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Home » Recipes » Thanksgiving

Sweet Potato Fluff

Overhead shot of a sweet potato fluff in a dish, with a spoon missing.
A tasty sweet potato fluff - which is a version of a sweet potato casserole, with a tasty, light and fluffy layer of toasted marshmallow on top.
Prep Time :25 minutes mins
Cook Time :45 minutes mins
Total Time :1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Servings :6
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Long image showing sweet potato fluff.

Published: Aug 6, 2023 · Modified: Oct 13, 2024 by Melanie Cagle · Leave a Comment

Full of the flavors of fall, this sweet potato fluff recipe is perfectly spiced and topped with light and fluffy toasted homemade marshmallow layer.

Overhead shot of a sweet potato fluff in a square dish with a spoon missing.
Sweet Potato Fluff

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We love this sweet potato casserole, we serve it every year as an option for our Thanksgiving dinner.

It's quite funny, as I was making this more recently (for this post) my daughter had just had her tonsils removed and this turned into the perfect dish for her, poor thing.

Jump to:
  • What makes this recipe so yummy
  • Groceries you'll need: Ingredients
  • Recipe walkthrough: Instructions
  • Recipe variations and substitute ideas
  • Necessary gear: Equipment
  • More sweet potato recipes I think you'll love
  • How to store leftovers
  • Mel's kitchen notes
  • Frequently asked questions: FAQs
  • Sweet Potato Fluff
  • Fan Favorite Recipes
  • 💬 Comments

What makes this recipe so yummy

  • Deliciously soft and fully of the flavors of fall, this sweet potato fluff is the perfect side dish for your Turkey dinner and definitely a family favorite.
  • It's a great alternative to the traditional Sweet Potato Casserole that has the streusel (crunchy topping) on top of the casserole, if you're not a fan.
  • Making a homemade marshmallow fluff just makes for an even tastier sweet potato dish for your Thanksgiving table.

Groceries you'll need: Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make a sweet potato fluff with text overlay.
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Light Brown Sugar
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Ground Nutmeg
  • Ground Ginger
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Salt
  • Half and Half
  • Water
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Honey
  • Egg Whites
  • Cream of Tartar

See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.

Recipe walkthrough: Instructions

This is an overview of the recipe steps. For more detailed instructions visit the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Collage of four images showing how to make sweet potato fluff, recipe steps 1-4.
  • Step 1: Pierce the sweet potatoes and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
  • Step 2: Remove the skin of the potatoes, then mash in a large bowl.
  • Step 3: Add the melted butter and mash again.
  • Step 4: Add the brown sugar, spices and half and half and mash again until you get a creamy texture. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into a 9x9 baking dish.
A collage of four images showing how to make sweet potato fluff, recipe steps 5-8.
  • Step 5: Add the white sugar, honey, salt and water to a small pot on the stove and boil for 10 minutes.
  • Step 6: Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer along with the cream of tartar and whip up into soft peaks.
  • Step 7: Slow pour the hot syrup into the egg whites while mixing on low, then add the vanilla.
  • Step 8: Spoon on top of the mashed sweet potatoes.
Sweet Potato fluff, just torched.
  • Step 9: Using a kitchen torch, carefully lightly brown the top of the marshmallow fluff layer.

Hint: If you don't have a kitchen torch you can use the broiler setting in your oven, toast until golden brown - just be careful as it browns really quickly.

Recipe variations and substitute ideas

  • Light Corn Syrup - instead of honey.
  • Marshmallows - you could layer some mini marshmallows on top instead of making your own fluff.
  • Canned Sweet Potatoes - you could use this instead of baking fresh ones.
  • Heavy Cream - you could use this instead of half and half.
  • Pecan Topping - if you don't like the marshmallow fluff idea, perhaps make a streusel or pecan topping. Or even half one type and half the other.
Side shot of a dish of sweet potato fluff with a scoop missing.

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Necessary gear: Equipment

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I used a stand mixer for whipping up the egg whites. If you don't have one, a regular hand mixer (electric mixer) will suffice, you'll have to be hands on though.

