I adore sweet potato cornbread. Their comforting flavor and versatility leave me awestruck and excited to share my all-time favorite 12 variations with you.
Each version’s delightfulness and deliciousness layer my cornbread explorations with enough anticipation that I can’t help but look forward to the next batch. The first five versions I’ll share with you hew close to the standard recipe and turn the dial from 0 to 11 on the sweet potato flavor.
From there, I’ll swing you a few not-so-traditional variations, the next seven of which are straightforward but sure to make some sweet-toothed cornbread lovers out there very happy.
The 12 Best sweet potato cornbread recipes
1. Classic Sweet Potato Cornbread
Sweet Potato Cornbread is a traditional cornbread recipe with a delightful twist. The addition of sweet potatoes and a few key ingredients takes this dish from ordinary to extra-special.
And make no mistake: cornbread is a special dish in our household. It’s served alongside everything from fried chicken to smoked brisket to green chili.
We even have an annual cornbread competition, which can be brutal given the judges’ unpredictable palates.
Ingredients
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a baking dish that is 9×9 inches and deep enough to hold what you’re about to bake.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the following ingredients: sweet potatoes, cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and melted butter, and whisk together. The milk, eggs, and butter should be added to the dry ingredients, followed by a good stir. The mixture should come together and look like a semi-thick cake batter.
4. Fill the prepared baking dish with the batter and place it in a 350-degree oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the dish to cool slightly before serving.
2. Spicy Jalapeño Sweet Potato Cornbread
Cornmeal, mashed sweet potatoes, and finely chopped jalapeños give Spicy Jalapeño Sweet Potato Cornbread a wonderful flavor. The bread’s moistness comes from a rich batter of all-purpose flour, milk, and eggs.
Ingredients
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1-2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
Instructions
1. Prepare your oven by heating it to 400°F (200°C). Then, take a 9-inch square baking dish and apply grease to it.
2. In a big bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine the ingredients: the sweet potato mash, the milk, the eggs, and the melted butter. Mix until everything is well combined.
4. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined. This is the foundation of the cornbread. The way the batter is mixed and combined will determine the texture of the finished cornbread. Fold in the jalapeños.
5. In the prepared baking dish, pour in the batter and bake it for 25 to 30 minutes or until the center no longer quivers and is set when poked with a toothpick. Cool it down for a moment, and serve it warm.
3. Maple Glazed Sweet Potato Cornbread
Introducing Maple Glazed Sweet Potato Cornbread: a delightful blend of cooked sweet potatoes, yellow cornmeal, and a touch of maple syrup. The comforting texture of cornbread combines with a sweet, buttery finish to create this dish.
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed (about 1 cup)
Yellow cornmeal (1 cup)
All-purpose flour (1 cup)
Baking powder (1 tablespoon)
Milk (1 cup)
Maple syrup (1/2 cup)
Unsalted butter, melted (1/2 cup)
Instructions
1. The baking dish you use here must be 9 inches square and at least 2 inches deep. This recipe will not work well in a shallow dish. You could use a 9×13 inch pan instead, but it must be rimmed and safe for at least 375°F.
2. In a big mixing bowl, mix the sweet potato mash, cornmeal, flour, baking powder, milk, and maple syrup into a smooth batter. Then, stir the melted butter into the mixture until it’s well combined.
3. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before serving.
4. Vegan Sweet Potato Cornbread
Sweet Potato Cornbread, vegan and simply divine, blends the nutritious elements of sweet potatoes, cornmeal, and all-purpose flour. Maple syrup serves as the cornbread’s sweetener, and almond milk and coconut oil give it the moisture needed to yield such a delightful, plant-based baked good.
Ingredients
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup almond milk
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon baking powder
Instructions
1. The oven should be preheated to 400°F (200°C), and a baking dish should be lightly greased.
2. In a big basin, mix the sweet potatoes that have been turned to mush, cornmeal, flour, maple syrup, almond milk, melted coconut oil, and baking powder. Mix until the result is smooth.
