Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams

Close up of the crock pot sweet potato casserole with a wooden serving spoon in it.

4 from 4 votes

Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole with Canned Yams

This Crockpot sweet potato casserole is an easy holiday side that takes just 10 minutes to get into the slow cooker. It has a creamy, buttery canned yam base, a crunchy pecan crumble, and gooey marshmallows, and you can mix the base a day ahead.

Prep Time10

Cook Time3

Total Time3 10

Course: Slow Cooker, Thanksgiving Recipes

Cuisine: American

Servings: Servings

Calories: 541kcal

Author: Samantha Erb

Equipment

Ingredients

Sweet potato base

40 ounces canned yams drained, (I use Bruce's cut yams in syrup)
1/4 cup salted butter melted
2 tablespoons light brown sugar divided
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pecan crumble topping

6 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup salted butter melted
2 tablespoons flour

Marshmallow topping

8 ounces mini marshmallows

Instructions

Spray the inside of a 7-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

Make the sweet potato base

Drain the canned yams well and add them to a large bowl. Mash them with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon until mostly smooth.
40 ounces canned yams
Add the salted butter, light brown sugar, 1 large egg, and ground cinnamon. Mix well, then spread the mixture evenly in the slow cooker.
1/4 cup salted butter, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Make the pecan crumble topping

In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar, chopped pecans, butter, and all-purpose flour. Stir until it forms crumbles.
6 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1/3 cup chopped pecans, 1/4 cup salted butter, 2 tablespoons flour
Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potatoes.

Slow cook the casserole

Stretch a clean kitchen towel over the crock, set the lid on top, and fold the towel ends up over the lid so they stay away from the base. This keeps the pecans from getting soggy.
Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours, until the edges are set and the center no longer looks wet.
In the last hour, sprinkle the mini marshmallows over the top, then cover again with the towel and lid so they soften without turning to mush.
8 ounces mini marshmallows
Serve warm right from the slow cooker!

Notes

For toasted marshmallows, brown them with a kitchen torch right before serving.

If using unsalted butter, add ¼ teaspoon salt to the sweet potato base.

To double the recipe in a 7-quart slow cooker, add 1 hour of cook time. If your slow cooker is smaller than 6 quarts, halve the recipe and keep the timing the same.

If skipping the marshmallows, double or even triple the pecan topping instead.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Reheat it in the microwave until warm. The topping does soften in the fridge, so it's crunchiest and best eaten the day you make it.

Nutrition