These sweet potato pancakes are tender, fluffy, and rich with butter. They use straightforward ingredients and are easy to make — one batch serves a crowd. Finish them with toasted pecans and warm maple syrup for a cozy breakfast or holiday brunch.
I love breakfast recipes that scale up for a crowd, especially over the holidays. These are my go-to pancakes when I’m feeding family — the recipe yields about 12 servings. If you enjoy pancakes, try my other favorites like banana pancakes and silver dollar pancakes.
Ingredient Notes
- Sweet Potato – Cook and mash a fresh sweet potato, or use canned sweet potato if you prefer.
- Melted Butter – Use unsalted butter so you can control the seasoning.
- Sugar – A mix of light brown sugar and granulated sugar adds moisture and depth of flavor.
- Milk – Whole milk gives the best texture, but any milk will work. Avoid sweetened varieties like sweetened almond milk.
- Ground Cinnamon – Swap in pumpkin pie spice if you want a warmer spice blend.
How To Make
- Peel and cut the sweet potato into 2-inch chunks. Place the pieces in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook about 15 minutes or until tender.
- Drain the cooked sweet potato and beat or mash until smooth with an electric mixer or potato masher. Let it cool slightly for 10–15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, melted butter, mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined.
- Add the flour, salt, ground cinnamon, and baking powder. Stir gently until combined — avoid overmixing to keep the pancakes tender.
- Preheat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add a little butter and, once melted, drop 1/2 cup portions of batter onto the surface. Cook 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Serve the pancakes warm topped with maple syrup, pecans, extra butter if desired, and enjoy.
Top Tips For The Perfect Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Heat the skillet until hot but not smoking — too hot and the outside will burn before the center cooks.
- Flip each pancake only once and avoid pressing them down after flipping to keep them light and fluffy.
- Use a low, steady motion with the spatula when flipping to prevent tearing or splattering.
- Let the melted butter and sweet potato mash cool slightly before combining with eggs to prevent curdling.
Can I Freeze These?
Yes. Cool the pancakes completely, place a sheet of parchment between each pancake, stack them, and put the stack in a freezer bag. They keep up to three months. Reheat in a toaster or bake at 375°F for 7–10 minutes until warmed through.
Do I Have To Serve These With Maple Syrup?
Maple syrup pairs beautifully with these pancakes, but if you prefer not to use syrup, increase the sugar in the batter to suit your taste.
More Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Buttermilk Pancakes
- Nutella Stuffed Pancakes
- Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
If you try this recipe, please leave a rating in the recipe card and a comment below. Enjoy making a warm stack of sweet potato pancakes for family and friends.
Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cups mashed sweet potato (about 1 medium sweet potato)
- 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- Extra butter for frying
Instructions
- Peel and chop the sweet potato into 2-inch chunks. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook 15 minutes or until fork-tender.
- Drain and mash or beat the sweet potato until smooth. Allow the mash to cool 10–15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined.
- Add flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. Stir just until combined; do not overmix.
- Preheat a griddle or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add a little butter, then drop 1/2 cup batter per pancake. Cook 2–3 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.
- Serve warm with maple syrup, pecans, and extra butter if desired.
Notes
- Keep the pan hot but not smoking to prevent burning while allowing the center to cook.
- Flip each pancake only once and avoid pressing down after flipping.
- When flipping, keep the spatula close to the griddle to reduce mess and maintain pancake shape.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 26 g
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Protein: 4 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is an approximation.