For a delicious take on classic cornbread, try this Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe! Sweet potatoes make the batter super tender and moist. It has a subtle sweetness, touch of warm spice, is perfect for topping with a smear of butter and pairing with your next bowl of chili!
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A new spin on a familiar favorite.
Just like Mexican Cornbread and Jalapeño Cornbread, sweet potato cornbread is a yummy twist on an old standby. Not that I’d ever turn down a slice of classic Southern cornbread or Cornbread Muffins, but add sweet potatoes and it’s extra special!
- Sweet potato cornbread instantly elevates your dinner. Enjoy it with a warm bowl of Vegetarian Chili topped with sour cream, a Sunday dinner alongside Instant Pot Roast, or with backyard barbecue favorites like Grilled Chicken Breast.
- Cornbread is a quick bread since it uses baking soda and powder for leavening instead of yeast. That means there’s no rising and no kneading!
- Cornmeal is somehow infinitely more satisfying than regular all-purpose flour, and sweet potatoes bring all kinds of nutrition—fiber, vitamin C, and beta carotene to be exact.
5 Star Review
“I’ll never use a boxed mix again, this was absolutely delicious!”
— Sarah —
My Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use a Cast Iron Skillet. It heats evenly and will give your cornbread nicely browned edges. If you don’t have a cast iron skillet, make sure the skillet you use is safe to put in the oven.
- Don’t Skip the Cooling. “Cooling” is actually a misnomer because typically when we allow things to cool after baking, they’re still cooking from the residual heat. That’s true of this cornbread, too. It’s more likely to crumble if you cut it immediately after taking it out of the oven.
- Be Careful Not to Over-Mix. The batter will be thick and lumpy—and that’s okay! It’s better to have some clumps of flour in the batter than to over-mix and end up with tough bread that barely rises in the oven.
- Make Sure the Corn Is Dry. If you’re using fresh corn kernels, there can be a lot of liquid at the bottom of the bowl you put them in; canned and frozen corn can also have some liquid clinging to the kernels. If needed, place the corn in a colander so any excess can drain off.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cornbread
Prepare. Place an oven-safe skillet in the oven and preheat it.
Mix the Dry Ingredients. Whisk them together in a mixing bowl until well-combined.
Mix the Wet Ingredients. In another large bowl, whisk most of the butter with the other wet ingredients.
Finish the Batter. Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, then fold in the corn.
Bake. Brush the preheated skillet with melted butter, then pour in the batter. Bake sweet potato cornbread at 425 degrees F until it’s golden brown, and a toothpick comes out clean; about 18-20 minutes.
Serve. Let the cornbread cool for 5 minutes, then slice, serve, and ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Swap Out the Sweet Potato. I haven’t tried it, but I think pumpkin puree, mashed winter squash (like butternut or kabocha), or carrot puree could be swapped in for the sweet potato.
- Make It Tex-Mex Style. Use a can of Mexican corn instead of regular corn kernels. Top with pepper Jack cheese prior to baking.
- Add Herbs and Spices. Rosemary or thyme would be delicious in this sweet potato cornbread; use finely minced fresh herbs or dried. Smoked paprika or freshly cracked black pepper also pair well with the flavors in this recipe.
- Fold in Some Cheese. Shredded sharp cheddar or Parmesan will add some extra savory flavor.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Chili. A natural pairing! Serve this sweet potato cornbread with Turkey Chili or Pumpkin Chili for a satisfying meal.
- Soups. This recipe also pairs well with soup. Try it with my Hamburger Soup or 15 Bean Soup.
- Barbecue Favorites. Cornbread is a staple on barbecue restaurant menus, so you can’t go wrong serving it with Boston Baked Beans and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
- Sunday Dinner Staples. Love a big Sunday dinner? Serve your cornbread with Baked Pork Tenderloin and side dishes like Air Fryer Green Beans and Sauteed Mushrooms.
Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe
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Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and cooled, divided
- 1 ¼ cups finely ground cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup Greek yogurt I used 2%
- ½ cup mashed sweet potato*
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup or honey
- ½ cup corn kernels thawed if frozen
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place a 9- or 10-inch oven-safe (preferably cast-iron) skillet in the oven while it preheats. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the butter for greasing the pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine 7 of the tablespoons butter, yogurt, mashed sweet potato, eggs, buttermilk, and maple syrup. If the butter resolidifies, warm the bowl briefly in the microwave until it melts.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and the batter is thick and lumpy. A few lumps of flour remaining are fine. Fold in the corn.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven. Brush with the reserved tablespoon butter. Pour the batter into the skillet.
- Bake sweet potato cornbread for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool for 5 minutes in the skillet. Slice and serve warm right from the skillet, or carefully turn the cornbread out onto a cutting board to cool fully.
Video
Notes
- *To make mashed sweet potato, poke one medium sweet potato all over with a fork. Place on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 5-8 minutes (depending on the size of the sweet potato), until easily pierced with a fork, flipping the potato every 2 minutes so it heats evenly. Remove from the microwave and with a knife, carefully slice it open so it can cool more quickly. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and mash the flesh with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth (some fibers will remain intact, that’s totally fine).
- I haven’t tried this, but I think pumpkin or mashed squash could work for the sweet potato.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate your sweet potato cornbread in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- TO FREEZE: Store this cornbread for up to 6 months in the freezer wrapped. Let it cool completely, then wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic, then aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
- TO REHEAT: Let the cornbread come to room temperature on the counter before serving or reheat it in a 350°F oven until warm.
Nutrition
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Great flavor!! I think I messed up something though because it was a little dry. But the kids enjoyed it, especially with sorghum drizzled over it. It was fantastic with the turkey chili!
Love that you served it with chili! Thank you Jennie!
I subbed pumpkin for the sweet potato and it worked beautifully! Everyone loved it, especially the kids. I’ll never use a boxed mix again, this was absolutely delicious!
So glad to hear that, Sarah! Thank you!