Maple Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole (Naturally Gluten-Free)
This is hands down my most-requested Thanksgiving dish, and it’s a showstopper. Every year someone stops in their tracks and asks, “Oh my goodness, what is that?” And every year it’s the first dish to disappear once people start loading up their plates.
Every Thanksgiving table has a sweet potato casserole, and most of them are buried under a pile of sticky mini marshmallows. Mine gets a toasted maple meringue instead: light, glossy and piped into peaks that brown like the top of a lemon meringue pie.
Underneath is a silky spiced filling made rich with cream cheese and butter. And the best part? It’s naturally gluten-free. No flour, no swaps, no special ingredients. Nobody at the table will have a clue, and the gluten eaters will go back for seconds.
Why This Sweet Potato Casserole Works
- Roasted, not boiled: roasting the sweet potatoes whole concentrates their sweetness and keeps the filling from turning watery.
- Cream cheese in the filling: it makes the texture silky and adds a little tang so the casserole isn’t one-note sweet.
- Maple + marshmallow meringue: maple syrup whipped into the egg whites, then marshmallow crème beaten in, gives you all the toasted-marshmallow flavor in a topping that actually looks like a showstopper.
Make It Ahead
Thanksgiving oven space is precious, so get a head start. Roast and mash the sweet potatoes up to 2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then finish the filling, bake, and add the meringue right before dinner. The meringue is best made fresh.
Tips for the Best Maple Meringue
- Make sure your bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry. Even a drop of fat keeps egg whites from whipping.
- Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Add the maple syrup slowly, in a thin stream, so the meringue stays stiff.
- Pipe the meringue with a large star tip for bakery-style peaks, or swoop it on with the back of a spoon.
- Spread the meringue all the way to the edges of the dish so it doesn’t shrink as it bakes.
Is Marshmallow Crème Gluten-Free?
Most marshmallow crème is made from corn syrup, sugar and egg whites, with no gluten ingredients. Brands and recipes change, though, so always check the label on your jar, especially if you’re cooking for someone with celiac disease.
Storing Leftovers
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days. The meringue softens in the fridge, so reheat individual portions in a 350°F oven for a few minutes to warm the filling through.
Looking for the rest of the menu? See all my free gluten-free recipes, and tag @unbelievablygf when this casserole hits your table. I want to see those meringue peaks.
What I use: marshmallow crème, pure maple syrup, a ceramic casserole dish, a hand mixer and a kitchen torch.
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Maple Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole
Course: Side Dish, Thanksgiving8–10
servings25
minutes1
hour45
minutesMy most-requested Thanksgiving side: a silky spiced sweet potato casserole under a toasted maple-marshmallow meringue. Naturally gluten-free.
Ingredients
- Sweet potato filling
4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium)
½ cup dark brown sugar
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
- Maple meringue
3 large egg whites
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow crème
Directions
- Roast the sweet potatoes: Heat the oven to 400°F. Place the sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast about 60 minutes, until very tender. Let cool enough to handle, then peel. Reduce the oven to 350°F.
- Make the filling: Beat the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, cream cheese, butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, kosher salt, cinnamon and nutmeg with an electric mixer on medium until smooth. Beat in the eggs. Spoon into a greased 13 × 9-inch baking dish.
- Bake the filling at 350°F for 30 minutes.
- Make the meringue: While the filling bakes, beat the egg whites, ½ teaspoon vanilla and the pinch of salt on high until foamy. Gradually add the maple syrup, beating until stiff peaks form.
- Add the marshmallow crème: Beat in one-third of the marshmallow crème, then the rest, beating until smooth, about 1 minute. Pipe or spoon the meringue over the warm sweet potatoes, all the way to the edges.
- Finish baking: Bake 13–15 minutes, until the meringue is lightly browned. Serve warm.
Notes
- Make-ahead: roast and mash the sweet potatoes up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing. Naturally gluten-free as written, but always double-check the marshmallow crème label. Lisa Belle Marsh | The Undercover Gluten-Free Baker
