Sweet Potato Pancakes
Elevate your homemade pancake game with Sweet Potato Pancakes. These easy-to-make pancakes include sweet potato puree in their batter and are fun to make for weekend brunch! Learn how to make the best homemade pancakes, too. Makes 12 pancakes.
This post contains affiliate links.
2020 Update: This recipe was in August 2015 at My Cooking Spot, where I was a contributor. The recipe and post include new photos, as well as more tips and tricks. I hope you love these pancakes!
These sweet potato pancakes are an oldie, but a goodie.
When I was training for a marathon in 2014, I began eating a lot more sweet potatoes. Because I’m allergic to bananas, I needed more potassium, and sweet potatoes are packed full of it!
So I began adding sweet potatoes to my diet.
These Sweet Potato Pancakes were one of my favorites, and I actually ate them the day before my marathon.
They stand up through the years, and we recently introduced our girls to these special pancakes with resounding success!
Why I love this recipe:
These fall-flavored pancakes involve one of my favorite veggies… and they also taste like an absolute treat!
The recipe, itself, takes a bit more time than a traditional pancake recipe, but that’s because you need to make the sweet potato puree.
If you have the wherewithal to do this before the morning you plan to make the pancakes, gold stars for you… and you’ll also spend less time overall before diving into a stack of these.
Some more things I love about this recipe include…
- The subtle sweetness. I don’t love a super sweet breakfast all of the time, and the combination of sweet potato and maple syrup really works here.
- They can be made dairy free very easily… and don’t taste any different! I developed this recipe when I couldn’t have a lot of dairy. I can eat dairy now, and they taste equally amazing. Read the recipe notes for more details.
- You can double them easily for a crowd. Since, you know, some crowds like pancakes more than others.
Pair these beauties with a brunch salad and a blended mimosa if you’re feeling fancy and enjoy a lazy weekend morning with a stack!
Other pancake recipes our whole family adores: Blueberry Breakfast Sausage Pancakes / Peanut Butter Pancakes with Raspberry Preserves Syrup / Strawberry Dark Chocolate Pancakes / Double Chocolate Pancakes / Red Velvet Pancakes / Blueberry Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup
What you need to make this recipe:
The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.
- Food processor to make the sweet potato puree
- Large mixing bowl to make the pancake batter in
- Liquid measuring cup to measure and mix the wet ingredients with
- Rubber spatula to combine the ingredients
- Cast iron grill/griddle to cook the pancakes on
- 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the pancakes onto the griddle
Let’s talk ingredients!
In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.
Here is what you need to get from the grocery store:
- All-purpose flour — also known as AP flour, this is our flour for the recipe. I have not tried this with gluten-free flours or gluten free flour blends and do not recommend those at this time.
- Leaveners — we use a combination of baking powder and baking soda in this recipe. Make sure yours are fresh!
- Kosher salt — medium-grain kosher salt is my go-to. (Diamond Crystal is my favorite brand.) A similarly sized sea salt will work here, too. Keep in mind that table salt is saltier than kosher, so if you have that, you might need less salt.
- Ground cinnamon — or your favorite pumpkin spice blend that involves cinnamon, ginger and a little ground nutmeg.
- Sweet potato puree — make this in advance if you want your morning to be faster. All you’ll do is roast the sweet potatoes whole, then puree the flesh once they’re soft enough.
- Milk — you can use cow’s milk or a nondairy option, like cashew, soy or almond. If using a nondairy milk, make sure it’s unsweetened. If using cow’s milk, I recommend whole milk.
- Egg — a large egg from the grocery or farmer’s market works perfectly.
- Pure vanilla extract — this brings all the ingredients together and helps them sing.
- Oil — the key is using a flavorless oil, like vegetable oil, avocado oil or canola oil here. I do not recommend using something like melted coconut oil or olive oil.
- Pure maple syrup — this adds just a hint of sweetness to the pancake batter. If you feel fancy, you could use some Cinnamon Maple Syrup to make the flavors sing.
- Chopped pecans — or your favorite nut. I love the combination of pecans with sweet potato, but you can skip it if it’s not your thing or substitute it with another nut, like walnuts or almonds.
Substitutions you can make to these pancakes:
No dairy sensitivities? Use your favorite milk.
Nut allergy? Skip those pecans.
Don’t love maple as a sweetener? Add the same amount of granulated or honey to the batter instead to give some subtle sweetness.
How to make Homemade Sweet Potato Pancakes
Make the Sweet Potato Puree
Scrub 1-2 sweet potatoes, depending on size, and poke a few holes in them with a fork. This will ensure they don’t explode as they cook from the steam inside them.
Cook for 6-8 minutes in the microwave on a plate or bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, or until soft.
When the sweet potatoes are completely cooked through, let cool before peeling the skin off and blending in a food processor.
Make the Sweet Potato Pancake recipe:
Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon) in a large bowl. Whisk ’em together and set aside.
In a smaller bowl or a large liquid measuring cup, combine the wet ingredients. This includes the milk, egg, vanilla extract, oil and maple syrup.
Add the sweet potato puree, and combine ’em with a whisk or a fork. This sweet potato mixture will be a little lumpy and very thick, so do not fret.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then slowly stir them together with a rubber spatula. Mix until just combine.
Do fretting over the thickness of the batter or if there are lumps.
DID YOU KNOW?
