Food and Recipes Recipes Classic Sweet Potato Casserole Nothing says Thanksgiving in the South like classic sweet potato casserole, and this recipe has all of our favorite ingredients – cornflakes, marshmallows, and pecans, oh my! While this dish isn't technically a dessert, it's just sugary enough to curve your sweet tooth. The cornflake cereal adds the perfect amount of crunch to this traditional cuisine; it's sure to be the shining star of your holiday spread. With only 20 minutes of preparation time, classic sweet potato casserole is a great dish to make during Thanksgiving because it won't keep you occupied for long, which means more quality time with family. The toasted marshmallow topping will undoubtedly be the talk of the party, and with all of the credit and very little effort put in, what more could you ask of a holiday dish? By Southern Living Test Kitchen Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on October 10, 2018 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Hands On Time: 20 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Yield: 6 to 8 servings Ingredients 4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/4 cup milk 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 tablespoon butter, melted 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows Directions Preheat oven to 400°. Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Let stand until cool to touch (about 20 minutes); peel and mash sweet potatoes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Beat mashed sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, and next 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish. Combine cornflakes cereal and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle over casserole in diagonal rows 2 inches apart. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows in alternate rows between cornflake mixture; bake 10 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Emily Laurae/Southern Living Print