Sweet Potato Pancakes are thick, fluffy, and perfectly spiced. Topped with a fresh apple compote, these sweet potato pancakes are an absolutely delicious and healthy breakfast!
Sweet Potato Pancakes are not the only way to enjoy sweet potatoes at breakfast! Be sure to check out Baked Sweet Potato Oatmeal, Sweet Potato Crust Quiche, Breakfast Sweet Potato, and Southwestern Sweet Potato Hash for more healthy sweet potato breakfast recipes.
If you walk into any breakfast restaurant in the south, Sweet Potato Pancakes are sure to be on the menu. They happen to be a southern staple, and with good reason–sweet potato pancakes are absolutely delicious. But they also happen to be really easy to make at home.
Sweet potato puree and warming spices are folded into a pancake batter, to create light, fluffy pancakes that are incredibly flavorful. While delicious served alone, topped with a fresh Apple Compote, Sweet Potato Pancakes are irresistible–and trust me, the apple compote is just as easy to make as the pancake batter!
Key Ingredients Needed
- Sweet Potato Puree: It is best to use mashed baked sweet potatoes, instead of canned sweet potatoes that are often coated in thick corn syrup.
- Flour: I use whole wheat flour to keep these pancakes high in fiber and nutrients. However, all-purpose flour works as well. You can use 1:1 Gluten Free Flour as well.
- Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg add warmth to these pancakes and pair perfectly with sweet potatoes.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk keeps these pancakes light and fluffy, but there is no need to purchase buttermilk. To make homemade buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to milk and let sit for 5 minutes. This works even if using non-dairy milk.
- Butter: In true southern fashion, I used melted butter for the pancake batter. However, melted coconut oil or canola oil will work as well.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pancakes
Making sweet potato pancakes at home is easy. The hardest part is having the sweet potato puree ready to go. I simply bake extra sweet potatoes earlier in the week or make Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes. There are just a few things to remember for the BEST Sweet Potato Pancakes.
- Be sure to whisk or sift together the dry ingredients well, so that the baking powder is evenly distributed through the batter–this will prevent biting into any clumps of baking powder.
- Do not over-mix the pancake batter. You want to just combine the wet and dry ingredients until JUST combined.
- Make sure pancakes are even in size by using a large cookie scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup to scoop pancake batter onto a heated griddle.
- Allow pancakes to cook until bubbles appear on the surface and then flip. Resist the urge to press the pancakes down with a spatula, as this will cause the air bubbles in the pancakes to burst, leaving thick dense pancakes instead of tender, light pancakes.
- If not serving immediately, transfer cooked pancakes to a sheet pan topped with a cooling rack and place it into a 200-degree oven until ready to serve–up to one hour. The cooling rack will help air circulate evenly around pancakes, preventing the pancakes from getting soggy.
Apple Compote Recipe
Maple syrup is delicious on sweet potato pancakes but simmered spiced apples take these pancakes to a whole new level of deliciousness. Homemade apple compote is as simple as simmering apples with maple syrup, apple juice, and spices. This compote comes together quickly, so if you start it before you start the sweet potato pancakes, and they will be ready at the same time. Just be sure to use pure maple syrup for the best flavor in this easy compote.
Notes and Modifications for Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Storing Pancakes: Have extra sweet potato pancakes? Freeze for future use. Just lay out the pancakes in one layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Then remove and place in freezer-safe bag or container. Then pop one or more out of the bag at a time and reheat for 2 minutes and serve. Alternatively, you can store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Dairy-Free Sweet Potato Pancakes: Use non-dairy milk and canola or coconut oil in place of melted butter.
- Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pancakes: Use 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour in place of the whole wheat flour. I have done this before many times with great success.
- For more substitutions, check out common baking substitutions to use what you have on hand or to make these waffles allergy-friendly.
More Pancake Recipes
- Peanut Butter Pancakes
- Whole Wheat Pancakes
- Zucchini Bread Pancakes
- Vegan Blueberry Pancakes
- Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Sweet Potato Pancakes with Spiced Apple Compote
Ingredients
For the Spiced Apple Compote
- 2 sweet apples diced into 1/2inch cubes
- 1/4 cup apple juice or cider or water
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground ginger root
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
For the Sweet Potato Pancakes
- 2 cups whole wheat flour or all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 cup sweet potato puree about 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk see note about homemade buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or canola or melted coconut oil
Instructions
Apple Compote
- Bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Allow to simmer until apples are tender, about 25 minutes while making and cooking the pancakes.
Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla, maple syrup, and melted butter. Stir into dry ingredients until just combined.
- Set aside the batter, while you heat a greased or non-stick skillet to medium heat.
- Scoop 1/2 cup batter onto griddle for each pancake. Flip when bubbles start to appear, after about3-4 minutes. Flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Remove pancakes from skillet and serve with syrup and/or apple compote.
Notes
- For the Compote: Use any sweet, slightly firm apple like Braeburn, Gala, or Honeycrisp. Apple Cider adds so much flavor to both the compote but feel free to omit and just use water or apple juice.
- For Homemade Buttermilk: add 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar to milk and let sit for 5 minutes. This works if using non-dairy milk as well.
- Dairy Free Sweet Potato Pancakes: Make homemade buttermilk with non-dairy milk and in place of butter, use melted coconut oil or canola oil. I use whole wheat pancakes in the batter.
- Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pancakes: Use 1:1 Gluten Free Flour.
- Storing: Sweet Potato Pancakes will keep in the fridge for 3 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, lay out the pancakes in one layer on a cookie sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Then remove and and place in freezer safe bag or container. To serve, pop one or more sweet potato pancakes out of the bag at a time and reheat for 2 minutes in the microwave and serve.
Nutrition
Love sweet potato pancakes and this apple compote sounds amazing!
Thanks Maris–the compote takes good pancakes over the top!!
Yum!! Yes please 🙂
Coming right up!
Dear Kristen, these sound and looks marvelous! Such a creative idea and I love the flavors. xo, Catherine
Thanks Catherine. They are one of my new fall favorites 🙂
Can’t wait to try this!
Sarah–I hope you love them as much as my family does!