3. Fill the baking dish with the batter and spread it evenly.
4. Place in a preheated oven set to 350°F, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. When finished, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Let cool for a little while before serving warm to your family and friends.
5. Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cornbread
This delightful dish contains the eight ingredients essential to making gluten-free, delightful cornbread:
1. Mashed sweet potato
2.
Cornmeal (gluten-free, of course)
3. All-purpose gluten-free flour
4.
Honey
5. Milk
6.
Melted butter
Ingredients
1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato
1 cup gluten-free cornmeal
1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/2 cup milk or almond milk
1/4 cup melted butter or coconut oil
2 teaspoons baking powder
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to begin heating. While the oven is heating, grease your baking dish that measures 8×8 inches and is suitable for the oven.
2. In a spacious bowl, the sweet potato, cornmeal, and their gluten-free counterpart flour are blended; the blending takes place with the aid of a large mixing spoon. To this dry combination, honey, milk, and melted butter are added—a creamy, sweet triad that, when combined, promises good things.
3. Pour the batter into the baking dish you’ve prepared. You’ve mixed the baking powder and a pinch of salt into the batter, and you now have a smooth concoction to work with.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before serving.
6. Southern Sweet Potato Cornbread
Sweet Potato Cornbread from the South combines the rich flavor of sweet potatoes with cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and sugar, making a delightful dish that’s neither too sweet nor too heavy. It is the perfect accompaniment to a Southern meal and goes astonishingly well with any sort of greens, beans, or even a bowl of Southern-styled chili.
Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes, mashed (about 1 cup)
Cornmeal
All-purpose flour
Sugar
Baking powder
Salt
Milk
Eggs
Unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
1. The oven should be preheated to 375°F (190°C), and a baking dish should be greased.
2. In a big bowl, mix the well-beaten sweet potatoes, cornmeal, and the other ingredients until they’re well mixed. The other ingredients are as follows: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a different bowl, mix together the milk, eggs, and melted butter with a whisk.
4. Blend the wet elements with the dry ones, mixing just enough to combine thoroughly. Scrape the thick batter into a pan already lined with parchment or greased and floured. Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes, until the cake pulls away from the edges and a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.
7. Honey Butter Sweet Potato Cornbread
Cornbread, the beloved classic, gets a delightful twist in this recipe that combines yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and mashed sweet potatoes to create a wildly moist, slightly sweet Southern-style corn pudding that you are unlikely to forget after you taste it.
Ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) and prepare a 9-inch round baking pan by greasing it.
2. In a big bowl, blend the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt. In a different bowl, mix the sweet potatoes, honey, and melted butter until the mixture is smooth.
3. Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Twenty to twenty-five minutes is all it takes to turn this mixture into a firm, lovely cake. Stick a toothpick in the center to test for doneness—you want it to come out clean, not with any wet batter stuck to it. Once you’ve assured yourself that the cake is totally done, let it cool for a minute or three. Then, slice it up and serve it while it’s still warm for the best flavor and texture.
8. Cheddar and Chive Sweet Potato Cornbread
Cheddar and Chive Sweet Potato Cornbread is made with cornmeal, all-purpose flour, and the main ingredient—mashed sweet potatoes. It’s a not-so-basic cornbread with a sweet-savory mix of flavors, thanks to the crème fraîche and the melted cheese that you’ll find in the batter, as well as the chives, which are a very complimentary mix with sweet potatoes and cornmeal.
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed (about 1 cup)
Cornmeal (1 cup)
All-purpose flour (1 cup)
Baking powder (1 tablespoon)
Salt (1/2 teaspoon)
Cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
Fresh chives, chopped (2 tablespoons)
Instructions
1. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Prepare a 9-inch square baking dish or a similar ovenproof skillet by greasing it.
2. In a big bowl, mix the following ingredients until they are well blended: the sweet potatoes that have been mashed, the cornmeal, the flour, the baking powder, and salt.