You'll also need a pot to make the syrup and some baking sheets for baking the sweet potatoes.

I have some affiliate links in the recipe card below for more information.

More sweet potato recipes I think you'll love

  • Close up of some crispy sweet potatoes cropped into a square picture.
  • Overhead closeup shot of sweet potato fritter recipe.
  • Close up of a corner of a dish of sweet potato casserole with a scoop missing.
  • Overhead shot of a sweet potato pie with swirls of cream.
  • Crispy Sweet Potatoes
  • Sweet Potato Fritter Recipe
  • Cracker Barrel Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Grandma's Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
  • Candied Yams
  • Sweet Potato Hand Pies

How to store leftovers

Once the sweet potato fluff is totally cool, store covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Mel's kitchen notes

Expert Tip: Baking the sweet potatoes in the oven is the best way to avoid losing flavor as well as adding any unwanted fluid to your sweet potato fluff.

Overhead shot of a dish full of sweet potato fluff.

Frequently asked questions: FAQs

Should I have so much marshmallow fluff left over from topping my sweet potatoes?

Those egg whites really do multiply in size and yes, when I make this dish in a 9x9 dish it always ends up with some extra marshmallow creme. You could either double up the potatoes and use a 13x9 casserole dish, or use it for something else?


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Sweet Potato Fluff

A tasty sweet potato fluff - which is a version of a sweet potato casserole, with a tasty, light and fluffy layer of toasted marshmallow on top.
Prep Time25 minutes mins
Cook Time45 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Servings: 6
Cuisine: Thanksgiving
Author: Melanie Cagle
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Equipment

  • Potato Masher
  • Non-Stick Baking Sheets
  • Stand Mixer
  • Kitchen Torch

Ingredients

  • 3 Pounds Sweet Potatoes
  • ⅓ Cup Unsalted Butter melted
  • ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon Ginger
  • ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 2 Tablespoons Half and Half

Marshmallow Layer

  • ½ Cup Egg Whites
  • 1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
  • ⅓ Cup Water
  • ⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • ¾ Cup Honey
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil and lay the sweet potatoes on top. Pierce a few times with a fork.
    3 Pounds Sweet Potatoes
  • Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes (maybe more if the potatoes are larger).
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes then using a paper towel pinch the sweet potato skin off the potato. It should come off relatively easy.
  • Place in a bowl and mash the sweet potatoes with a potato mashed.
  • Add the melted butter and mash again.
    ⅓ Cup Unsalted Butter
  • Add the spices, brown sugar and half and half and mash again.
    ½ Cup Light Brown Sugar, 1 teaspoon Cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon Ginger, ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ½ teaspoon Salt, 2 Tablespoons Half and Half
  • Spread into a greased 9x9" baking dish and set to the side.
  • Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to the bowl of a stand mixer and whip, using the wire whip attachment on high, until soft peaks have formed.
    ½ Cup Egg Whites, 1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
  • While that happens, add the water, sugar, honey and salt to a small pot on the stove and heat over medium-high heat, stirring.
    ⅓ Cup Water, ⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar, ¾ Cup Honey, ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to allow a slow boil. Allow to boil (without boiling over) for 10 minutes. Stirring often.
  • With the mixer on low, slowly pour this hot syrup into the egg whites, then add vanilla.
    1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • Turn the mixer on high and allow to whip up for about 6-8 minutes. The egg whites will become a lot 'more' and will glossy with stiff peaks.
  • Spoon this marshmallow mixture on top of the sweet potatoes (there will be a lot left over).
  • Using a kitchen torch, lightly torch the top of the marshmallow for a toasty look.

Notes

I like to use honey in my marshmallow topping - it adds a different, kind of seasonal flavor to it. If you don't like that though, you can use the traditional light corn syrup.
This recipe will yield a lot of extra marshmallow. You could double up on the sweet potatoes layer and make a 9x13" casserole with the same amount of fluff.
Did You Make This?Please consider Leaving a Review!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 546kcal | Carbohydrates: 109g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 391mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 76g

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Filed Under: Casseroles, Christmas, Fall Recipes, Side Recipes, Southern Recipes, Thanksgiving

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