Tender sweet potato pancakes taste great with both gluten-free and traditional wheat flours. Combined with smashed sweet potato, yogurt, and warm spices, this recipe is a nutritious twist on a classic breakfast favorite.
Sweet Potato Pancakes: A Favorite Weekend Recipe
- I got a crash course in gluten-free baking when my partner learned he needed to eliminate gluten from his diet. I can still eat gluten, so this recipe works well with both gluten-free and traditional all-purpose flour.
- Sweet potatoes and yogurt add extra fiber and protein while honey adds sweetness. The spices, inspired by those in a classic carrot cake, add layers of warming flavor.
- This recipe is easy! Especially if you already have a roasted sweet potato hanging out in the fridge.
Key Ingredients
- Sweet potato: Steamed and mashed, these provide natural sweetness, moisture, and fiber, giving these pancakes a tender, fluffy texture and beautiful golden color. I developed this recipe using garnet sweet potatoes, but white sweet potatoes would also work.
- Flour: While developing this recipe, I cross-tested it with both all-purpose flour and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Both work well!
- Spices: The potato itself has a slightly sweet, mild flavor, and it’s a great match for warming spices. Cinnamon adds cozy warmth and sweetness, ginger adds gentle heat, and a touch of allspice adds complexity. Substitute 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice blend, if you have it.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pancakes
You can use 1 cup of leftover sweet potato mash, or the flesh scooped out of whole roasted sweet potatoes to make these pancakes, or quickly cook and mash them. I cross-tested the recipe using a microwaved “baked” sweet potato, but found it wasn’t as soft as boiling or steamed sweet potatoes, so I’d recommend sticking to those methods! Here’s the full process:
- Steam the sweet potato. Add a half-inch of water to the bottom of a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Set a steamer basket inside. Add 2 small or 1 medium (3/4 pound total) sweet potato, peeled and diced. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and steam until potatoes are completely tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a heat-proof bowl and cool for a few minutes.
- Mash the sweet potato. Use a potato masher or a sturdy fork to mash the sweet potato into a smooth puree. Measure 1 cup of mashed sweet potato. Reserve any remaining mash for another use.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the mashed sweet potato to a large bowl. Add 1 cup yogurt, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, and 3 tablespoons runny honey to the bowl and whisk until combined and smooth.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a second bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and whisk to combine.
- Mix the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and use a rubber spatula to fold the two together until just combined and no dry streaks of flour remain. The goal is a thick, yet pourable batter that drips slowly from the spatula. The batter need not be completely smooth. If the batter is too thick, add up to 3/4 cup of water. The amount will depend on the type of flour and the cooking method of the sweet potatoes.
- Get ready. Place a heat-proof plate or baking sheet in an oven set to its lowest temperature setting.
- Cook the pancakes. Preheat a griddle, frying pan, or skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly grease it with olive oil. Scoop 1/3-cup portions of the pancake batter onto the skillet and cook until bubbles form on the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the warmed plate in the oven and repeat until all batter is gone.
- Finish and serve. Serve pancakes topped with labneh or Greek yogurt and toasted nuts, drizzled with more honey.
Equipment for Sweet Potato Pancakes
You can absolutely cook pancakes in a nonstick frying pan or a cast-iron skillet, but if you like to make pancakes regularly, I recommend an electric griddle.
It gives the pancakes a uniform golden brown color, and I love that I can knock out the entire pancake recipe in two rounds, rather than standing over the stove cooking one or two pancakes at a time.
What to Serve With Sweet Potato Pancakes
For a hearty breakfast that will keep you going, these pancakes are especially lovely topped simply with creamy labneh or thick Greek yogurt, which adds a tangy contrast to the warm spices and natural sweetness of the potato. Finish with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup and a sprinkle of toasted nuts.
To turn them into a complete brunch moment, serve the pancakes alongside a fresh green juice and a platter of Spanakopita Egg Bites. The savory, herb-flecked eggs round out the table beautifully.
Spiced Sweet Potato Pancakes
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Ingredients
- 3/4 pound sweet potato, (2 small or 1 medium) peeled and diced
- 1 cup yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons runny honey, plus more to serve
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
- Greek Yogurt or Labneh, to serve (optional)
Instructions
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Steam the sweet potato. Add a half-inch of water to the bottom of a saucepan and fit it with a steamer basket. Add the sweet potato. Cover, place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and steam until potatoes are completely tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer the potatoes from the pan to a heat-proof bowl and allow to cool for a few minutes.
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Mash the sweet potato. Use a potato masher or a sturdy fork to mash the sweet potato into a smooth puree. Measure 1 cup of mashed sweet potato. Reserve any remaining mash for another use.
-
Mix the wet ingredients. Add the mashed sweet potato to a large bowl. Add yogurt, eggs, honey, and olive oil to the bowl and whisk until combined and smooth.
-
Mix dry ingredients. In a second bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine.
-
Mix the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones and use a rubber spatula to fold the two together until just combined and no dry streaks of flour remain. The goal is a thick, yet pourable batter that drips slowly from the spatula. The batter need not be completely smooth. Adjust the texture as needed by drizzling in up to 3/4 cup water. The amount you need will depend on the type of flour and the cooking method of the sweet potatoes.
-
Get ready. Place a heat-proof plate in a low oven or toaster oven set to warm (or it’s lowest temperature setting).
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Cook the pancakes. Preheat a griddle, frying pan, or skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly grease it with olive oil. Scoop 1/3-cup portions of the pancake batter onto the skillet and cook until bubbles form on the surface, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to warmed plate in the oven or toaster oven and repeat, cooking the pancakes in the same way until all batter is gone.
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Finish and serve. Serve pancakes topped with labneh and toasted nuts, drizzled with more honey.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil, honey, and spices used in this recipe.
- How to Store: Let any leftover pancakes cool completely, then store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or toaster oven. You can also freeze them in a single layer, then rewarm straight from frozen for easy weekday breakfasts. During testing the gluten-free pancakes didn’t reheat very well after having been in the fridge.
Nutrition
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Honey from The Mediterranean!
Indulge in the delicate sweetness of Italian Organic Acacia Honey, sourced from the lush acacia woods of the Pre-Alps and other regions of the Italian peninsula.
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