Half the Sugar Baker
Do marshmallows belong on sweet potato casserole? I know it’s a controversial subject but either way, you’ll enjoy these sweet potato casserole muffins. You can decide whether or not to add marshmallows and they’ll be delicious no matter what you choose! These muffins are made mashed sweet potatoes and they’re perfect for the holiday season!
I came up with the idea for these muffins after thinking about unique fall flavors. It’s so common to bake with pumpkin, so why not sweet potato? I wanted to include the nostalgic flavors and texture of Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole in a muffin form. These muffins have mashed sweet potato in the batter and crunchy pecans on top. I like to add some marshmallows too, but that’s up to you!
I also love these muffins because they are made with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour and also have less sugar than traditional recipes. The sweet potato keeps them nice and moist for a delicious snack that will keep you satisfied!
Tips:
This recipe calls for whole wheat flour, which gives these muffins a subtle nutty flavor and extra fiber, but if you can also substitute equal amounts of all purpose flour!
This recipe also calls for 2 cups mashed sweet potato. You can do this by peeling the sweet potatoes, dicing them into cubes, and then boiling them, but I think this takes way too long. Instead, I prefer to poke some holes in the raw sweet potato using a fork and then microwaving the whole thing. You need to microwave for 3 minutes on one side and then flip it and microwave for another 3 minutes. Be careful while flipping it because the sweet potato gets very hot. After microwaving, it should be fork tender. Let it cool very briefly before using a knife or fork to peel off the skin. Then add it to a bowl and mash it up with a fork or potato masher. I like this method because it’s so much easier to peel the skin, it’s faster, and it preserves more of the sweet potato flavor. Just make sure that the sweet potato mash has time to cool before you use it!
Before these muffins are baked, they are topped off with chopped pecans and optional marshmallows like a true sweet potato casserole. It’s important that you slightly press down on the toppings so they sink into the batter a little. This prevents them from falling off in the oven.
If you liked these sweet potato casserole muffins, you might also like…
- Healthy pumpkin streusel muffins
- Healthy apple muffins
- German streusel apple pie
- Pumpkin pecan skillet cornbread
Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffin batter:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour (or sub all purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato see instructions above
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup greek yogurt or milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
For the topping:
- 3/4 cup pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ยบ F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, and mashed sweet potato. Then add the 3 eggs and whisk until combined. Finally, add the greek yogurt and vanilla extract and whisk until everything is well incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until everything is just combined. Then stir in the 1/2 cup chopped pecans. Divide evenly among the prepared muffin pan.
- For the topping: Sprinkle the 3/4 cup chopped pecans evenly on top of your muffins and press them gently into the batter. Then evenly place your 1/2 cup mini marshmallows and press into the top of your muffins as well. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Once done baking, remove from oven and let rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool slightly. Enjoy!
