Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. We will only recommend products we use, love or think are informative and helpful.
Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article originally posted October 2009 with better photos and additional information.
Tender Sweet Potato Biscuits
If you love classic biscuits but want something just a little different, sweet potato biscuits are a delightful twist. They’re every bit as flaky and buttery as the original but with a mellow sweetness from mashed sweet potatoes. These are especially lovely during the fall season and around the holidays, but are really good any time of the year.
Whether you enjoy them with a pat of butter, a drizzle of honey, or a swipe of jam, they’re a warm, comforting treat fresh from the oven.
Why You’ll Love These Biscuits
Soft and fluffy – The sweet potato keeps the texture tender and moist
Just slightly sweet – Subtle natural sweetness complements savory meals beautifully
No mixer required – A bowl, a fork, and a pastry blender are all you need
Versatile – Serve with soup, roast chicken, breakfast eggs, or as a holiday side
Freezer-friendly – Make ahead and freeze unbaked or baked
Ingredients Overview
You’ll find the full printable recipe below, but here’s a quick glance at what you’ll need:
All-purpose flour – For structure
Baking powder & salt – Leavening and balance
Brown sugar – Enhances the sweet potato’s natural sweetness
Butter – Cold, for flakiness
Mashed sweet potatoes – Roasted or canned, for moisture and color
Milk – Brings the dough together
Optional spices – A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg can be added if you like a warm flavor note
Fresh or Canned Sweet Potatoes?
This recipe calls for canned sweet potatoes, which are convenient and work beautifully. But if you have fresh sweet potatoes on hand, or simply prefer them, you can absolutely use those instead. That’s what I did here.
Roasting fresh sweet potatoes brings out their natural sweetness and creates a richer, deeper flavor. It’s an extra step, but one that adds a homemade touch to your biscuits.
To use fresh sweet potatoes:
Roast 1 medium sweet potato (about 8–10 oz) at 400°F for 45–60 minutes, or until very soft. Let it cool, then scoop out the flesh and mash until smooth. Use ¾ cup mashed sweet potato in the recipe.
Pro Tip:
Whether canned or fresh, be sure your mashed sweet potatoes are smooth and not overly wet. If they seem loose, reduce the amount of milk slightly to avoid sticky dough.
Tips for Success
Use cold butter – This helps create steam pockets that make the biscuits rise and stay flaky
Don’t overwork the dough – Mix just until it comes together to avoid tough biscuits
Cut straight down – When using a biscuit cutter, press straight down (no twisting!) for the best rise
Bake close together – For soft sides, place the biscuits so they’re just touching in the pan
Serving Suggestions
Serve these biscuits warm from the oven with:
Whipped butter or cinnamon honey butter
Sliced ham or fried chicken for a Southern-style sandwich
Alongside soups, stews, or Thanksgiving dinner
As a sweet breakfast with jam or apple butter
Storage and Freezing
Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1–2 days
Reheat: Wrap in foil and warm in a 300°F oven until heated through
Freeze: Place unbaked biscuits on a sheet tray, freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the bake time
Why the Yield May Vary
While the original recipe says it yields 18 biscuits, several factors can cause you to end up with fewer:
Biscuit size – If you’re using a 2½–3 inch cutter or forming larger, taller biscuits, you’ll naturally get fewer than 18.
Dough thickness – Patting the dough to a thicker height (like ¾ inch or more) for fluffier biscuits reduces how many you can cut.
Re-rolling scraps – Some avoid re-rolling too many times to keep the biscuits tender, which also lowers yield.
Sweet Potato Biscuits

Sweet Potato Biscuits
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 stick 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
- 2 15- ounce cans sweet potatoes in light syrup drained and mashed
- Pinch of ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Get out a sharp 2- to 2 1/4-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and spice, if you’re using it, together in a bowl.
- Add the brown sugar and stir to incorporate it, making sure there are no lumps. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat it with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You’ll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between — and that’s just right.
- Add the sweet potatoes to the bowl, grab a fork, and toss and gently turn the ingredients until you’ve got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick, gentle kneading — 3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together.
- Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour and pat the dough out with your hands or roll it with a pin until it is about 1/2 inch high. Don’t worry if the dough isn’t completely even — a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.
- Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of this first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working them as little as possible, pat out to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet.
- (The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting — just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)
- Bake the biscuits for 14 to 18 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a cooling rack — cooled a bit, they’re more sweet potatoey. Give them 10 to 15 minutes on the rack before popping them into a basket and serving.
Shop My Kitchen
Here are a few tools I use when making these sweet potato biscuits. They make the process easier and help ensure great results every time:
- Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan is a cherished cookbook filled with approachable, reliable recipes and baking inspiration I return to often.
View on Amazon (affiliate link)
Biscuit Cutter
A good biscuit cutter makes all the difference for clean edges and a better rise.
View on Amazon (affiliate link)Rimmed Baking Sheet
Sturdy and reliable—perfect for evenly baked biscuits and just about everything else.
View on Amazon (affiliate link)Parchment Paper Sheets
Pre-cut and so convenient—no more struggling with curling paper rolls.
View on Amazon (affiliate link)
You might also like…
Each issue of our Newsletter is timely and helpful and jam-packed with food, crafts, occasional DIY, gardening and faith resources. Relevant and seasonal posts to inspire and guide you with current trends. Available only to those who request it, so please accept our invitation to stay connected and join the Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart community. Just click the subscribe button below.
your biscuits make me drool 🙂
Sweet Potatoes + Biscuits= bliss!!!!
*sigh* I can't wait to try these
dear Mrs.H!
Love~ Jen
Your biscuits look wonderful and delicious. I always love a baked sweet potato with lots of butter and brown sugar. The perfect treat. Welcome to TWD.
YUMMO! Those look great. May have to give those a shot.
Hello! Just wanted to stop by and say you have a beautiful blog! It was a blessing to pop over and read it… and the yummy recipes just might get me into trouble!
Kim 😀
ooh I love a baked sweet potato too, they look yummy. We call 'biscuits' scones and I've been making some too, but never tried with sweet potato, might have to try that.
Those look wonderful! I like how you used all the fresh ingredients ~Blessings Heather ;D
Your post makes me want to have a sweet potato for breakfast! Yum!