Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs (1.36 kg) sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (120ml) milk (whole or 2% work best)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (50g) packed light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (57g) chopped pecans
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Instructions:

  1. Boil the cubed sweet potatoes in salted water until tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain well.
  2. In a large bowl, mash the drained sweet potatoes with the softened butter, granulated sugar, milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and vanilla extract until smooth. You can use a potato masher for a rustic texture or an electric mixer for a super smooth consistency.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and chopped pecans. Cut in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Important: Don't overwork the butter; you want those small chunks for a crispy topping!
  4. Spread the sweet potato mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the pecan streusel topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture.
  5. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 30-35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the sweet potato mixture is bubbly. Let cool slightly before serving.