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Fluffy, homemade, and deliciously decadent, this is the Best Sweet Potato Pancakes recipe. Made with buttermilk and spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger for a rich fall or even year-round breakfast. Stack these pancakes high and drench them in maple syrup.
Why This Recipe Works
No, this isn’t a healthy pancake recipe and it’s a good thing too. These pancakes are made from scratch with traditional ingredients, including buttermilk, for a rich rustic flavor. They’re perfect for fall but tastes delicious all year long.
They’re not too sweet. Pancakes are best stacked a mile high and topped with maple syrup, whipped cream, and sprinkled with nuts. These pancakes are a perfect pair to these decadent toppings.
Don’t want to worry about breakfast all week (or better yet during the busy holidays, especially Thanksgiving)? These pancakes store really well. Make a double, or triple batch and enjoy them all week long for a deliciously easy morning.
This is a basic buttermilk pancake recipe with the addition of sweet potatoes. They’re super easy to make and the dry ingredient mix can be made ahead and stored in your pantry.
Not only are these pancakes fluffy, but they also have a thick and dense texture making them super hearty and filling.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sweet Potatoes: for this recipe, you can roast sweet potatoes and then mash them or you can use canned sweet potato puree. If you use canned sweet potatoes then add 1/4 cup of flour to the dry ingredients.
- Buttermilk: if you’d prefer to not purchase an entire carton of buttermilk you can make you’re own by placing 1 1/4 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice into a measuring cup and filling it up to 1 1/2 cups. Use a whisk to mix it together for about 30 seconds, which will curdle the milk and give it that buttermilk flavor.
- Butter: the butter is for cooking the pancakes, but you can also use cooking spray if you have a non-stick cooking pan.
Ingredient Swaps
- Sweet Potatoes: certainly if you swap the sweet potatoes the recipe will change significantly, but pureed pumpkin is equally delicious. You can also use russet potatoes for a savory flavor.
- Spices: for a more savory pancake swap the nutmeg and ginger for curry powder, turmeric, or cayenne powder. You can also use apple pie spice or pumpkin spice.
- Vanilla: sometimes in baking, I like to swap out the vanilla extract for almond extract, which makes a delicious nutty flavor addition. You can also use coconut or rum extract as well.
Toppings
Personally, I think what goes on top of the pancakes is just as important as the ingredients that go in them. Below are some toppings for the pancakes that I like to use.
- Maple Syrup (warmed)
- Whipped Cream
- Crushed Nuts. Pecans are a delicious option.
- Crumbled Bacon
- Mini Marshmallows
- Strawberry Sauce
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Mix the dry ingredients: whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, salt, and spices in a large mixing bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients: mix together the buttermilk and sweet potato puree until incorporated. Then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Prepare the Batter: pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined (don’t overmix). Some lumps are okay.
- Cook: Melt the butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat and pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Cook until it begins to bubble and then flip to the other side. Remove once they turn golden brown. Repeat with the remaining batter.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
- Spoon and level the flour into the measuring cups to ensure you don’t have too much, which will make them too gritty and dry.
- Before flipping the pancakes make sure they start to bubble otherwise the bottom won’t be toasted enough.
- These pancakes are very dense and thick because of the sweet potatoes so they take a little longer to cook than traditional pancakes. You also don’t want to cook them at too high of a temperature otherwise the insides will be raw and the outside over-cooked. A medium setting is best.
- Smaller-sized pancakes are easier to flip (remember these are dense) so measure out less than 1/4 cup for each pancake.
- To make fluffy pancakes check your baking powder expiration date to ensure it’s not expired and don’t overmix the batter. Some lumps are okay.
- For crispy pancakes. To get crispy pancakes place them in the oven or toaster for a slightly crispy and crunchy taste.
- To save time make the sweet potato puree a day or two before you plan on preparing this recipe.
- To keep the pancakes warm heat your oven to 200ºF and place the prepared pancakes on a baking sheet and cover them with foil until ready to serve.
Equipment Needed
You won’t need much to prepare these pancakes and you probably already have the equipment you need, but I’ve listed out some of my favorite items that make preparing them easier.
- Batter Bowl: This is also a large mixing bowl that great for pouring the batter out easily.
- Batter Dispenser: This handy too helps keep your kitchen mess free and you can measure out the perfect pancakes.
