Light, fluffy sweet potato soufflé with a caramelized pecan topping is a decadent family holiday side dish. This Southern classic blurs the line between side dish and dessert in the best way.
Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter.
Boil sweet potatoes in their skins until fork tender (about 30–35 minutes), then drain, cool slightly, and peel.
Mash sweet potatoes until smooth; blend in melted butter, granulated sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract, salt, and cinnamon, mixing thoroughly.
Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula.
In a separate bowl, combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, and softened butter for the topping; mix until crumbly, then sprinkle evenly over the soufflé.
Bake for 30–35 minutes until the center is just set and the pecan topping is bubbling and caramelized; cool 10 minutes before serving to set texture.