It’s very important when making pancakes to know that you do not need to overmix, as the pancakes will lose some of their fluff if you continue stirring until the batter is smooth.
Set the pancake batter aside, and heat the griddle or your nonstick skillet over medium heat.
As the griddle heats, spritz it with some nonstick cooking spray or brush melted butter or oil onto the surface to ensure that the pancakes won’t stick. You might have to reapply as your pancakes cook.
When the griddle is hot, use a cookie scoop or a measuring spoon to dollop out the batter. If it’s quite thick, smooth it down immediately after scooping onto the cooking surface with a butter knife to make a rounder, easier-to-flip pancake. (Also, if they are super thick, you run the risk of the middles not being cooked through when the outside is nearly charred.)
Sprinkle a few chopped pecans over the batter.
When bubbles appear on the surface, flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the other side has browned.
Do not press down after you flip them because this will deflate your pancakes.
Pro tip!
How do I know when to flip my pancakes? Look for the air bubbles that will show up in the batter as the pancakes cook. The caveat is that if the batter is super thick and stacked high, you won’t see these bubbles for a while, so be sure to smooth down the batter to the griddle with a butter knife after you dollop the pancake on.
Once the pancakes are cooked through, transfer them to a plate and serve with syrup and a dollop of homemade whipped cream or Greek yogurt. Enjoy!
Erin’s Tips for Making Pancakes with Your Kids
We make pancakes every weekend in our house, so we’ve got a good system down by this point… but that wasn’t always the case.
Here are some of our tried-and-true tips and tricks to getting good pancakes every time:
- Make the puree ahead of time. Steam or roast the sweet potatoes, then blend ’em up the night before you make the pancakes. Store this in the fridge, then use it chilled in the morning.
- Let your little ones do the measuring and mixing… to a point. Overmixed pancakes are no good, but my littles adore stirring and measuring. Depending on the age(s) of your child(ren), you can divvy up the tasks.
- Adults watch the griddle… unless your kids are older. Our girls don’t have flipping privileges yet. We don’t want to run the risk of them getting burned on the stovetop.
As always, every child is different, so let your kids do what they are capable of in the kitchen and what you’re OK with them doing, since everyone has a different threshold.
Frequently Asked Questions
Don’t overmix the batter, and do not, whatever you do, press down on the pancakes once you’ve flipped them. This will deflate them.
Yes! Put your math skills to work because this recipe can be easily doubled or tripled for a crowd if you’re hosting brunch or family for breakfast.
Yes, you can. Swap the egg for 2 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce, and you’re gold. The batter will be a little sweeter because of this, but it’s not a bad thing. (How do I know this? We’ve had instances where we haven’t had eggs, and this has worked for us.)
Vegan Sweet Potato Sage Olive Oil Biscuits and Bourbon Sweet Potato Casserole are brilliant ways to use sweet potato puree if you make extra!
Quick Tips and Tricks for the Best Pancakes
- Don’t overmix your batter! Just mix the batter until it has just come together. Lumps are OK. If you mix until it’s smooth, the pancakes won’t be as fluffy.
- When do you know how to flip? When big ‘ol bubbles start to form in the batter. Lift up the edge a little bit with a spatula to confirm the color on the other side before committing… because when you flip them, you won’t flip them again. (Yep. We only need to flip our pancakes once.)
- Once you’ve flipped your pancakes, don’t press down on them! This will deflate them. Obviously, we want them to puff up and be as light and airy as possible.
- How to store: If you’ve got leftover pancakes, let them cool completely and place them in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or in the toaster oven, if you’d like for the to be crispier.
- How to freeze leftovers: Line a baking sheet with wax paper, and pop them in the freezer for 4-6 hours. When the pancakes are fully frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie. Reheat in the toaster oven, toaster or the oven until warm.
Here’s how you can make these beauties at home…
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup sweet potato puree
- ¾ cup unsweetened cashew milk (or cow's milk)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or another flavorless oil
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
Equipment
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk together before setting aside.
- In a smaller bowl or in a large liquid measuring cup, combine the sweet potato puree, milk, egg, vanilla extract, oil and maple syrup. Whisk until smooth. (You may use a fork to mix them together if that’s easier.)
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Slowly stir together with a rubber spatula, mixing until just combined. (It's OK if there are lumps!) Do not overmix, as the pancakes will not be as fluffy if you do.
- Heat a griddle over medium heat on the stove. Spray with nonstick cooking spray or brush a little butter or oil over it to grease it. This will ensure the pancakes don’t stick.
- Once pan has warmed, pour the batter into silver dollar sized pancakes. Sprinkle a few chopped pecans over the formed batter.
- Cook until bubbles appear on the surfaces of the pancakes, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until the other side has browned and the pancakes have cooked through.
- Using a spatula, transfer the pancakes off the heat to your plate. Serve warm with syrup, and enjoy!
Notes
- Use your favorite milk. Cow’s milk and nondairy milks both work. (Just make sure yours is not sweetened.)
- Leave out the pecans or swap with a nut of your choice.
- Use the same amount of granulated sugar or honey instead if maple syrup.
- Make the pancakes vegan by using a non-dairy milk and swapping the egg for 2 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce.
Nutrition
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Sweet potatoes are on my top 5 favorite food list. I will definitely be trying these!
Are we not supposed to eat sweet potatoes in the summer time??! I eat them allll the time and there’s no stopping me. Especially not when they’re in pancake form!