- Pancake Molds: While not necessary these pancake molds make this breakfast even more fun than it already is.
- Burner Griddle: A griddle that spans two burners makes preparing pancakes super simple and quicker.
How to Serve
These pancakes make a great base for a sweet or savory meal or even a sweet and savory mix. My personal favorite is to serve them loaded with sweets, but if you’re preparing them for a brunch then savory is a delicious option.
- Sweet: serve them with warmed maple syrup and whipped cream like shown in the pictures or add some butter, pecans, honey, marshmallows or chocolate chips. The sweeter the better!
- Savory: top these pancakes with a fried egg, crumbled bacon, creme fraiche, or some whipped cream cheese for a savory option.
Storage Information
Storing leftovers. Place leftover sweet potato pancakes in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They’re great for meal prep or busy mornings so I recommend making a double batch.
To freeze. Prepare the pancakes as directed and let cool completely before wrapping them in plastic wrap and then placing them in a freezer-safe container. I like to wrap an individual serving together. They will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This is a great way to use up some leftover mashed potatoes or sweet potato casserole. Follow the recipe as directed and use 3/4 cup of the mashed potatoes.
Yes. Canned sweet potatoes sometimes have added sugar and other ingredients so try to find a simple organic brand. Since they don’t have the bulk of homemade pureed potatoes then add 1/4 cup of flour to the dry ingredients.
Yes. Make these at the beginning of the week and enjoy them all week long. They will last in the fridge if kept in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. Just reheat them in the microwave for 30 seconds when you plan to eat them.
No. The baking powder immediately begins to react once mixed with the wet ingredients and will lose its efficiency over time. You could mix the dry ingredients and the wet leaving them separate until you plan on cooking the pancakes.
Yes. I suggest using a good-quality measure-for-measure gluten-free flour in place of all-purpose flour.
If you made this recipe I want to hear all about it! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram using @AimeeMarsLiving and #AimeeMars so I can see your beautiful work. Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Pancakes from Scratch
Equipment
- Whisk
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Large Non-Stick Skillet
Ingredients
- 1¾ cup Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1½ cup Buttermilk
- 2 small Sweet Potatoes about 3/4 cups, cooked and pureed/mashed
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 tablespoons Butter divided
- Maple Syrup for serving
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate medium-sized mixing bowl whisk together the buttermilk and mashed sweet potatoes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup or a little less of the pancake batter into the skillet. Cook until the pancake begins to bubble then flip it over to the other side and cook until it's golden orange in color.
- Repeat the last step with the batter until it's gone. Serve with maple syrup.
Notes
- Spoon and level the flour into the measuring cups to ensure you don’t have too much, which will make them too gritty and dry.
- Before flipping the pancakes make sure they start to bubble otherwise the bottom won’t be toasted enough.
- These pancakes are very dense and thick because of the sweet potatoes so they take a little longer to cook than traditional pancakes. You also don’t want to cook them at too high of a temperature otherwise the insides will be raw and the outside over-cooked. A medium setting is best.
- Smaller-sized pancakes are easier to flip (remember these are dense) so measure out less than 1/4 cup for each pancake.
- To make fluffy pancakes check your baking powder expiration date to ensure it’s not expired and don’t overmix the batter. Some lumps are okay.
- For crispy pancakes. To get crispy pancakes place them in the oven or toaster for a slightly crispy and crunchy taste.
- To save time make the sweet potato puree a day or two before you plan on preparing this recipe.
- To keep the pancakes warm heat your oven to 200ºF and place the prepared pancakes on a baking sheet and cover them with foil until ready to serve.
These Fall flavored fluffy pancakes are making me hungry. I can’t wait to dig into a stack of these.
Thanks, Andrea! I hope you enjoyed them!
I could honestly eat these pancakes any time of year they were SO good!!!
So glad to hear! Thanks for stopping by!
These pancakes are perfect for Thanksgiving brunch! So good, I’ll make them year-round!
Thank you so much, Holley! The pancakes are a yummy treat on Thanksgiving and year-round!
We LOVED these pancakes. Such a flavorful breakfast for the fall. I’ll make this again, thank you!
Thanks, Kristine! I’m so glad y’all loved the pancakes!
I’ve always loved pumpkin pancakes but never thought to make them with sweet potatoes…this is genius!
So glad to hear you loved this! Enjoy all the pumpkin recipes during this season – my favorite!