If you are searching for a comforting, flavorful twist on a classic favorite, this Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe will absolutely delight your taste buds. It’s a perfect balance of moist and crumbly textures, with the natural sweetness of pureed sweet potatoes adding a rich depth that elevates traditional cornbread to something truly special. Beyond the warmth of cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, this easy-to-make recipe offers a golden, tender crumb that’s wonderful on its own or paired with your favorite meals. Trust me, once you try this Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe, it’ll quickly become a beloved staple in your kitchen.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe calls for simple, pantry-friendly ingredients that come together to create layers of flavor and just the right texture. Each ingredient plays a specific role, whether it’s the cornmeal for that classic cornbread bite or the spices that add cozy warmth and aroma.
- Yellow cornmeal: Provides the base and signature grainy texture of cornbread.
- All-purpose flour: Adds structure and tenderness to the bread.
- Baking powder: Leavens the bread to give it a light, airy crumb.
- Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances sweetness.
- Baking soda: Works in tandem with acidic buttermilk for rise and softness.
- Cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg: Warm spices that bring subtle depth and a lovely aroma.
- Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: Sweeten naturally and help develop a tender crumb.
- Cooked sweet potatoes (pureed): The star ingredient adding moisture, sweetness, and beautiful color.
- Eggs and egg yolk: Bind ingredients and add richness.
- Vegetable oil and melted butter: Contribute moistness and buttery flavor.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a subtle fragrant note that rounds out sweetness.
- Buttermilk: Adds tanginess and reacts with baking soda for leavening.
- Optional orange food coloring: For enhanced visual appeal, if desired.
- Butter, brown sugar, honey, salt, and cinnamon for glaze: Combine to create a luscious, sweet-spiced topping.
- Fresh parsley (garnish): Adds a pop of fresh color and a hint of brightness.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Dish and Oven
Start by preheating your oven to 400°F. While it heats up, lightly grease an 8-inch glass baking dish to ensure your cornbread won’t stick and comes out perfectly golden. This first step sets you up for success by prepping your workspace efficiently.
Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, combine yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg. Whisk these dry ingredients together until evenly mixed; this ensures that each scoop of batter contains a balanced flavor with no clumps of leavening or spices.
Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, blend the pureed sweet potatoes with eggs, egg yolk, melted butter, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. This mixture will be smooth, slightly thick, and fragrant. The sweet potatoes contribute moisture and a velvety texture that makes this cornbread so special.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing because you want a tender crumb — a few lumps are perfectly fine here. If you like, this is the moment to add a few drops of orange food coloring to enhance the warm, inviting color of the cornbread.
Step 5: Bake to Perfection
Pour your batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Place it in the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Around the halfway mark, check and tent the top loosely with foil if it’s browning too quickly to prevent burning. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is beautifully golden.
Step 6: Cool and Glaze
Once baked, allow the cornbread to cool slightly before slicing. While cooling, prepare the glaze by combining melted butter, brown sugar, honey, a pinch of salt, and cinnamon. Brush this glaze over the warm surface to add a shimmering, sweet spice layer that seals in moisture and boosts the flavor dramatically.
How to Serve Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe
Garnishes
A simple sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley over the glazed top adds a gorgeous green contrast, brightening the visual appeal and introducing a fresh note that complements the warm spices beautifully.
Side Dishes
This Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe shines alongside hearty dishes like chili, roasted turkey, or glazed ham. The cornbread’s sweetness and spices pair perfectly with savory or spicy mains, offering a delightful counterbalance on your plate.
Creative Ways to Present
Serve your cornbread in rustic squares on a wooden board with small bowls of honey butter, jalapeño cream cheese, or a smear of tangy cranberry sauce for an unexpected but delicious twist. Alternatively, crumble it over salads or soups for an indulgent crunchy topping.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Wrap any leftover cornbread tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. For longer storage, keep it refrigerated, where it will last around a week without losing moisture.
Freezing
This Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe freezes wonderfully. Slice the cornbread first, then place the slices in a freezer-safe bag or container with parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to three months for convenient, ready-to-enjoy cornbread anytime.
Reheating
Reheat slices in a toaster oven or regular oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes. This method revives the crispy edges while keeping the inside moist and tender—far better than a microwave, which can dry it out.
FAQs
Can I substitute regular pumpkin for sweet potatoes in this recipe?
You can try using canned pumpkin as a substitute, but keep in mind that sweet potatoes have a natural sweetness and texture that pumpkin doesn’t quite replicate. Adjust sugar levels if needed to balance flavor.
Is buttermilk necessary, or can I use regular milk?
Buttermilk adds tang and reacts with baking soda to give a lighter crumb, but if you don’t have it, you can mix regular milk with a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to mimic the acidity.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Absolutely! Replace all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend and ensure your baking powder is gluten-free. The texture might be slightly different but still delicious.
How can I make this recipe vegan?
To veganize this cornbread, substitute eggs with flax or chia eggs, use plant-based milk with a splash of lemon juice instead of buttermilk, and replace butter with a vegan alternative. The flavor will remain satisfying.
What’s the best way to serve leftover cornbread?
Leftover cornbread is fantastic toasted with butter and honey for breakfast, as a side with soups, or even crumbled over salads for a sweet-crunchy element.
Final Thoughts
This Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe truly brings joy to every bite, mixing familiar comfort with a special seasonal twist. Whether you’re baking it for a holiday feast or a cozy weeknight dinner, it’s guaranteed to impress and satisfy. Dive in, enjoy the process, and savor the warm, tender results—you’ll be delightfully surprised by just how much you can fall in love with this sweet and spiced treat!
Print
Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
This Sweet Potato Cornbread recipe combines the natural sweetness of pureed sweet potatoes with classic cornbread flavors and a hint of warm spices. Perfectly moist and tender, it’s a delightful side dish that pairs well with chili, soups, or holiday meals. Finished with a buttery honey glaze and a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a touch of color and flavor.
Ingredients
Cornbread Batter
- 1¼ cups yellow cornmeal
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- â…›–¼ teaspoon clove
- â…›–¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup cooked sweet potatoes (pureed)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- orange food coloring (optional)
Glaze
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons honey
- pinch of salt
- pinch of cinnamon
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and lightly grease an 8-inch glass baking dish to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until thoroughly combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, combine pureed sweet potatoes, eggs, egg yolk, melted butter, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Optionally add orange food coloring for a vibrant color, then mix until smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring gently until just combined to avoid over-mixing which can make the cornbread tough.
- Bake the Cornbread: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, smoothing the top evenly. Bake for about 40 minutes. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil halfway through baking to prevent over-browning.
- Prepare Glaze and Serve: While the cornbread is baking or cooling, mix melted butter, light brown sugar, honey, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl for the glaze. Once the cornbread is out of the oven and slightly cooled, brush the glaze over the top and sprinkle with finely chopped fresh parsley. Slice into 12 pieces and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- You can substitute cooked sweet potatoes with canned puree if pressed for time.
- The orange food coloring is optional and only for aesthetic purposes; natural orange hue from sweet potatoes is sufficient.
- If you prefer a spicier cornbread, increase the cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg slightly to taste.
- Allow cornbread to cool slightly before slicing to ensure clean cuts.
- Glazing adds moisture and a delicious sweet finish but can be omitted for a more traditional cornbread.
