Candied Mashed Sweet Potatoes (Vegan, Pecan Streusel)

Name: Candied Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Streusel
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 ½ pounds (1.6 kg) sweet potatoes (rinsed and cut into 1-inch cubes (no need to peel)); ½ cup (120 ml) plant-based milk (any variety); 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract; ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar; 2 teaspoons cinnamon; ½ teaspoon nutmeg; ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (57 g) vegan butter; ¼ cup (55 g) packed brown sugar; ¾ cup (82 g) chopped pecans

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These candied mashed sweet potatoes are creamy, warmly spiced, and topped with a sweet, buttery pecan streusel. They’re an easy vegan side dish for Thanksgiving, and you can make them a day ahead. Planning your menu? Find more ideas in my vegan Thanksgiving recipes.

Candied mashed sweet potatoes with pecan streusel served on a plate.

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Thanksgiving isn’t complete without a sweet potato dish, and these candied sweet potatoes are my favorite way to make them. They’re creamy, nutty, and just sweet enough, and they pair beautifully with savory dishes. Serve them with my green bean casserole without milk and vegan stuffing with apples and cranberries for a classic holiday plate.

Looking for a simpler, buttery mash to serve on a weeknight? Try my vegan mashed sweet potatoes. For the holidays, this candied version with the crunchy pecan topping is the one everyone asks for!

Quick Glance

Recipe Name: Candied Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Streusel
Why You’ll Love It: It’s creamy, warmly spiced, budget-friendly, and topped with a crunchy pecan streusel.
Time and Difficulty: 10 minutes of prep and 35 minutes of cooking, easy.
Main Ingredients: Sweet potatoes, plant-based milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, flour, vegan butter, and pecans.
Method: Boil and mash the sweet potatoes, stir in the spices, top with streusel, and bake.
Texture and Flavor: Smooth and creamy underneath, with a sweet, crunchy, buttery topping.
Quick Tip: Mash by hand so the sweet potatoes stay fluffy, not gluey.

What Makes These Candied Sweet Potatoes So Good
Candied Sweet Potatoes Ingredients
How to Make Candied Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Toni’s Recipe Tips
Recipe Variations
Make Ahead and Storage
Candied Sweet Potatoes FAQs
Serving Suggestions
More Vegan Sweet Potato Recipes
Candied Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Streusel Recipe

What Makes These Candied Sweet Potatoes So Good

These candied sweet potatoes are fuss-free and use just a handful of simple ingredients. Boil, mash, mix, and they’re ready to bake in about 10 minutes of hands-on time.

Easy: No peeling, no special equipment, and only four simple steps.
Budget-friendly: Sweet potatoes are at their cheapest in the fall, and the rest comes from your pantry.
Less food waste: I leave the skins on to save time, prevent food waste, and maximize nutrition.
No marshmallows needed: The buttery pecan streusel gives you all the sweet crunch.
Make-ahead friendly: You can make it a day ahead, which means less time in the kitchen and more time with your loved ones.
Crowd-pleasing: Vegans and non-vegans alike will go back for seconds.

Candied Sweet Potatoes Ingredients

You only need a few pantry staples for the sweet potatoes and the streusel. You’ll find the full amounts in the recipe card below.

Ingredients for candied mashed sweet potatoes, including sweet potatoes, plant-based milk, brown sugar, spices, flour, vegan butter, and pecans.

Sweet potatoes: Use red or orange sweet potatoes. They’re sweeter and contain more moisture, so they’re better for mashing and baking. Canned sweet potatoes work too (see the FAQs).
Plant-based milk: Makes the mash extra creamy. Soy, almond, oat, cashew, and coconut milk all work.
Vanilla extract: Adds a pleasantly floral taste and aroma.
Brown sugar: Gives the sweet potatoes and the topping a deep caramel flavor from the molasses. White sugar works in the topping too.
Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger add the warm, festive flavor of the holidays.
All-purpose flour: Gives the streusel its soft, crumbly texture. Use a gluten-free flour blend to make the whole dish gluten-free.
Vegan butter: Any brand you can find works. It holds the streusel together and makes it golden.
Pecans: For the crunch! Walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, or cashews work too. For a nut-free topping, use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds.

