If you follow us on Instagram (which you should be… you can find us here) you know that we have been struggling to turn an old family sweet potato crunch recipe into a healthier paleo version. Well after FIVE failed attempts to make the perfect crunch topping we finally present to you… healthy sweet potato crunch!
Noticed I said WE as opposed to me? Mr. Peel has been super helpful, i.e. he was an excellent taste tester for this post and didn’t complain when I fed him burnt coconut sugar. Oops.
And yes, I realize that this is two sweet potato posts in a row. But hey… it is fall and sometimes it takes FIVE tries to get the crunchy goodness. Things don’t always go according to schedule. Besides, who doesn’t love sweet potatoes? If you missed the last sweet potato post you can check it out here.
This sweet potato dish is can be best described as a cross between sweet potato casserole and crustless sweet potato pie. It is one of those dishes that pleases everyone.
Why We Love Healthy Sweet Potato Crunch
First off, it is healthy enough we can eat it anytime. This is not just a Thanksgiving splurge. It is gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar-free. While we used eggs in it, an egg replacer like a flax egg would absolutely work if you wanted to make a vegan version.
Second, it tastes amazing. Less sweet than the original version this sweet potato crunch can be served as a side dish or a dessert. When serving as a side, I would reduce the cinnamon by half and add a dash of cayenne just to make it a bit more savory. I know people are very passionate about their sweet potato casserole, no worries if that isn’t your thing. To serve as a dessert, I would top with coconut whipped cream or even non-dairy ice cream.
Finally, texture-texture-texture! The bottom layer is essentially a custard without the dairy. While the top is a cinnamon-pecan crunch that provides great contrast. Unlike most gluten-free desserts this sweet potato dish holds up well over a couple days. It can be served piping hot or at room temp, the texture really does hold up that well.
There may have been some eating it cold for breakfast too. May have been. You can’t prove anything…
But really this sweet potato recipe feels light and healthy plus decadent all at the same time. And you can’t beat that!
How to Make Healthy Sweet Potato Crunch
This is a very simple dish, which is why I love it for Thanksgiving and beyond. You need one medium mixing bowl for the sweet potato base and one small bowl for the crunchy pecan topping.
I used one 15 ounces can of sweet potato puree filling. If you want to use fresh mashed sweet potatoes, you will need to thin the puree out with ¼- ½ cup almond milk. We also used coconut sugar for the filling. We had several successful fillings using brown coconut sugar, honey and maple syrup. Feel free to substitute with whatever you have on hand.
For the topping, we used a gluten-free flour blend. It was such a small amount I wasn’t concerned. If you want to make a truly paleo sweet potato crunch you can use an equal amount of almond flour plus 1 tsp arrowroot or tapioca starch.
I find that with this sweet potato recipe, along with any type of custard, bake times vary based on humidity. I really noticed it because we made it so many times over the course of a few weeks. Don’t be alarmed if the bake time is off by a few minutes. Just keep an eye on it and when the center barely jiggles, it is done.
You can make this sweet potato crunch the day before and leftovers keep for several days.
We hope this healthy sweet potato crunch earns a place at your Thanksgiving table. We know it will definitely be at ours! Don’t forget to pin this recipe, you don’t want to lose it. It is a keeper! Plus you can check out our other holiday recipes here.
Please leave us a comment and let us know how you liked it!
Healthy Sweet Potato Crunch
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Filling
- 2 cups sweet potato puree*
- 2 eggs, whisked sub 1.5 flax eggs for vegan
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar**
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
Pecan Crunch Topping
- 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup gluten-free flour blend***
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix all the filling ingredients together until well combined. Pour into 9-inch baking dish.
- Mix together crumble ingredients. Dot over filling.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until center is just set.
- Allow the casserole to cool, serve slightly warm or chilled.
Notes
Valentina says
Looks like it was well worth the 5 tries. Yum! We always serve a couple of GF options for Thanksgiving and other events b/c my son has Celiac. I think he’d love this one. 🙂
Jen says
It is definitely a kid-friendly recipe!
Jessica Formicola says
I don’t think I can wait until Thanksgiving to make this! It looks great!
Jen says
And obviously, you shouldn’t! Too yummy to wait.
Nicole Tingwall says
This is perfect for my thanksgiving menu! Can’t wait to make it!
Dannii says
I’m usually so boring with the ways I cook sweet potato. I am definitely trying this.
Edyta at Eating European says
Sweet potatoes with crunchy toppings with maple and pecans… You’re speaking my language. I love this recipe and will be making it soon.
Debra says
Thanks for hanging in there to get this recipe to us. Crunchy topping? I’m in! My family will love this, and not just for Thanksgiving.
Jen says
My pleasure!
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
Sweet potatoes just scream fall, so I can see why you’re loving them right now. But they are one of my favorite year-round veggies too!
Diana says
One of my favourite fall recipes, with a lovely topping of maple and pecans yummm! I need to make this asap!
Tisha says
Sweet potatoes are perfect for the holiday season! Love that this is a healthy version!
Veena Azmanov says
Sweet Potatoes, Yummy. I love them in any form. This recipe with sweet potato and crunchy toppings look tasty and delicious.
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
This reminds me of pecan pie and sweet potato casserole….two of my favorite things. I love the gooey topping and the creamy sweet potatoes- yum!
Jen says
Exactly!
Mahy Elamin says
What a delicious healthy sweet potato crunch! I simply cannot wait to try it! Very interesting combination of ingredients. I am saving this recipe for later.
Dan Zehr says
This healthy sweet potato crunch is one of the most loved in my family! This is so delicious and it makes my mouth watering. This looks really good! So yummy!
Claudia Lamascolo says
my family will flip over this delicious topping I cant wait to try this. Its so festive too!
Melissa says
Oh this sounds heavenly! I love the pecan topping for the crunch, what a perfect holiday treat.
Marisa Franca says
Well after five tries you’ve certainly gotten it to simply delicious. I never could figure out why people would continue to add more and more sweet stuff to an already sweet ingredient. It was a sugar overload. Now your creation here is more like it!!
Veena Azmanov says
I love sweet potato casseroles and often make something gluten-free as an option. This looks good. Love the pecan crunch on the top. Sweet potato always makes for a pretty presentation.
Holli says
What a great healthy recipe. This recipe sounds so good. I know my family is going to love this.
Catherine Brown says
Mmmm, I love a good crunchy topping on sweet potatoes that NOT too sweet. This one looks perfect!
April says
I could eat this anytime of the day! I love sweet potato anything. I’ve never tried a healthy sweet potato type recipe, so I’m really curious about the flavor. I can’t wait to try yours.