3. In a bowl, stir together the shredded cheddar and the chopped chives until the two are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
4. Distribute the batter into the dish that has been prepared and spread it so that it is even. Then, put it in the oven and set the timer for 25 to 30 minutes. When the time is up, you should observe that the very top is a lovely golden brown. When checking for doneness, do not insert the toothpick in the very center of the dish but rather at a side angle.
9. Cinnamon Swirl Sweet Potato Cornbread
Sweet Potato Cornbread with Cinnamon Swirl takes the traditional cornbread up a notch by adding sweet potato puree and by making it with a base of cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, and buttermilk. The sweet tasting, well-seasoned cornbread base is swirled with a mix of cinnamon and brown sugar, making it the perfect accompaniment to butter and honey.
Ingredients
1 cup sweet potato puree
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a 9-inch square baking dish with a good coating of grease.
2. Combine the sweet potato puree, cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, buttermilk, and melted butter in a large bowl. Beat together until smooth and thoroughly incorporated.
3. Half of the batter should be poured into the baking dish. Ground cinnamon should be sprinkled over the batter. Then, the remaining batter should be poured over the layer of cinnamon and, finally, the rest of the cinnamon should be sprinkled on top. A knife should be used and not a spoon (a spoon can create too much disturbance) to swirl the batter in the dish, making the pattern visible from the side when the casserole is served.
4. Cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
10. Bacon Sweet Potato Cornbread
Sweet Potato Bacon Cornbread is a delightful twist on a classic food. It has mashed sweet potatoes, crumbled, and fried bacon, that plus some brown sugar makes this a very unique bread.
It’s not bad served with sweet butter, but it really shines as a side for savory dishes.
Ingredients
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
1 cup milk
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a baking dish or cast iron skillet by greasing it.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potato flesh, cornmeal, flour, crumbled bacon, milk, melted butter, and brown sugar. Mix until you have a smooth, cohesive batter.
3. Put the batter in the prepared dish and spread it evenly. Place it in the preheated oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top turns a lovely golden brown, and a toothpick thrust into the middle comes out clean.
4. Let it cool for a few moments prior to serving. Enjoy your delectable cornbread featuring bacon, sweet potatoes, and corn!
11. Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins
Uncover the delightful blend of flavors in my Sweet Potato Cornbread Muffins. They blend mashed sweet potatoes, yellow cornmeal, and brown sugar.
Moist and tender, these muffins are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or any snack.
Ingredients
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes (around 1 medium sweet potato)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda#
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 400°F (200°C) to preheat while you prepare a muffin tin. Grease the tin or line it with muffin liners to ensure easy removal of the muffins once they are baked.
2. In a big bowl, combine the following ingredients; sweet potatoes, cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Be sure to mix them very well.
3. Distribute the batter evenly into the muffin tin prepared in advance and place it in the oven for 18-20 minutes. When you think the time is up, check for doneness by sticking a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. It should come out clean, with no batter stuck to it, if the muffins are done.
4. Allow the muffins to rest in the pan for a few minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Once they’ve cooled for a bit in the pan, then remove the muffins and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
12. Cranberry Sweet Potato Cornbread
Cornbread with Sweet Potatoes and Cranberries blends two unusual but complementary flavors that not everyone thinks of when they think of cornbread. Sweet potatoes are a staple in the South, where cornbread is served alongside so many meals, so why not combine the two ingredients?
And while cranberries are often thought of as a harvest or Thanksgiving food, they’re actually available from late spring through early winter. So this is the perfect time of year to take advantage of both ingredients.
Ingredients
Sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
Cornmeal
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Fresh or dried cranberries
Brown sugar
Instructions
1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) to warm up.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash together the sweet potatoes, cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar. Mix until well combined.
3. Evenly distribute the cranberries throughout the batter by folding them in.
4. Grease a baking dish, then pour in the batter, and bake in a preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean. Allow the finished product to cool in the dish before cutting and serving.