How to Make Candied Mashed Sweet Potatoes

No complicated steps are needed to make this sweet potato dish! First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and lightly grease an 8-inch square baking dish. You’ll find the detailed instructions in the recipe card below.

Cubed sweet potatoes in a pot of water for candied mashed sweet potatoes.

Step 1: Boil the sweet potatoes. Rinse the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1-inch cubes (no need to peel). Place them in a medium pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until fork-tender.

Mashed sweet potatoes mixed with brown sugar, cinnamon, and spices.

Step 2: Mash and season. Drain the sweet potatoes and return them to the pot. Mash them with a potato masher, then stir in the plant-based milk, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.

PRO TIP: Prefer a smoother mash? You can use a food processor, but only pulse it briefly. Processing too long turns sweet potatoes gluey.

Pecan streusel topping made with flour, vegan butter, brown sugar, and chopped pecans in a bowl.

Step 3: Make the streusel. In a small bowl, mix the flour, vegan butter, brown sugar, and pecans until crumbly.

Pecan streusel sprinkled over mashed sweet potatoes in a baking dish before baking.

Step 4: Top and bake. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the sweet potatoes. Bake for 20 minutes, until the topping is golden. Serve and enjoy!

Toni’s Recipe Tips

Remove the skins after boiling: If you’d like to peel the sweet potatoes, do it after boiling. The skin slips off much more easily.
Drain them well: Let the sweet potatoes sit in the colander for a minute so the mash isn’t watery.
Baking time varies: It depends on the size of your dish. In a wider, shallower pan, check it about 5 minutes early.
Toast the pecans: For extra crunch, toast the pecans in a dry skillet until fragrant before mixing the streusel (optional).
Keep it warm for a potluck: Transfer it to a slow cooker on the warm setting, or cover the dish with foil and wrap it in a towel.

Recipe Variations

Here are a few ways to switch up these candied sweet potatoes:

Marshmallow topping: Skip the streusel and bake the sweet potatoes first. Then top them with vegan marshmallows and bake for a few more minutes, until the marshmallows melt. Or do half and half!
Sliced candied sweet potatoes: Skip the mashing and use evenly cut sweet potato slices instead. Use maple syrup instead of brown sugar.
Citrus: Add some orange or lemon zest to the sweet potatoes for a fresh, citrusy note.
Candied walnut topping: Swap the streusel for my rosemary candied walnuts.
Nut-free: Use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds in the streusel.
Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend in the streusel.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: Mash and season the sweet potatoes up to a day ahead, spread them in the baking dish, and cover and refrigerate. Mix the streusel and keep it in a separate airtight container in the fridge. Sprinkle it on right before baking, and bake for about 30 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are hot in the center and the topping is golden.
Room temperature: Don’t leave the baked sweet potatoes out for more than 4 hours.
Fridge: Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days.
Reheat: Warm them in the microwave or in the oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until heated through.

Candied Sweet Potatoes FAQs

Are candied yams and candied sweet potatoes the same thing?

Yes! In most US grocery stores, the orange sweet potatoes labeled “yams” are sweet potatoes. True yams are a different vegetable with rough, bark-like skin and white or purple flesh, and they’re starchier and less sweet. So whether your recipe says candied yams or candied sweet potatoes, use orange sweet potatoes.

Can I make candied sweet potatoes without marshmallows?

Yes, this recipe doesn’t use any! The buttery brown sugar and pecan streusel gives you a sweet, crunchy topping instead. If you love marshmallows, see the variations above for a vegan marshmallow version.

Can I use canned sweet potatoes?

Yes! Drain them well, skip the boiling step, and mash them with the milk, sugar, and spices before topping and baking.

Can I freeze candied sweet potatoes?

I haven’t tested freezing it, so for the best texture, I recommend making it fresh or up to a day ahead (see Make Ahead and Storage above). If you try freezing it, let me know how it goes in the comments!

Is this the same as sweet potato casserole?

It’s very similar! Sweet potato casserole is mashed sweet potatoes baked with a sweet topping, usually pecan streusel or marshmallows. This vegan version uses a pecan streusel and no eggs or dairy.