Cranberry sweet potato casserole is our updated take on candied sweet potatoes with the sweet and tart flavors of orange, cranberry, and cinnamon sugar. It’s a delicious change from the traditional marshmallow casserole for holiday dinners.

Cranberry Sweet Potato Casserole on a serving spoon


 

This cranberry sweet potato casserole is somewhere between scalloped potatoes and candied sweet potatoes. We love sweet potatoes and while the traditional sweet potato casserole with marshmallows or plain old baked sweet potatoes are delicious we like stepping it up a little during the holidays.

For this dish we cut the sweet potatoes into thin slices like you would for scalloped potatoes and then baked them with fresh cranberries, orange, and cinnamon sugar that creates this amazing juice for them to cook in just like traditional candied sweet potatoes.

The key is spooning some of that extra liquid over them when you make your plate.

Seriously guys, you’re going to love our updated take on this casserole!

Prefer white potatoes? Don’t worry we’ve got you covered with our amazing Not Your Mom’s Mashed Potatoes (and an Instant Pot version) or loaded au gratin potatoes.

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ingredients for Cranberry Sweet Potato Casserole

Need some help with Thanksgiving Dinner? Make sure to check out our Thanksgiving Dinner for 4-6 people meal plan with recipe and tips on making items ahead of time and the best way to serve them.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need for this delicious recipe.

  • Sweet potatoes – In this recipe, we use 32 ounces. The size of a sweet potato can vary greatly, so we’ve given you a weight measurement. You may need slightly more or less. You want to create approximately 3 layers of sliced sweet potatoes in your casserole dish, so we find it’s easiest to buy a few more than you think you’ll need and then see what it takes to fill your dish. If you have extras, save them to make sweet potato casserole with marshmallows or simple Instant Pot sweet potatoes for a weeknight dinner.
  • Butter – You can use salted or unsalted.
  • Brown Sugar – You could use keto brown sugar if you prefer, but regular light or dark brown sugar works for this recipe.
  • Cinnamon – You can use whatever brand of ground cinnamon you prefer.
  • Orange juice and zest – Start by zesting your orange/ This is easy to do using a microplane or fine grater on the peel of an orange. You’ll squeeze the juice of the zested orange into a small bowl.
  • Fresh Cranberries – You should be able to find these during the holiday season in the fresh produce section.
  • Pecans – You can use whole or halved nuts.

Hosting a small gathering for the holidays this year? Check out our post on The Best Way to Cook Turkey Breast for Thanksgiving Dinner for 3 ways to make a juicy turkey!

how to make Cranberry Sweet Potato Casserole

Instructions

To easily make this casserole, follow these steps:

Step 1 – Prep the oven and dish.

To start, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. As it heats, grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with a bit of non-stick spray or softened butter.

Step 2 – Prep the zest and potatoes. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest. 

Squeeze the zested orange, saving the juices in a small bowl. Set aside. 

Next, toss the sweet potato slices in the melted butter making sure they are coated. 

Step 3 – Layer the potatoes in the dish. Lay a single layer of the sweet potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Next, place a second layer of sweet potato slices over the first one, covering the gaps in the first layer. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Finish with a third and final layer of sweet potato slices on top. Pour the orange juice over the potatoes and then sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

Step 4 – Cover and bake.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes remove the foil and sprinkle the pecans over the potatoes. 

Continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

When they have finished baking, remove from the oven and then let them cool for 10 minutes. Serve with the liquid in the dish spooned over the potatoes. 

holiday Cranberry Sweet Potato Casserole in black casserole dish with chopped pecans

Toast Your Pecans for Added Flavor

For a touch of added flavor, you can toast your pecans before adding them to the casserole.

To do this, toss the pecans in about a teaspoon of oil and about a ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon. Place them on a cookie sheet and bake them in your oven set to 350 degrees for about 7 to 10 minutes.

How to Make it Ahead of Time 

To save some time on the day of your gathering or dinner, you can make this casserole ahead of time. 

For best results, cook, allow it to cool completely, and then store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for up to 5 days. 

To reheat in the oven, cover them in foil and allow them to bake at 350F for 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through. 

serving Cranberry Sweet Potato Casserole

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Servings: 9
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Cranberry Sweet Potato Casserole

Cranberry sweet potato casserole is our spin on candied sweet potatoes with the sweet and tart flavors of orange, cranberry, and cinnamon sugar.
Cranberry Sweet Potato Casserole on a serving spoon
Print Recipe
4.86 from 14 votes

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces Sweet potatoes, sliced into 1/4″ thick slices, see note #1
  • 1/4 cup Butter, melted
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1 Orange , zested and juiced
  • 3/4 cup Fresh Cranberries
  • 1/3 cup Pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with a little non-stick spray or softened butter.
  • In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and orange zest.
  • Toss the sweet potato slices in the melted butter. Lay a single layer of the sweet potatoes in the bottom of the casserole dish.
  • Sprinkle the layer with ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Place a second layer of sweet potato slices covering the gaps in the first layer. Sprinkle the layer with ⅓ of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Finish with a third layer of sweet potato slices on top.
  • Pour the orange juice over the potatoes and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture on top.
  • Scatter the cranberries on top of the sweet potatoes
  • Cover the dish with foil and place in the oven to bake for 60 minutes.
  • After 60 minutes remove the foil and sprinkle the pecans over the top of the potatoes. Continue baking for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
  • When they have finished baking, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. The size of a sweet potato can vary greatly so we’ve given you a weight measurement. You may need more or less. You want to create approximately 3 layers of sliced sweet potatoes in your casserole dish so we find it’s easiest to buy a few more than you think you’ll need and then see what it takes to fill your dish. If you have extras save them to make sweet potato casserole with marshmallows or simple Instant Pot sweet potatoes for a weeknight dinner.

Nutrition

Serving: 4ounces, Calories: 261kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 14mg, Sodium: 107mg, Potassium: 423mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 30g, Vitamin A: 14498IU, Vitamin C: 11mg, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition Disclaimer: We are not certified nutritionists. Nutrition facts are an estimate and are provided as a courtesy. They are generated by an online API which recognizes ingredient names and amounts and makes calculations based on the serving size. Results may vary.
Author: Kat Jeter & Melinda Caldwell
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: candied sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole
Handwritten signature for Kat & Melinda