Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet Potato Pancakes are light, tender, and filled with warming spices and sweet potato puree. Finished with an apple compote, these pancakes are truly delectable.

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--sort of like having sweet potato pie for breakfast.

But they also happen to be really easy to make at home.

Sweet potato puree and warming spices are folded into basic pancake batter, to create light, fluffy pancakes that are easy to make and incredibly flavorful.

And while I love sweet potato pancakes drizzled with warm maple, they are especially spectacular when served with a fresh apple compote. And don't worry, 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. Feel free to use 100% canned pumpkin puree in place of the sweet potatoes for pumpkin pancakes.
• Flour: I use whole white wheat flour to keep these pancakes high in fiber and nutrients. However, all-purpose flour works 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

• The first step, and most time consuming step, is preparing sweet potato puree. I prefer to use leftover baked sweet potatoes, but you can opt to bake one medium sweet potatoes for 30 minutes at 400 degrees F, prepare Instant Pot Baked Sweet Potatoes, or boil 1 peeled, cubed sweet potato until fork tender. Mash up the flesh of the sweet potato using a fork or blender until it is nice and smooth. Allow the puree to cool slightly before adding the pancake batter.
• For the pancakes, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together over a large bowl. If you don't sift the ingredients, be sure to whisk together really well, so that the baking powder is evenly distributed through the batter.

• In another mixing bowl, mix together the sweet potato puree, buttermilk, vanilla, melted butter, eggs, and maple syrup together.

• Add the sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture until the flour mixture is moistened. Do not over-mix the pancake batter. You want to just combine the wet and dry ingredients until JUST combined.
• Meaure out ¼ cup of the pancake batter onto a preheated, greased skillet.
• Allow the pancakes to cook until bubbles appear on the surface and then flip and cook for another couple minutes. 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.

• Serve the pancakes warm with maple syrup or the apple compote if desired.

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!

If you would like to make the apple compote, start it immediately before preparing the sweet potato pancakes. It will come together in the time it takes to make the pancakes.

Storing and Freezing Sweet Potato Pancakes

If not serving Sweet Potato Pancakes immediately, transfer the cooked pancakes sheet pan fitted with a baking rack. Keep the pancakes warm in a 200-degree F oven for up to one hour. The rack will help air circulate evenly around pancakes, preventing the pancakes from getting soggy.

If you have leftover pancakes, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Alternatively, you can freeze for future use. To freeze, lay out the pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes. This helps the pancakes from sticking together. Remove the pancakes and place into a freezer-safe bag or container. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat for 1-2 minutes in the microwave from frozen.

Recipe Modifications

• Dairy-Free Sweet Potato Pancakes: Use non-dairy milk for the homemade buttermilk and use melted coconut oil or canola oil in place of the 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.

More Sweet Potato Breakfast Recipes

• Baked Sweet Potato Oatmeal
• Sweet Potato Crust Quiche
• Breakfast Sweet Potato
• Southwestern Sweet Potato Hash for more healthy sweet potato breakfast recipes.

If you gave these Sweet Potato Pancakes a try, I would love for you to leave a comment and review below.