Recipe: Sweet Potato Pancakes
Let’s talk about the one thing you need to be eating for breakfast this fall (and every single weekend even once fall has passed!): a warm stack of super-fluffy, lightly spiced sweet potato pancakes.
It’s time to take a break from all things pumpkin, and let sweet potatoes take center stage on the breakfast table. Just don’t forget the maple syrup.
What you get in these pancakes are all the things you love in buttermilk pancakes, like a light and fluffy texture with a crisp edge all around the outside from the hot butter in the pan. And most importantly, you get the warm spiced flavors that make you swoon over all things fall.
You don’t taste the sweet potato outright in these pancakes, so if you want a low-profile way to sneak some veggies into breakfast, this is your ticket. Make them shine even more by topping off your pancakes with some warm, sweet maple syrup and chopped pecans. Of course, a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey also does the trick.
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Makes about 20 (3-inch) pancakes
Serves 4 to 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons
unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
- 2 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon
baking powder
- 1 teaspoon
baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon
salt
- 2
large eggs
- 2 cups
buttermilk
- 1/2 cup
milk
- 2 tablespoons
packed brown sugar
- 1 cup
mashed sweet potato (see Recipe Notes)
Maple syrup, for serving (optional)
Chopped pecans, for serving (optional)
Instructions
Either in the microwave or on the stovetop, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter, then set aside to cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, milk, and sugar, mixing until completely combined. Stir in the mashed sweet potato. Pour in the melted butter and mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Don't overmix the batter; it will be lumpy, and that's okay. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add a pat of butter — just enough to coat the surface. Once hot, use a 1/4-cup measure to pour batter into the skillet. Cook until the undersides are golden, the edges look to be set, and bubbles form and burst on the surface of the pancake, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until golden-brown, about another 2 minutes. Repeat with the remaining pancakes.
Serve the pancakes immediately with maple syrup and pecans, or your favorite topping.
Recipe Notes
One medium to large sweet potato will yield roughly 1 cup of mashed sweet potato.
To make the mashed sweet potato, roast a medium-large sweet potato in a 400°F oven for 40 to 50 minutes, until completely soft. Remove the skin and mash. This can be made ahead of time, and stored for up to a few days in a covered container in the refrigerator.
If you're out of buttermilk, make a quick buttermilk substitute with plain milk and lemon juice or vinegar.