This 5-ingredient oven baked Thanksgiving dessert is one of those surprising Midwestern-style casserole bakes that turns a simple freezer staple into a warm, sweet side-meets-dessert dish for the holiday table. Using solid unthawed frozen hash brown patties keeps prep easy on a busy weeknight or during Thanksgiving cooking chaos, and once they bake with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and mini marshmallows, they become a cozy, golden treat that tastes a little like sweet potato casserole with an extra-crispy potato twist.
Serve this warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert or set it alongside roast turkey, ham, or baked chicken as a sweet holiday side. It also pairs nicely with whipped cream, toasted pecans, or a drizzle of maple syrup, and leftovers are especially good reheated the next morning with coffee if you like a sweet brunch-style bite.
5-Ingredient Oven Baked Thanksgiving Hash Brown Dessert Casserole
Servings: 6
Ingredients
6 solid unthawed frozen hash brown patties
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups mini marshmallows
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 375°F and lightly grease an oven-safe ceramic casserole dish.
2. Arrange the solid unthawed frozen hash brown patties in a single layer in the casserole dish, slightly overlapping if needed.
3. Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the patties, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon all across the top.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, until the patties are heated through and starting to turn golden around the edges.
5. Remove the dish from the oven, scatter the mini marshmallows over the top, and return it to the oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until the marshmallows are puffed and lightly toasted. Let cool for a few minutes before serving warm.
Variations & Tips
Pecan Crunch: Add 1/3 cup chopped pecans over the marshmallows during the last few minutes of baking for a little nutty crunch that makes this feel even more like a holiday casserole.
Maple Flavor: Swap 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar for maple syrup and drizzle it lightly over the patties before baking for a deeper fall flavor.
Sweeter Finish: If you want this to lean more dessert than side dish, serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and an extra dusting of cinnamon right before bringing it to the table.
Make It Less Sweet: Cut the marshmallows down to 1 cup and add a pinch of salt to the butter before drizzling if you want a more balanced sweet-savory flavor.
Best Baking Tip: Keep the hash brown patties frozen solid when they go into the casserole dish so they hold their shape and develop better texture as they bake. If your marshmallows brown too fast, loosely tent the dish with foil for the final minutes.