Sweet Potato Pancakes are a delicious, leveled-up version of regular pancakes with a delightfully sweet, melt-in-your-mouth interior and crispy edges. It’s a comforting treat boasting sweet potatoes, warm holiday spices, and more! Pure satisfaction any weekday morning or lazy Sunday breakfast!
Starting your morning with pancakes is the ultimate comfort food ever! That, and a cup of joe, and I’m good to go. But sweet potatoes make this breakfast favorite even better! Yum!
Sweet potatoes’ natural sweetness and creaminess add a sensational flavor to the already-best pancakes. So bite into these sweet potato pancakes and savor their heavenly goodness, and it will surely be a wonderful day!
Sweet Potato Pancakes FAQs
Yes, they are! Even better, my doctor told me sweet potatoes are an excellent substitute for white potatoes because they’re a complex carb. Whatever that means.😉
I prefer boiling them with the skin on because they absorb less water, making a more substantial puree. But if I’m in a hurry, I’ll peel them first, so I don’t have to let them cool before peeling.
Savory pancakes are great with turkey and gravy. Just omit the sugar, spices, and vanilla extract. Then add a dash of salt, pepper, and ground sage.
Recipe Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes – You can mash or puree sweet potatoes to make a smooth pancake batter. Canned sweet potatoes also work for this recipe.
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour and baking powder give body, structure, and a mouthwateringly fluffy texture.
- Spices – Add warmth and coziness to this recipe with cinnamon, ginger powder, and grated nutmeg.
- Liquid Ingredients – Buttermilk delivers the iconic crispy edges and moist center, and vanilla extract to enhances the flavor.
- Eggs – It improves the taste and texture and gives these sweet potato pancakes an excellent structure.
- Brown Sugar – Feel free to adjust the sweetness to your liking. You can also replace it with sugar-free substitutes to match your diet requirements.
- Butter – What is a pancake without rich buttery goodness? Aah! I never skip this one.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Dry Ingredients – Lightly mix flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger powder, and grated nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl.
- Wet Ingredients – Use a hand mixer to thoroughly combine sweet potato puree, brown sugar, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla for 2-3 minutes in a larger bowl.
- Combine – Mix the dry and wet ingredients, then continue mixing them until combined. Don’t overmix; moisten the flour, and then add melted butter. Set the batter aside.
- Cook – Preheat a large nonstick cast iron skillet over medium heat, then lightly grease with melted butter. When it’s heated, use ¼ cup scoop of pancake batter and pour it in. Cook until small bubbles form and the edges are dry, 2-3 minutes. Then flip your pancakes and cook for 1-2 minutes longer before removing them. Note: Resist the temptation to flatten the pancakes once they’re done. Repeat with the rest of your batter.
- Keep Warm – Preheat the oven to 200℉/95℃. Once heated, place a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack and transfer the pancakes.
- Serve sweet potato pancakes with butter, maple syrup, nuts, and anything else that floats your boat.
Recipe Tips
- If your batter appears too thick, add up to an additional ¼ cup of buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Just pour enough batter and spread it thinly to allow even cooking.
- Use a measuring cup to control the amount of batter when cooking.
- The perfect time to flip the batter is when the bubbles form and the edges start to dry. Do not press because the batter will squeeze out, ruining the shape.
- Adjust the heat occasionally to prevent burning the batter.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
Not only do these sweet potato pancakes taste very yummy, but they’re also make-ahead and storage-friendly! You can cook them ahead and store them for easy meal prep breakfasts. You can also make the batter in advance, store it in a glass jar, and cook it when ready.
Refrigerate leftover sweet potato pancakes in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If freezing, stack them in a freezer-safe bag with parchment paper in between so they won’t stick. They’ll stay good in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to serve, zap them in the microwave or reheat them for about 10 minutes in a 350℉/177℃ oven.
More Easy Breakfast Recipes to Try
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons (5g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (3.5g) salt
- 1 teaspoon (3g) ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (1.5g) ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon (1.5g) nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1 cup (240ml) sweet potato puree (or 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes)
- 2 tablespoons (25g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla extract
- 4 ounces (113g) butter, melted and divided
Instructions
- Add flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger powder, and grated nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl. Lightly mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Add sweet potato puree, brown sugar, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla in a larger mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix until fully combined, 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and continue mixing until combined. Don't overmix, but you want the flour to be completely moistened.
- Finally, add 2 ounces of melted butter (save the rest to cook the pancakes) and fold in using a spatula. Set batter aside.
- Preheat a large nonstick cast iron skillet over medium heat and lightly grease with melted butter. Once the pan is heated, use ¼ cup scoop of pancake batter and pour on the heated skillet. Cook until bubbles form and the edges dry (2-3 minutes).
- Flip the pancakes and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes before removing them from the skillet. Remember, do not be tempted to push down on the pancakes as they finish cooking. Repeat the process with the rest of the pancake batter.
- To keep the pancakes warm until ready to serve, preheat the oven to 200℉/95℃. Once heated, place a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack into the oven, then transfer the pancakes to the baking sheet.
- Serve sweet potato pancakes with butter, maple syrup, and nuts as desired.
Notes
- If your batter appears too thick, add up to an additional ¼ cup of buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Just pour enough batter and spread it thinly to allow even cooking.
- Use a measuring cup to control the amount of batter when cooking.
- The perfect time to flip the batter is when the bubbles form and the edges start to dry. Don’t press because the batter will squeeze out, ruining the shape.
- Adjust the heat occasionally to prevent burning the batter.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Mel
Monday 19th of June 2023
Wow! These are sooo good!!! No syrup required, just a little butter. I really tried to cook them all before eating…I wasn’t very successful 😆 These are perfect after a long day working in the Texas heat. Normally I’d eat half the recipe, but these are crazy filling! I have pancakes for 2-3 more meals. I’ll definitely be trying other recipes from this site.
Tanya
Monday 26th of June 2023
Thank you, Mel! So happy you liked the pancakes :)