Moist and tender sweet potato cornbread with maple butter is the perfect fall side dish for any meal. Brown sugar, molasses, and warm spices complement mashed sweet potato beautifully in this cozy cornbread recipe.
If you are a cornbread lover like me, you will SWOON over this sweet potato cornbread with sweet maple butter! I love serving this cornbread throughout the fall and winter seasons, especially with Thanksgiving dinner!
For more mouthwatering Thanksgiving recipes, check out our Southern Candied Yams and Southern Chicken and Dressing recipes next!
Table of Contents
Important Ingredient Notes
The detailed ingredient list with measurements is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Mashed sweet potato. To make sweet potato cornbread! I recommend baking the potatoes for the best flavor.
- Buttermilk. For subtle tanginess and a moist, tender texture.
- Light brown sugar. For subtle caramel-like sweetness. Dark brown sugar also works.
- Eggs. To bind the ingredients together.
- Molasses. For depth and additional caramel notes.
- Vanilla extract. For depth and flavor.
- Yellow cornmeal. To create the cornbread batter. Use good-quality stone ground cornmeal for the best flavor and texture. Try our jalapeño cheddar cornbread with spicy honey butter next!
- All-purpose flour. To create soft, fluffy cornbread. Use good quality flour.
- Baking powder. To help the cornbread rise.
- Salt. To balance the flavors and enhance the other ingredients.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. These warm fall spices make this cornbread smell and taste incredible.
- Maple syrup. Combined with butter and salt for the maple butter. Use pure maple syrup and not maple-flavored syrup.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch cast iron skillet in the oven while it preheats to 400°F. Combine the mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, molasses, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl with a wire whisk.
Step 2. Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and spices to the bowl with the sweet potato mixture and fold into the batter until no more dry flour is visible.
Step 3. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and pour the batter into the hot skillet. Place the skillet back in the oven and bake the cornbread for 20 to 25 minutes until set.
Step 4. Meanwhile, whisk the melted butter, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl. Brush it over the warm cornbread when it comes out of the oven. Allow the cornbread to cool for about 15 minutes before enjoying it.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar for a lighter, more vanilla-like flavor.
- If the flavor of molasses is too strong for your taste, substitute honey or maple syrup.
- Switch up the spices for a different flavor. Try using allspice, ginger, or pumpkin pie spice.
- You can use whole milk instead of buttermilk if you prefer but I recommend making this cornbread buttermilk for the best flavor.
- Use canned sweet potato puree to save time or even substitute pumpkin puree!
What Is The Best Pan To Cook Cornbread In?
While cornbread can be made in just about any baking pan, I always recommend cooking cornbread in a cast iron skillet to get the most delicious crispy bottom and edges.
If you don't have a cast iron skillet, no worries! Cornbread can also be cooked in a cake pan, glass baking dish, or aluminum pan
What is The Best Way To Cook Sweet Potatoes?
There are three ways you could cook your sweet potatoes for this recipe:
- Bake them in the oven (recommended). This method develops the best flavor in the sweet potato. The sweet potatoes aren't watered down and the natural sugars from the sweet potato caramelize in the oven.
- To bake sweet potatoes in the oven, wash them well, prick them all over with a fork, and bake them on a foil-lined baking sheet for 50 minutes to one hour until very tender.
- Boil them on the stovetop. This method is quicker and is perfectly fine for this recipe. Boiling the sweet potatoes does add additional water to them which dilutes the flavor slightly.
- To boil sweet potatoes, peel them, cut them into large chunks, and place them in a pot. Cover the potatoes with water and boil them for 15-20 minutes until easily pierced with a fork.
- Cook them in the microwave. This is the quickest method and works great when in a pinch.
- Wash the potatoes, prick them all over with a fork, and wrap them in a moist paper towel. Microwave for 10-15 minutes, until very tender. Once the potatoes cool enough to handle, remove the skins.
More FAQs and Tips
Dense cornbread can be caused by not measuring your dry ingredients correctly or old leavening agents. Be sure to spoon and level your dry ingredients and do not use baking soda that is more than six months old.
Cornbread can be made with whole milk, low-fat milk, evaporated milk, half and half, or dairy-free milk. However, I always recommend using buttermilk to make cornbread for the best flavor and the most tender texture.
Ensure your cornbread turns out moist by properly measuring your dry ingredients and being careful not to overbake your cornbread.
Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
Sweet potato cornbread tastes best fresh but can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Reheat the cornbread covered in the oven so it does not dry out.
Leftover sweet potato cornbread can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
More Thanksgiving Recipes You Will Love!
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📖 Recipe
Sweet Potato Cornbread with Maple Butter
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Cornbread
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato
- ¾ cup buttermilk - whole or lowfat
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter - divided use
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons molasses - such as Grandma's
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour - spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
Maple Butter
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl and set aside to cool. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven while it preheats to 400°F.
- Whisk the mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, cooled melted butter, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla, and eggs in large mixing bowl until combined.
- Add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom and fold into the wet ingredients until no more dry flour is visible. The batter will be thick.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and spoon the batter into the hot skillet and smooth it out into an even layer. Bake the cornbread for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, whisk the melted butter, maple syrup, and salt in a small bowl until smooth. Brush the maple butter over the hot cornbread. Allow the cornbread to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Do not overmix the batter, a few lumps remaining are totally fine. Overmixing activates the gluten in flour which can make your cornbread turn out chewy instead of tender.
- Be careful not to overbake your cornbread so that it doesn't dry out.
- Leftover sweet potato cornbread can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
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