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If you thought regular cornbread was good, wait until you try this Sweet Potato Cornbread! It’s soft, buttery, incredibly moist, and made with real sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and just enough warm spices to bring everything together. A warm slice of this cornbread with a smear of honey butter on top? My goodness! You’ll be going back for seconds and thirds!
For more cornbread recipes, try my Honey Butter Cornbread, Cast Iron Skillet Buttermilk Cornbread and Cornbread Biscuits next!
I love a good pan of homemade cornbread, especially when there’s a big pot of greens or something smothered in gravy on the stove. But when fall rolls around, I’m finding every excuse to bake with sweet potatoes! Between my Grandma’s Sweet Potato Pie and this cornbread, there’s always something sweet potato-related coming out of my oven!
This recipe brings together everything I love about sweet, Southern-style cornbread with the rich roasted sweet potato flavor I grew up loving. I use buttermilk and sour cream for a tender crumb, plus brown sugar and honey for sweetness. And that cinnamon honey butter? Don’t even think about skipping it! The best part is that everything comes together in ONE bowl, making it perfect for busy holiday cooking!
Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe Overview
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 15 minutes, using prepared sweet potato purée
- 🍠 Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: Approximately 12 squares
- 🌽 Made With: Sweet potato purée, cornmeal, flour, buttermilk, sour cream, brown sugar, honey, butter, and warm spices.
- ❤️ Why You’ll Love It: This one-bowl sweet potato cornbread is incredibly moist, buttery, and full of roasted sweet potato flavor! It bakes up thick and tender with golden edges, and that homemade cinnamon honey butter on top? Perfection.
- 🍽️ Perfect For: Thanksgiving, Sunday dinners, holiday gatherings, or any meal that calls for a good piece of cornbread.
Table of Contents
- Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe Overview
- Key Ingredients
- How to Roast Sweet Potatoes
- How to Make Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Serving Suggestions
- Britney’s Pro Tips
- Storage and Reheating
- Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe FAQs
- More Recipes Using Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Cornbread with Cinnamon Honey Butter Recipe
Key Ingredients
The full ingredient list and measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Sweet potato purée: The star of the show! I prefer roasting sweet potatoes because it develops their natural sweetness and gives them a rich, concentrated flavor. You’ll need 1½ cups of smooth purée. Use leftovers to make my sweet potato biscuits or sweet potato dinner rolls next.
- Cornmeal and all-purpose flour: Cornmeal gives this bread that familiar cornbread flavor and texture, while flour creates a softer, more tender crumb. I recommend fine- or medium-ground cornmeal.
- Buttermilk and sour cream: My secret to moist cornbread! Buttermilk adds tang and reacts with the baking soda to help the cornbread rise, while sour cream adds richness and tenderness.
- Brown sugar and honey: Brown sugar adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness, while honey complements the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes.
- Melted butter and oil: Butter brings all that delicious flavor, while a little oil helps keep the cornbread soft even after it cools.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice: Just enough warm spice to complement the sweet potatoes without turning your cornbread into dessert!
How to Roast Sweet Potatoes
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes with a paper towel.
- Roast until tender. Place the sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 40-50 minutes, depending on their size. They’re ready when the skins look wrinkled and the flesh is soft and tender.
- Scoop and puree. Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly, then remove the skins and blend the flesh until smooth. Let it cool completely before using it in the batter. Measure out 1 1/2 cups (340g) of sweet potato puree for this recipe and save leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Britney’s Tip: Roast your sweet potatoes a day or two ahead and refrigerate the purée until you’re ready to bake. It’s one less thing to worry about when you’re preparing a big holiday dinner!
How to Make Sweet Potato Cornbread
The full ingredient measurements and detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.
Prep: Preheat the oven to 400°F and generously grease a 9×9-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick baking spray. Make sure your roasted sweet potato purée has cooled before mixing the batter.
