This Sweet Potato Cornbread is a twist on the classic, using mashed sweet potatoes and a hint of brown sugar. It's sweet, moist, and perfect to add to your weeknight or holiday table. Plus, it's so simple to assemble, making it perfect for beginner bakers.
This sweet potato cornbread recipes is mouth-watering and easy-to-follow. It's a delightful twist on my classic cornbread recipe that is thick, slightly cakey, and is easy to make gluten-free.
If you'd like a completely savory cornbread, you'll love this Cheesy Cornbread; you can even add jalapeños to that recipe.
Why you'll love this recipe
I've taken liberties with cornbread, a Southern staple, combining the earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes with the hearty texture of the traditional recipe.
The fusion makes for some delicious results.
- Moist texture - The cooked sweet potatoes contribute to a tender, moist crumb, as well as adding a slightly creamy richness to the cornbread.
- Enhanced flavor - You'll love the natural sweetness the roasted sweet potato gives the cornbread, as well as the quintessential fall flavor.
- Make-ahead friendly - You can bake the cornbread in advance and serve it at room temperature, or warm it in the oven.
- Seasoned to perfection - Just a hint of cinnamon warms the sweet potato flavor and brings it out in each bite, without being overly spiced.
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Ingredients
This sweet potato cornbread recipe has ingredients that can easily be swapped to make it both gluten-free and dairy-free.
You'll find the exact measurements and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Mashed sweet potatoes - Use about 1 ½ pounds of sweet potatoes, roasted or microwaved until soft.
- Buttermilk - Use a dairy free substitute for milk, plus 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice in place of the buttermilk if you are making this dairy-free.
- Butter - Use margarine for a dairy-free option.
- Eggs
- Brown sugar
- Yellow cornmeal
- Flour - swap for gluten-free all-purpose flour for GF.
- Cinnamon
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Extra butter, or margarine, and honey for serving
How to make sweet potato cornbread
Here are the steps to make this delicious cornbread recipe.
- Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet or 2-quart baking dish.
- Prick sweet potatoes with a fork, microwave until very soft (or roast in the oven), then cool slightly, scoop out the insides, and mash.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together mashed sweet potatoes, buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and brown sugar.
- In another bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until just combined, leaving some lumps.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake and then cool in pan before serving.
- Step 1: Prick sweet potatoes with a skewer or fork and then cook in the microwave or roast in the oven.
- Step 2: When cooked potatoes are easy to handle, scoop the insides from the skin.
- Step 3: Mash the cooked sweet potato so there are no large pieces.
- Step 4: Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Step 5: In another bowl mix liquid ingredients and the mashed potato.
- Step 6: Mix the dry and wet ingredients together to make the batter.
- Step 7: Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan.
- Step 8: Brush with butter if desired when it comes out of the oven.
Pro tips
- The sweet potatoes can be cooked in the microwave, or wrapped in foil and baked in the oven until soft. You can also use leftover baked sweet potatoes if you have enough.
- Know when the cornbread is done: The edge start to pull away from the edge of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top will be slightly cracked from expanding.
- Dish or Skillet: An 8- or 9-inch square pan, a 9-inch round cake pan, or a 9-inch cast iron skillet are all perfect vessels for this cornbread.
- Canned sweet potato: You can use canned sweet potato if it's not pre-sweetened. You can also swap the sweet potato puree for pumpkin puree!
Storage and Freezing
If the cornbread isn't eaten the first day it's made, store it to eat for breakfast, or alongside another dinner.
- Make in advance: The cornbread can be cooled and stored in the baking pan wrapped with foil for a day. Serve it as is the next day, or warm it slightly in a low oven.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container or zip-top bag, at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: This cornbread freezes wonderfully! Wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or reheat directly from frozen.
What to serve with sweet potato cornbread
You can imagine this quick-bread is delicious with all kinds of meals. Try it with BBQ, Fall soups and meals, holiday dinners, or alongside your favorite weeknight meal. Here are some things to serve with the cornbread that make it extra tasty.
Equipment
I love baking this cornbread in a cast iron skillet, or a pretty enameled cast iron skillet.
It also works in a square baking dish.
For quick-breads like this one, I don't want to over mix the batter. I use a dough whisk to efficiently combine the wet and dry ingredients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Southern cornbread is typically savory, with a more dry and crumbly texture. Sweet cornbread includes sugar or honey, resulting in a softer, cake-like texture.
Yellow cornmeal has a stronger corn flavor and a vibrant color, making it great for traditional cornbread. White cornmeal is milder and works well if you prefer a more subtle taste and a lighter color. It’s mostly a matter of preference!
For super successful cornbread I suggest following the recipe and using yellow cornmeal. Some experts offer options to replace cornmeal with coarse polenta or coarsely ground grits.
You can used canned sweet potatoes if they aren't sweetened. A better option might be canned pumpkin puree that is unsweetened.
More sweet potato recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups mashed sweet potatoes (from about 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted, plus more for pan)
- 4 large eggs
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar (or ¼ cup granulated sugar)
- 1½ cups yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (or up to ¾ teaspoon!)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1¾ teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350ºF with rack in the middle. With extra butter, grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet, or 2-quart baking dish; set aside.
- Prick sweet potatoes all over with fork. Microwave* until potatoes are very soft, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Let potatoes cool slightly, then cut open. Remove the insides and discard skin. Mash potatoes and measure 1¾ cups for the recipe.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the sweet potato puree, buttermilk, melted butter, eggs, and brown sugar. In a separate bowl whisk together the cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Stir sweet potato mixture into cornmeal mixture until just combined. Mixture may have some lumps but no dry bits of flour.
- Spread batter in the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until cornbread is toasting around the edges and springs back ever so slightly when gently touched, this will be 25 to 30 minutes.
- Let cornbread cool in the pan for 35 to 45 minutes before cutting and serving. Or let it cool completely, wrap pan and keep at room temperature for up to a day.
- *If you don't have a microwave, bake the sweet potatoes at 375ºF for 35 to 45 minutes until soft. You can wrap them in foil if desired.
Notes
- Mashed sweet potato gives simple cornbread a little sweetness and makes it seem extra rich. You’ll love this as a savory or sweet cornbread, great to serve with BBQ and grilled meals, picnics, soups and stews, or alongside a salad.
- White granulated sugar or brown sugar work equally well in this recipe.
- Add up to ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon if you’d like. The more cinnamon added, the more sweet the cornbread will seem, as cinnamon adds that baked sweetness flavor. I like a minimum ¼ teaspoon.
Nutrition
Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!
Milton Recovery | Mental Health Treatment says
Sweet potato cornbread sounds like the perfect blend of sweetness and heartiness! I love how it adds a unique twist to a classic comfort food definitely trying this recipe soon!
Stacie Ki says
This is exactly what I needed to see to get ready for the New Year’s celebration I’m hosting tomorrow!!!
Kristine says
YUM! What a great twist from a traditional cornbread recipe. I have a years worth of sweet potatoes from our garden. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Joy says
you had me at cornbread. thanks for not using gums in your recipe!
Bedabrata says
Adding sweet potato to cornbread is such a creative twist! It sounds delicious and perfect for enhancing both flavour and texture. Can’t wait to try this unique recipe!
Renata Feyen says
That looks so good. I had never heard of canned sweet potatoes before, but perhaps it's not available in Belgium
Nikki Wayne says
This is a good combination. I can say that this is flavorful. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Kimberley Asante says
This looks absolutely delicious. I can't wait to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Marie Gizelle says
Haven't eaten sweet potato for the longest time (since going lowcarb), this looks good and will certainly share to my sweet potato loving friends! 🙂