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    Pink Owl Kitchen » Side Dishes » Sweet Potato Cornbread

    Sweet Potato Cornbread

    Published: Nov 22, 2022 by Ashley Boyd · This post may contain affiliate links

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Moist, tender sweet potato cornbread flavored with brown sugar, warm spices, molasses, and a hint of vanilla. This is the perfect bread to serve with Thanksgiving dinner, although it tastes terrific year-round!

    If you enjoy cornbread, you will SWOON over this sweet potato cornbread! With roasted, mashed sweet potato baked right in, this cornbread is incredibly moist and the warm spices and molasses take it over the top.

    For more tasty Thanksgiving recipes, check out our Southern Candied Yams and Southern Cornbread Dressing recipes next!

    sweet potato cornbread pieces stacked on a white plate.
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe
    • How To Make This Recipe
    • Variations and Substitutions
    • What Is The Best Pan To Cook Cornbread In?
    • What is The Best Way To Cook Sweet Potatoes?
    • More FAQs and Tips
    • What To Serve With Sweet Potato Cornbread
    • Make-Ahead and Storing Instructions
    • More Thanksgiving Recipes You Will Love!
    • 📖 Recipe

    Ingredients You Need To Make This Recipe

    sweet potato cornbread ingredients arranged on a wooden surface.
    • Yellow cornmeal. To create the cornbread batter. Use good-quality stone ground cornmeal for the best flavor and texture.
    • All-purpose flour. To create soft, fluffy cornbread. Use good quality flour.
    • Baking powder. To help the cornbread rise.
    • Light brown sugar. For subtle caramel-like sweetness. Dark brown sugar also works.
    • Salt. To balance the flavors and enhance the other ingredients.
    • Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. These warm spices add depth and complexity to the cornbread and complement the sweetness of the potatoes beautifully.
    • Buttermilk. For subtle tanginess and a moist, tender texture.
    • Mashed sweet potato. To make sweet potato cornbread! I recommend baking the potatoes for the best flavor.
    • Molasses. For depth and additional caramel notes.
    • Vanilla extract. For depth and flavor.
    • Eggs. To bind the ingredient together.
    sweet potato cornbread slice on a wooden surface.

    How To Make This Recipe

    1. Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat while you prepare the batter.
    2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until combined.
    3. Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in the microwave and set aside. Place the mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, molasses, vanilla, and eggs in a separate medium mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until combined.
    4. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the bowl with the cornmeal mixture and fold the batter together with the spatula until no more dry cornmeal is visible. Add the melted butter and mix it into the batter with a silicone spatula. The batter will be thick.
    5. Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place one tablespoon of butter in it. Swirl the butter around in the skillet until melted. Spoon the batter into the hot skillet and smooth it out into an even layer.
    6. Bake the cornbread for 20-25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cornbread to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.
    step by step instructions for making sweet potato cornbread.

    Variations and Substitutions

    • Use granulated sugar stead of brown sugar for a lighter flavor.
    • Substitute honey or maple syrup for the molasses if you do not like the flavor of this ingredient.
    • Add more spices for even more flavor and earthiness. Try adding cardamom, allspice, or ginger.
    • You can use whole milk instead of buttermilk if you prefer but I do recommend making this cornbread buttermilk if you can.
    • Use canned sweet potato puree to save time or even substitute pumpkin puree!
    sweet potato cornbread in a cast-iron skillet.

    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 any of the following dishes:

    • Square, round, or loaf cake pan
    • Glass baking dish
    • Oven-proof skillet
    • Aluminum pan
    sweet potato cornbread slices on a wooden surface.

    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 (my recommended method). 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 you are 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.
    sweet potato cornbread pieces stacked on a white plate.

    More FAQs and Tips

    Why Is My Cornbread Dense?

    Dense cornbread can be the result of 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.

    What Is The Best Milk for Cornbread?

    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.

    How Do I Make Cornbread Moist?

    Make sure your cornbread turns out moist by properly measuring your dry ingredients, adding oil or melted butter to the batter, using buttermilk in the batter, and being careful not to overbake your cornbread.

    slice of sweet potato cornbread on a white plate.

    What To Serve With Sweet Potato Cornbread

    You will want to serve this cornbread with everything and lucky for you, it tastes incredible with a number of other dishes. Serve sweet potato cornbread with:

    • Southern Baked Macaroni and Cheese
    • Cajun Crawfish Etouffee
    • Cajun Smothered Chicken
    • Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
    • Smoked Gouda Mac and Cheese
    • Smothered Turkey Wings

    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 that it does not dry out.

    Leftover sweet potato cornbread can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    sweet potato cornbread slices on a wooden surface.

    More Thanksgiving Recipes You Will Love!

    • Southern Collard Greens
    • Southern Green Beans
    • Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes
    • Brown Sugar Glazed Chicken
    • Maple Glazed Salmon
    • Easy Cajun Salmon
    • Southern Pecan Pie
    • Southern Sweet Potato Pie

    📖 Recipe

    slice of sweet potato cornbread on a white plate.

    Sweet Potato Cornbread

    Ashley
    Moist, tender sweet potato cornbread flavored with brown sugar, warm spices, molasses, and a hint of vanilla. This is the perfect bread to serve with Thanksgiving dinner, although it tastes terrific year-round!
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course Bread, Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 276 kcal

    Equipment

    • Mixing bowls
    • Wire whisk
    • Silicone spatula
    • 10-inch cast iron skillet

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup yellow cornmeal 155g
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour (125g) weighed or spooned and leveled
    • ¼ cup light brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1 cup mashed sweet potato
    • ¾ cup whole buttermilk
    • 1 tablespoon dark molasses such as Grandma's
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 large eggs
    • 7 tablespoons butter unsalted, divided

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven to heat while you prepare the batter.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves until combined.
    • Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl and set aside. Add the mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, molasses, vanilla, and eggs to a separate medium mixing bowl whisk until combined.
    • Pour the sweet potato mixture into the bowl with the cornmeal mixture and fold the batter together a silicone spatula until no more dry cornmeal is visible. Add the melted butter and mix it into the batter with the spatula. The batter will be thick.
    • Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and place the remaining one tablespoon of butter in it. Swirl the butter around in the skillet until melted. 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. Allow the cornbread to cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

    Notes

    • Be careful not to overmix the batter. A few lumps remaining is fine.
    • Do not overbake the cornbread. Doing so can result in dry cornbread.
    • Leftover cornbread can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1servingCalories: 276kcalCarbohydrates: 36.1gProtein: 5.5gFat: 12.7gSaturated Fat: 7.3gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 355mgPotassium: 313mgFiber: 1.9gSugar: 9.1gCalcium: 138mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword buttermilk cornbread, cast iron skillet cornbread, cornbread, sweet potato cornbread
    Tried this recipe?Tag @thepinkowlkitchen on Instagram! And don't forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and review!

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    Hi! I'm Ashley.

    I am a new mom, wife, and creator of all you see here at Pink Owl Kitchen. All of our recipes are influenced by my southern upbringing and are made with fresh, seasonal ingredients to encourage families to come together around the dinner table more!

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