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the roasted sweet potato purée, buttermilk, sour cream, eggs, brown sugar, and honey until smooth. Add the vegetable oil and whisk until fully combined.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice directly to the bowl. Gently fold until almost combined, then pour in the melted butter and continue folding just until no dry streaks remain. The batter should be thick but pourable. Avoid overmixing!
Step 3: Bake until golden. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared 9×9-inch pan and add a few pats of butter on top. Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes, checking around 40 minutes. The top should be golden brown, the edges lightly browned, and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out without wet batter. Let cool for 15–20 minutes before slicing.
Step 4: Make the honey butter. Whisk together honey, softened butter, and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix until smooth and combined. Add half on top of the cornbread while still warm, then reserve the rest for serving.
Serving Suggestions
Honey, this cornbread was MADE for a good comfort food dinner! I love serving it warm with plenty of cinnamon honey butter alongside Slow Cooker Collard Greens, Grandma’s Baked Mac and Cheese, or a hearty bowl of chuck roast chili.
It’s also perfect for Thanksgiving! Pair it with your favorite holiday mains and a big serving of my Stovetop Candied Yams. Between the warm cornbread, melting honey butter, and those sweet potatoes covered in buttery spiced syrup? Whew! That’s a holiday plate I’ll gladly go back for!
Britney’s Pro Tips
- Check the center before removing it from the oven. Since this cornbread bakes up nice and thick in a 9×9-inch pan, the edges may brown before the center is fully cooked. Insert a toothpick into the middle; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.
- Measure the purée carefully. Too much sweet potato can make the cornbread dense or gummy. Measure 1½ cups after cooking and mashing.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Once the flour gets wet, excessive mixing develops gluten, which can make the cornbread tough. Fold just until everything comes together.
- Pay attention to the batter’s consistency. It should be thick and spoonable but easy to spread with a spatula. If it’s unusually stiff, add a small splash of buttermilk.
- Let it cool before slicing. The crumb continues to set as the cornbread cools, so give it at least 10–15 minutes before cutting into squares.
Storage and Reheating
To store: Keep leftover sweet potato cornbread in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days.
To freeze: Wrap individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Warm individual slices in the microwave in short intervals or cover with foil and heat in a 300°F oven until warmed through. Serve with a fresh spoonful of cinnamon honey butter!
Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe FAQs
Yes! The sweet potatoes add natural sweetness and a rich, slightly earthy flavor. The warm spices complement the sweet potatoes, but this still tastes like cornbread, not sweet potato cake.
No, not for this recipe. Canned sweet potato purees can vary in flavor and texture – many times containing a lot of water, which can throw off the taste and texture of the bread.
Usually, it’s because there’s too much moisture, the batter was overmixed, or the center wasn’t fully baked. Roast your own sweet potatoes, measure it carefully, and bake until the center is set. Let the cornbread cool before slicing, too!
Absolutely! Roast the sweet potatoes in advance or bake the cornbread a day ahead. Store it covered in the refrigerator and warm it before serving. You can also prepare the cinnamon honey butter ahead of time, making holiday prep a whole lot easier!
This recipe leans sweet thanks to the brown sugar, honey, and roasted sweet potatoes. But the cornmeal, buttermilk, and salt help balance everything out, making it perfect alongside savory comfort food.
More Recipes Using Roasted Sweet Potatoes
If you make this Sweet Potato Cornbread, please leave a star rating and a comment below! You can also tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and use #britneybreaksbread so I can see what you’re baking!
Happy baking, y’all!
