Sweet potato pudding is sweet potato casserole’s sophisticated-dressed in all white-auntie who only makes an appearance once a year. It boasts a beautiful shiny top layer, it’s incredibly smooth, not too sweet and perfectly spiced, and it’s the dish that everyone wants more of. I can’t remember the first time I had sweet potato pudding but I know I was very young (maybe 7 years old), I was at my grandmother’s house for one of the holidays, and I was probably eating it out of the bowl pictured above. Not one holiday went by without either my mom or grandma making this dish which is why it’s so special to me. This is a recipe that I had never made on my own, so to learn the secret to achieving that light and fluffy texture I had to travel back to my hometown and take notes from my mom.
After seeing how easy this is to make, I will probably make this more often especially for small gatherings or cozy evenings. The sweet potato paired with the cinnamon and nutmeg is easily a cozy fall and winter recipe to keep around. I’m so excited for you to try this recipe and as always, I have some tips that I think will help you have a successful sweet potato pudding experience.
Sweet potatoes: Boil your sweet potatoes until they tender all the way through. If you can’t put a fork through it then it’s not ready just yet. I do not recommend baking the sweet potatoes (which is the mistake I was making) because the moisture from the water seems to work well in this recipe. The boiling process may take a while but it’s worth it.
Mixing bowl: You will need a large bowl and handheld mixer. I don’t recommend using a standing mixer for this recipe because the attachments don’t really get the job done. Plus, a hand mixer will give you more freedom in your bowl because you will be using your spatula to scrape down the bowl frequently.
Sugar/Flour: Mix the sugar and flour together very well. I honestly don’t know why this is important, but my grandma told my mom to do it and my mom told me to do it!
Don’t stop mixing: Once you start mixing, keep mixing until you are done. The constant mixing helps the eggs to create air in the mixture which contributes to the light and fluffy texture.
Evaporated milk: My mom said that she has the most success with Carnation milk, fyi.
Also, before you pour the pudding mixture into your baking dish be sure to taste it to make see if you want to add more cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla. Lastly, get into this texture!! This is what you’re shooting for.
What to make with sweet potato pudding?
Turkey
How to make Sweet Potato Pudding
Step 1
Add the butter to a very large mixing bowl and set aside. In a small, bowl mix the sugar and flour together then set aside.
Step 2
Boil the sweet potatoes with the skin on until they are fork tender all the way through, this will take a while. Once they are boiled and tender use a sharp knife to remove the skin. The skin should peel right off then add the potatoes to the bowl with the butter.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 350°. Using an electric hand mixer, mix the sweet potatoes and butter together until all of the potatoes are forming a smooth texture. Add in the eggs one at a time, continuously mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add in the vanilla extract, lemon extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg (still mixing) and then add in the sugar and flour mixture. Mix until the sugar is fully mixed into the batter. Pour in the evaporated milk and continue to mix and stir until the pudding mixture is smooth and creamy, as pictured.
Step 4
Pour the pudding mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (or split the pudding and freeze the other half) and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check for doneness by gently shaking the baking dish and if the center jiggles too much then continue to bake until it’s firm. We usually let the dish sit out for a while (15 minutes) before serving. Enjoy this warm or at room temperature.
Sweet Potato Pudding
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
A creamy sweet potato side dish made with milk, sugar, eggs, and seasonal spices.
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
8 medium or large sweet potatoes
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 cans 12 oz evaporated milk (Carnation is recommended)
Instructions
- Add the butter to a very large mixing bowl and set aside. In a small bowl mix the sugar and flour together and set aside.
- Boil the sweet potatoes with the skin on until they are fork tender all the way through, this will take a while. Once they are boiled and tender use a sharp knife to remove the skin. The skin should peel right off. Add the potatoes to the bowl with the butter.
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Using an electric hand mixer, mix the sweet potatoes and butter together until all of the potatoes are forming a smooth texture. Add in the eggs one at a time, continuously mixing and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add in the vanilla extract, lemon extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg (still mixing) and then add in the sugar and flour mixture. Mix until the sugar is fully mixed into the batter. Pour in the evaporated milk and continue to mix and stir until the pudding mixture is smooth and creamy, as pictured.
- Pour the pudding mixture into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check for doneness by gently shaking the baking dish and if the center jiggles too much then continue to bake until it is firm. Let the pudding sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy this warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- This freezes very well for up to 2 months.
- I have not tested any other milk/non dairy options for this recipe
Keywords: Sweet Potato pudding, how to make sweet potato pudding