Once the sweet potatoes are tender, they mash into a soft, fragrant base that’s easy to portion into individual servings. I like these mini sweet potato casserole cups because they give you the familiar sweet potato-and-marshmallow combination without asking you to scoop a whole casserole at the table. Each cup has its own soft center and a little cap of toasted marshmallow.
The mixture is simple, but the order matters: mash the potatoes smooth, then stir in the butter, sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until everything is combined. The portions bake in a standard muffin pan, so they’re easy to serve and easy to save for later. Once the tops are lightly golden, the marshmallows add a crisp, sweet contrast to the tender sweet potato underneath.
Kitchen Note
Coat every muffin well generously, right up to the sides. The sweet potato mixture is soft when hot, and a thin spatula can’t rescue a cup that’s stuck to a dry patch of pan.
Save these mini sweet potato casserole cups for tender individual portions with lightly toasted marshmallow tops.
Why the Centers Set Before the Marshmallows Go On
These cups aren’t just mashed sweet potatoes with a topping; the eggs help the mixture hold together as it bakes. That’s what gives each portion enough structure to come out of a muffin well instead of turning into a spoonful of loose mash. The centers should be set before the marshmallows go on, so the topping only needs a brief finish in the oven.
Adding the marshmallows at the end also keeps them from spending the full bake time in the heat. They puff and take on a light golden color without disappearing into the sweet potato. Keep an eye on them during that short final bake: the difference between lightly toasted and too dark can happen quickly. The result is a soft, gently sweet base with a distinct marshmallow layer on top.
What the Sweet Potatoes, Eggs, and Topping Each Bring
- Sweet potatoes — Choose firm, fresh sweet potatoes. Their natural sweetness and smooth, starchy texture make the base; white potatoes won’t give you the same result. Peeling and cutting them into evenly sized cubes helps them cook at the same pace.
- Eggs — Lightly beaten eggs bind the mashed potatoes as the cups bake. They’re doing more than adding richness, so leaving them out makes the portions much more delicate and difficult to lift intact.
- Light brown sugar and cinnamon — Light brown sugar brings a mild molasses note, while cinnamon keeps the sweet potato flavor warm rather than candy-sweet. Dark brown sugar can replace the light brown sugar in the same amount for a deeper molasses taste.
- Butter and whole milk — Melted butter adds richness, and whole milk loosens the mash so it portions easily. Lower-fat milk works, though the cups won’t taste quite as rich; use unsalted butter to keep the salt level controlled.
- Mini marshmallows — Their small size makes it easy to scatter an even layer across each cup. If you only have large marshmallows, cut them into smaller pieces so the topping covers the portions more evenly.
From Tender Cubes to Toasted Marshmallow Tops
Boil the Sweet Potatoes Until Very Tender
Set the oven to 375°F and prepare a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Put the cubed sweet potatoes and cold water in a 6-quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil over high heat, and cook for 12–15 minutes. Check a larger cube with a fork; it should be very tender rather than firm in the middle. Drain the potatoes well so excess water doesn’t thin the mixture.
Mash and Mix Until Smooth
Mash the drained sweet potatoes until smooth, then stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, milk, lightly beaten eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Stop when the mixture looks evenly combined, with no visible streaks of egg or pockets of sugar. If a few potato lumps remain, keep mashing before adding the other ingredients; they’re easier to smooth out on their own.
Portion and Bake Until the Centers Set
Divide the mixture among the muffin wells, using about 1/3 cup in each one. Keep the portions level rather than heaped, which helps them bake evenly. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the centers look set and reach 160°F. The edges should look firm, not wet, when you take the pan from the oven.
Finish with Marshmallows and Cool
Scatter the mini marshmallows evenly over the cups and return the pan to the oven for 3–5 minutes. Take them out when the marshmallows are puffed and lightly golden; don’t wait for a dark brown top. Let the cups cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a thin spatula and lift them out. Give the spatula a slow pass around each edge so the soft sides stay in place.
Simple Changes for Different Tables
Make the cups dairy-free
Use dairy-free butter in place of the unsalted butter, unsweetened oat milk instead of whole milk, and dairy-free mini marshmallows for the topping. Keep the replacements at the same amounts as the ingredients they replace. The cups will be a little less buttery, but the sweet potato and cinnamon still come through clearly.
Let the sweet potato lead
Leave off the marshmallows for a less-sweet version. The baked cups still have brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in the base, but you’ll lose the toasted top and the contrast between the soft mash and puffed topping.
Use dark brown sugar for a deeper note
Swap in dark brown sugar in the same amount as the light brown sugar. Its stronger molasses flavor makes the base taste more caramel-like and slightly less delicate, while keeping the rest of the mixture unchanged.
Storage and Reheating
- Refrigerator: Store cooled cups in an airtight container for 3–4 days. The marshmallows soften and become sticky, but the sweet potato centers hold up well.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled cups in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to an airtight container for up to 2 months. The marshmallow topping may lose its fluffy texture after thawing.
- Reheating: Warm a refrigerated cup in the microwave until hot throughout. Use short bursts and stop once heated; longer heating can make the marshmallows tough and sticky.
Questions That Come Up When Making These Cups
Mini Sweet Potato Casserole Cups with Marshmallows
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Generously coat the wells of a 12-cup standard muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the sweet potatoes and cold water in a 6-quart saucepan.
- Bring the water to a boil over high heat and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender.
- Drain the potatoes well.
- Mash the sweet potatoes until smooth.
- Stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt until combined.
- Divide the mixture among the muffin wells, using about 1/3 cup per well.
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the centers are set and reach 160°F.
- Sprinkle the mini marshmallows evenly over the cups.
- Bake for 3–5 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Loosen the edges with a thin spatula and remove the cups.