Sweet Potato Cornbread with Cinnamon Honey Butter
Equipment
- 9×9 Baking Pan (metal or ceramic, do not use glass)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup (340 g) Sweet potato puree, (about 3-4 small sweet potatoes, roasted and pureed – see instructions)
- 1 1/4 cup (300 g) Whole Milk Buttermilk (not low fat), (room temperature)
- 1/2 cup (120 g) Sour cream, (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup (165 g) Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp (42 g) Honey
- 2 (100 g) Eggs
- 2 tbsps (28 g) Vegetable oil
- 1½ cup (188 g) Flour
- 1 1/2 cup (180 g) Fine Ground Cornmeal
- 2 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp Allspice, (optional)
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- ½ cup (113 g) Salted Butter, (melted)
- 4 tbsp Salted Butter, (room temperature), for placing on top of the batter.
Honey Butter
- 1/2 cup (113 g) Salted Butter, (softened)
- 4 tbsp (84 g) Honey
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Rinse the sweet potatoes thoroughly and pat dry. Place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for 45–60 minutes, depending on their size, until the skins are slightly wrinkled, the sweet potatoes are completely tender, and a knife slides through the centers without resistance. Allow them to cool slightly, then remove the skins and mash or blend the flesh until smooth. Measure out 1½ cups of sweet potato purée (340g) and let it cool completely before adding it to the batter. (This can be done up to 5 days in advance) 1 1/2 cup Sweet potato puree
- Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F. Generously grease a 9×9-inch baking pan with butter or nonstick baking spray, making sure to coat the corners and sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the roasted sweet potato purée, buttermilk, sour cream, brown sugar, and honey until smooth. Add the eggs and vegetable oil, then whisk until fully combined. 1 1/2 cup Sweet potato puree 1 1/4 cup Whole Milk Buttermilk (not low fat) 1/2 cup Sour cream 3/4 cup Brown sugar 2 tbsp Honey 2 Eggs 2 tbsps Vegetable oil
- Add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice directly to the same bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until no dry streaks remain, then add in melted butter and stir until just combined. Don't overmix! A few small lumps are perfectly fine. 1½ cup Flour 1 1/2 cup Fine Ground Cornmeal 2 1/2 tsp Baking powder ½ tsp Baking soda 1 tsp Kosher salt 1 tsp Cinnamon ½ tsp Nutmeg 1/4 tsp Allspice ½ cup Salted Butter
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×9-inch pan and spread it into an even layer, smoothing the top with a spatula. Cut 4 tbsps of butter into small cubes and place on top of the batter. 4 tbsp Salted Butter
- Bake for 40-50, begin checking around 40 minutes. The top should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil.
- To make the honey butter, combine softened salted butter, honey, and cinnamon in a bowl. Whisk together until combined. 1/2 cup Salted Butter 4 tbsp Honey 1 tsp Cinnamon
- Add half of the honey butter on top of the cornbread fresh out of the oven so that it can melt into the cornbread and reserve the rest for serving.
Notes
- Make ahead: Roast the sweet potatoes up to 5 days in advance and store the purée covered in the refrigerator.
- Don’t overmix. Fold the batter just until combined for the most tender cornbread.
- Cornmeal: Use fine- or medium-ground cornmeal for the best texture.
- Honey butter: Serve with your homemade cinnamon honey butter, preferably softened so it melts into the warm cornbread.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover cornbread in an airtight container for up to 4–5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made muffins and they are delicious.
So glad to hear that, thank you!
I made this cornbread for a group of friends and it came out perfectly moist and delicious. It got so many rave reviews. I didn’t have a 10-inch cast iron skillet or round baking pan available, so I baked this cornbread in a 7×11 rectangular baking dish and it was done in about 25 minutes. This was my first time making cornbread from scratch and I will be definitely using this recipe again and again. Thanks!
Hi Melvin! Thanks so much for your review, I’m SO happy that you enjoyed it! Happy New Year!
At what point do you add the nutmeg and cinnamon? This isn’t mentioned the recipe.
Hi, it’s mentioned in step two. I hope that helps, thank you!
What can you use instead of sour cream? Buttermilk?can you use more than 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes?
You can use full fat greek yogurt in place of sour cream. I would not use more than a 1/2 cup of sweet potatoes, it’ll make the cornbread doughy.