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Sweet Potato Biscuits – Fluffy, Buttery & Easy to Make

By Lorraine

 
Soft, fluffy sweet potato biscuits with a touch of sweetness. Easy to make and perfect for holidays or brunch.
Sweet Potato Biscuits are tender, fluffy, and subtly sweet. They are the yummy twist on a classic biscuit. With mashed sweet potatoes adding both flavor and moisture, these biscuits bake up golden and soft with just the right hint of warmth. They’re lovely for brunch, perfect alongside holiday meals, or simply served warm with butter and honey. This easy recipe comes together quickly and bakes beautifully every time.

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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:

Soft, fluffy sweet potato biscuits with a touch of sweetness. Easy to make and perfect for holidays or brunch.
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

source: Dorie Greenspan (Tuesdays with Dorie)
 
Soft and creamy-textured, with flaky layers, these biscuits satisfy like cake. Using canned sweet potatoes makes them easy to prepare at a moment’s notice. I use canned sweet potatoes packed in light syrup. I just drain the potatoes and mash them with a fork. If you’ve got leftover cooked sweet potatoes or yams, give them a good mashing, measure out 3/4 to 1 cup and you’re good to go.
Soft, fluffy sweet potato biscuits with a touch of sweetness. Easy to make and perfect for holidays or brunch.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Soft and tender biscuits with a hint of sweetness and flaky layers. Made with canned or leftover mashed sweet potatoes, they’re quick to prepare and perfect for brunch or holiday meals.
Print Recipe

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…

Baked Sweet Potatoes

 

Sweet Potato MuffinsEasy recipe for oatmeal sweet potato muffins with a sweet crumb topping. Make with fresh or canned sweet potatoes, cinnamon and nutmeg and enjoy these heart-healthy ingredients.

 

Cream Cheese Apple DipEasy recipe for Cream cheese apple dip is a perfect way to enjoy crisp, Autumn apples. Just three ingredients mixed together for a healthy snack.

 
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Filed Under: Breads - Quick & Yeast, Recipes Tagged With: Baking

Comments

  1. Jeannette says

    October 22, 2009 at 2:06 pm

    your biscuits make me drool 🙂

    Reply
  2. Miss Jen says

    October 21, 2009 at 4:52 am

    Sweet Potatoes + Biscuits= bliss!!!!
    *sigh* I can't wait to try these
    dear Mrs.H!

    Love~ Jen

    Reply
  3. Kim says

    October 21, 2009 at 4:14 am

    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.

    Reply
  4. Tara says

    October 21, 2009 at 1:18 am

    YUMMO! Those look great. May have to give those a shot.

    Reply
  5. thistledewmercantileblog says

    October 20, 2009 at 11:41 pm

    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 😀

    Reply
  6. Janice says

    October 20, 2009 at 7:54 pm

    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.

    Reply
  7. The Watts Family says

    October 20, 2009 at 4:22 pm

    Those look wonderful! I like how you used all the fresh ingredients ~Blessings Heather ;D

    Reply
  8. Walking on Sunshine... says

    October 20, 2009 at 11:37 am

    Your post makes me want to have a sweet potato for breakfast! Yum!

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Lorraine. Welcome to Grateful Prayer Thankful Heart. A place to find food for your tummy, projects for your hands, and encouragement for your heart.

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