Sweet Potato Cornbread
This Sweet Potato Cornbread is the perfect side dish for fall meals. It’s a delicious combination of sweet and savory, and it goes well next to barbecue or a hearty bowl of chili!
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I’ve really been enjoying baking with sweet potatoes lately. We’ve been making roasted sweet potatoes (or some variation) for years, but the idea of using mashed sweet potatoes in a baking recipe has been a fun adventure.
We started with sweet potato biscuits (yum) and then moved into sweet potato pound cake (double yum), and now we’ve turned to cornbread. Watch out chili – you’ve met your match! A slice of this Sweet Potato Cornbread would be absolutely fantastic next to a bowl of chili on an autumn evening.
Sweet Potato Cornbread
There’s nothing worse than a dry piece of cornbread. You know the kind where you immediately want to chug an entire glass of water after each bite. No thanks! This Sweet Potato Cornbread is anything but that. The sweet potato adds moisture (and flavor) to the cornbread, and the result tastes like fall. It’s pretty delicious!
Speaking of tasting like fall, I included a bit of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar in this recipe. The warm baking spices are perfect for this time of the year – and they make your house smell amazing while the cornbread bakes! The cornbread itself is a little on the sweeter side, but definitely not dessert sweet. And the texture is nice and fluffy – almost like a cake, but definitely not a cake.
We served squares of this cornbread with a bit of melted butter on top. I could also see drizzling maple syrup or honey over this cornbread before serving. Sure, it would be a bit messier, but the flavors would be fantastic.
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Cornbread
This cornbread would be great alongside bbq or a bowl of chili or stew. (This Maple Bacon Chili is one of our all-time favorites for cool evenings!) Serving this cornbread alongside a rack of ribs or some smoked brisket would be fantastic. It would also go well with grilled chicken and a side of veggies.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Sweet Potatoes. This one is kind-of obvious! Just cube the sweet potatoes and boil them until very soft. If you have extra mashed sweet potatoes, save them for another use. (Side note: A scoop of mashed sweet potatoes is great for a dog’s digestive system.)
- Cornmeal and all-purpose flour. I found that equal parts cornmeal and all-purpose flour was the best option here. The cornmeal flavor is very much there, but the flour keeps the cornbread from becoming too dense.
- Brown sugar. Brown sugar and sweet potatoes pair so well together!
- Baking powder and baking soda. These leaveners help the cornbread rise. The result is a flavorful cornbread with a nice tender crumb.
- Salt. Adds flavor.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg. A bit of each of these baking spices adds a wonderful fall flavor to this cornbread without turning it into desssert.
- Eggs. Provides structure to the cornbread while it bakes.
- Buttermilk. Adds moisture and flavor. Cornbread just tastes better with buttermilk – it’s true!
- Sour cream. Also adds moisture and a bit of a tangy flavor.
- Butter. I went with unsalted butter, but feel free to use salted and just omit the salt in the recipe. Butter adds a wonderful flavor to this baked cornbread.
How to Stove Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. Just make sure the cornbread is completely cool before placing it an airtight container. This cornbread also freezes well. Just wrap the pieces in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bag. Let thaw at room temperature.
I hope you enjoy this Sweet Potato Cornbread as much as we do around here! It’s a great side dish for chilly fall days. Happy baking!
Did you bake this Sweet Potato Cornbread recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!
Sweet Potato Cornbread
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato approximately 1 pound
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup sour cream
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- {optional} pats of butter, maple syrup and/or honey
Instructions
- Peel sweet potato and chop into 1” cubes. Place cubes in a pot and cover with water.
- Place pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes for 10-12 minutes, or until they’re fork tender and very soft. Drain potatoes and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Line a 9” square baking pan with parchment paper. Spray parchment generously with nonstick cooking spray; set pan aside.
- Using a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, mash the cooked sweet potatoes until smooth. You should have ~1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes. If you have extra, set aside for another use.
- Add the eggs, buttermilk and sour cream to the bowl with the mashed sweet potato puree; stir until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients; stir until just combined.
- Add melted butter and stir until just combined.
- Transfer cornbread batter into prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out mostly clean.
- Let cornbread cool in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack until completely cool.
- Cut into squares and {optional} serve with a pat of butter or a drizzle of maple syrup.
Looking for more sweet potato recipes? Check out these other favorites, too:
Cant wait to make this soon for me i never sweet potato cornbread before perfect for my after office snacks love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
This is a very tasty cornbread recipe, Ramya – I hope you get a chance to bake it soon!
Sounds like the perfect accompaniment for chili or red beans and rice. I’ll make this soon!
Ohhh…red beans and rice! You’ve hit on one of my all-time favorites there, Barb. And, yes, this cornbread would go great with chili or red beans!
I may not be ready to give up on some summer foods just yet (maybe for another week!), but as days are gradually getting cooler, I’m starting to crave for fall flavours. And this cornbread perfectly fits the bill! What a colour, right? And I love the addition of brown sugar and warm spices for an extra autumn kick.
I totally understand that feeling, Ben. There are a bunch of delicious summer foods out there, and it’s hard to leave them behind…but I’m really excited about fall foods, too! This cornbread is SO tasty!
Such an interesting idea to add sweet potato 🍠. Delicious i bet.
It is quite delicious indeed, Sherry! And the sweet potato keeps the cornbread moist…there’s nothing worse than a dry hunk of cornbread.
Love adding sweet potato to corn bread, adds such a delicious complementary sweetness!
Yes! The sweetness from the sweet potatoes really does pair well with cornbread. This is a new favorite fall recipe for sure!
I can already imagine this cornbread alongside a hearty bowl of chili or a smoky barbecue meal, it’s a perfect side dish for the season.
I like the way you think, Raymund! Fall is the season for a good bowl of chili or smoked meats…or smoked meats in chili!