variations For Sweet Potato Pudding

Whipped Sweet Potatoes are fairly versatile when it comes to variations. The addition of brown butter and sage is already a twist on the original recipe. Although, this sweet potato recipe is perfect the way it is, here are a few changes that can be made:

• Marshmallows – The marshmallows are optional but recommended for a little extra sweetness and fluff. These whipped sweet potatoes are just as delicious with them as they are without.
• Toppings – Many different toppings can be used on sweet potato pudding. A few options besides marshmallows are: whipped cream, brown sugar & pecans, vanilla ice cream or a meringue. This sweet potato pie recipe has a great meringue recipe to top these whipped sweet potatoes.
• Spices – Add a bit of cinnamon, cloves or allspice. These warm spices pair perfectly with these cloudlike sweet potatoes. The Spice House has some of my favorite spices and blends.
• Sweetener – Add a little honey along with the brown sugar or just use honey. Adding a couple of tablespoons of honey along with the brown sugar adds a nice flavor. Local Hive Honey is a favorite of mine and comes with a handy honey conversion chart when you order a gift box!

• Coconut Milk – Coconut milk can be used as a substitute for evaporated milk in a 1:1 ratio. Use unsweetened coconut milk and be sure to shake the can well to blend before opening.

• Many different cultures make variations of this recipe. Try out this Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding recipe for something new!

Expert Tips

• Make this dish up to 3 days ahead of time. Leave the marshmallows off until you are ready to serve. I actually think this sweet potato pudding recipe taste better the second day.
• If you make this with the marshmallows, you can still keep it and reheat it. I suggest covering the whipped sweet potatoes with plastic wrap then microwaving until warm.
• Fresh sweet potatoes are best for this recipe. That way you’re able to roast them and let the insides start to caramelize.
• I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Using kosher salt comparted to iodized table salt when cooking and baking makes a huge difference. If you’re using Morton’s kosher salt then use 75% of what’s called for in the recipe.
• Watch your brown butter closely and remove it from the heat as soon as it’s ready. Read the section below on how to make brown butter.

• If you want to make sure your sweet potatoes are extra smooth then you can use a food processor. I find that an electric hand mixer works well but may leave a few strings. 

• This old fashioned sweet potato pudding recipe makes the perfect addition to any holiday meal. I use this recipe all throughout the holiday season. 

How To Make Brown Butter

Making brown butter is simple! Don’t let it intimidate you. Brown butter really takes this recipe over the top.

There are just a few simple steps:

• Melt butter in a sauce pot over medium – low heat. Stir it occasionally to ensure even melting.
• The butter will start sputtering and crackling. This is normal. Start to keep a close eye on your butter at this point.
• Swirl the butter around every 20 seconds or so. You can also stir it with a whisk or wooden spoon, scraping the brown bits off the bottom.
• The butter will start to brown slightly on the bottom of the pan. You know the butter is ready when it “quiets down”. The butter will stop sputtering, that’s when it’s time to remove it from the heat. The butter should be a nice golden amber color with brown specks.
• Immediately transfer brown butter into a heat proof container, scraping brown specks out with it, then set aside until needed.

Storing Sweet Potato Pudding

Store sweet potato pudding in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Whipped sweet potatoes can be stored by covering tightly with plastic wrap as well.

Freezing

This sweet potato pudding recipe can be frozen for up to 2 months. Freeze in an airtight container. Thaw in fridge overnight before reheating.

Reheating

Reheat whipped sweet potatoes in the microwave, covered with plastic wrap. Give it a stir every 90 seconds or so until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions