These fluffy vegan sweet potato pancakes are perfect for cool fall mornings. They're so easy to make using classic pancake ingredients, just without the eggs or dairy.
Nothing says fall quite like cozy mornings spent sipping hot coffee and chowing down on vegan sweet potato pancakes. True fall weather won't come to Georgia for a few weeks, but that doesn't stop me from lighting pumpkin-scented candles and sharing cinnamon-laden recipes like dairy-free cinnamon rolls and vegan banana muffins.
I used the template of my popular fluffy vegan waffles and vegan buttermilk pancake recipes to make these vegan sweet potato pancakes, give or take a few modifications.
The result is fluffy, golden pancakes made with no eggs and no dairy, a deliciously spiced flavor, and extra tender texture from baked sweet potato.
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Ingredients
- Sweet potato: Not to be confused with yams, sweet potatoes have orange or red flesh. Choose Jewel or Garnet varieties. One sweet potato typically yields about ½ cup of mashed sweet potato.
- Non-dairy milk: I typically use unsweetened, unflavored soy milk in vegan baking. Oat milk or almond milk also works.
- Brown sugar: Sweetens the pancakes. I don't recommend replacing this with a liquid sweetener like maple syrup because it may affect the texture of the pancakes.
- All-purpose flour: Spoon and level flour into a measuring cup for the most accurate measuring. To do this, spoon flour into the measuring cup until overflowing. Use the back of a knife to wipe off excess flour. Don't shake or pat flour down.
- Apple cider vinegar: This combines with baking powder and leavens the pancakes. If you don't have cider vinegar, an equal amount of white vinegar works.
- Canola oil: Melted vegan butter also works, or an equal amount of olive or avocado oil.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: Adds warmth.
How to bake a sweet potato
The most important ingredient in these pancakes is (you guessed it!) sweet potatoes! I like to prepare my sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot using the method from my Instant Pot mashed sweet potatoes recipe, but you can easily prepare your sweet potato by roasting it in the oven.
Set the oven to 400F. Clean the sweet potato and carefully poke a few holes into it with a knife. Wrap it in foil and place in a baking dish. This way, the sweet potato juices won't drip all over the oven.
Bake the sweet potato for 45 minutes to an hour, until the center is soft.
Pro tip: Make 3-4 sweet potatoes at a time and freeze them for later use in recipes like these Lentil Stuffed Sweet Potatoes. When ready to eat, let thaw in the fridge for about 24 hours.
Step-by-step instructions
- Start by blending or food processing the wet ingredients together to create a smooth puree: non-dairy milk, pureed sweet potato, oil, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Slowly stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. The batter will be bubbly and fluffy.
- Lightly grease a medium-sized pan or large griddle with vegan butter over medium (I love this countertop griddle just for this reason - it also works well with veggie sausages.)
- Portion out pancakes using a quarter cup. Flip the pancakes when the pan-side of the pancake is golden brown. You can also tell it's ready to flip when the pancake batter has consistently popping bubbles.
FAQ
The pancakes will have multiple bubbles popping and the edges will appear set. If the pancakes are browning too quickly or cooking unevenly, decrease the temperature.
I haven't tested this recipe with gluten-free flour myself but readers have and said it works. I recommend using an all-purpose gluten free flour blend, as it usually works as a 1:1 replacement whereas almond flour, coconut flour etc., require recipe adjustments.
After making this recipe several times I decided the most foolproof method is to blend the wet ingredients together. This makes it so that the sweet potato is completely pureed and mixes cohesively into the batter.
You can whisk them if that's your only option, but note that the pancake batter may be a bit lumpier.
Yes, you can use an equal amount of sweet potato puree from a can. Note that canned sweet potato tends to be wetter. If the batter spreads too much, just add an extra tablespoon of flour at a time until it thickens up.
Storage tips
- Leftovers: Keep leftover sweet potato pancakes refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. I don't recommend making the batter in advance and refrigerating it.
- How to freeze: Vegan pancakes can be frozen for up to three months. To freeze, let the cooked pancakes cool to room temperature before stacking in a freezer-safe container.
- You can make these ahead and keep them warm in the oven. Turn your oven to the lowest heat (usually 180-200 degrees F) and place cooked pancakes on a heat-safe plate. Place in the oven until ready to eat (I usually do this for no more than two hours for best quality).
More sweet potato recipes
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Recipe
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Fluffy Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons organic brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups soy milk see note
- ½ cup mashed or pureed sweet potato see note
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- To a blender or food processor add ½ cup mashed sweet potato, non-dairy milk oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon. Form a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Stir together the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. The batter will be relatively thick, it's okay if it's a little lumpy too.
- Lightly grease a medium skillet with vegan butter or nonstick spray. Place on the stove over medium heat. Add ¼ cup pancake mixture at a time, smoothing with a spatula to make thinner circles as needed.
- Flip the pancakes when the tops are bubbling, or when sufficiently browned. Enjoy with maple syrup, walnuts, or coconut cream. Store refrigerated in a closed container for 3-4 days. Reheats best on the stove at medium-low heat.
Notes
- Non-dairy milk: Choose your favorite unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk. I use soy milk for its creaminess and flavor, but almond or oat milk will also work.
- How to roast sweet potatoes: Roast a medium sweet potato in a 400F oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. It will be done when it's sizzling with juices and soft in the middle. Mash the sweet potato then measure out ½ cup.
- Sweet potato puree: After making this recipe several times I decided the most foolproof method is to blend the wet ingredients together. This makes it so that the sweet potato is completely pureed and mixes cohesively into the batter.
- How to freeze pancakes: Vegan pancakes can be frozen for up to three months. To freeze, let the cooked pancakes cool to room temperature before stacking in a freezer-safe container.
Sabrina says
These pancakes came out so fluffy and moist! Absolutely delicious!
Cassidy Reeser says
Thanks so much for the review!
Sandy says
Delicious 😋
Donna says
These pancakes were absolutely delicious, followed the recipe to a “T” and came out perfect every time. Made them for family and friends several times and each time they were a hit😃
Miriam says
I followed the directions, added the exact measurement but the recipe did not come out as expected. The dough came out thick and lumpy. Did I miss something wrong or the recipe was written down incorrectly. I wasted organic and expensive ingredients trying to make this recipe, not to mention that I was looking forward to having sweet potato pancakes for lunch...urgggg
Please advice.
Tebza
Cassidy Reeser says
Hi, I'm sorry it didn't work out for you! Did you end up cooking the pancake batter? It should be relatively thick and some lumps are normal in pancake batter. You can always just add a splash of extra milk if it is too thick and that will fix it.
Denice Stirling says
I made this today. The consistency was very slimy due to the sweet potato. It had the texture of uncooked batter although it was cooked and I did follow up he recipe. I must be doing something wrong as the recipe sounded delicious.
Cassidy Reeser says
Hi Denice, thanks for the review! They shouldn't be slimy and my first thought is that they may have been cooked at too high a heat so that the inside didn't have time to fully cook through. I am happy to troubleshoot with you!
kiki says
what flour would you recommend for someone who is gluten free.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
I haven't tried this myself but you could probably use a gluten free all purpose flour, such as the one that Bob's Red Mill has.
Olivia says
Can I use water instead of milk?
Cassidy Reeser says
Yes, water will work. It will just be a little less rich.
Terry C. says
My daughter and I made these today for MY Mother’s Day Breakfast! What a find!! They were scrumptious...like breakfast and dessert all in one! We made them just as you wrote the recipe except used unsweetened vanilla almond milk and added chopped walnuts to the dry ingredients before adding the wet. I folded the two together gently just until mixed. They were fluffy and moist!
To the few reviewers who thought the batter was too thick: I was watching the show the Kitchen just yesterday and the host was making pancakes and the batter was thick like this one. She spooned the batter onto the pan and then spread it thinner with a small rubber spatula. I did that today when I made mine and it worked perfectly. Great timing seeing that episode, right?
I pinned this recipe and saved it in my vegan/vegetarian folder (neither which is my lifestyle of eating) because there are a lot of recipes out there to enjoy that are yummy.
Thank you! I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes. These Sweet Potato Pancakes will be made for many years to come! Yummy! ?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
Hi Terry, first off Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks for the tip about the Kitchen, that’s great timing. I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Kirsten says
I made these this morning and they were so yummy!! I subbed oat flour for the all purpose and had a bit more sweet potato, but followed the recipe exactly otherwise and LOVED it. Definitely going to be a staple in my house!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
So happy to hear that!! Thanks for making them and leaving a review 🙂
Gabi says
I am also gluten free and grain free. Would substituting the all purpose flour with cassava flour work?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
Hi Gabi, it might work but I can't say 100% since I haven't tried it out. I know an all-purpose gluten free flour mix will work. Let me know if you try it out!
Carley says
These turned out exactly like the picture and are absolutely delicious!!! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!!! Definitely a keeper! 🙂
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
Thanks so much Carley! Glad you like them 🙂
Jane powell says
Batter was way too thick, tried adjusting milk and baking powder, never got them to cook all the way through ?
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD says
I'm sorry to hear that! I'm wondering if the heat was too high? Sometimes if my pancakes are cooking too quickly on the outside I'll turn the heat down to medium-low. Thanks for making the recipe!
Maxi-Mum says
Made these pancakes this morning. They turned out ok, but because I enjoy sweet potatoes & would like to taste more of their flavor I'll add more potato & less flour next time.
Cassidy says
Thanks for your comment. I find that they become less like a pancake if I add more sweet potato, but that's not a bad thing if you're looking for more sweet potato flavor.
Edie says
I just made these today. They look, smelled and tasted amazing. I did use gluten free flour and flax milk. Turned out a bit thick but I spread out the batter in the pan and it worked great.
Cassidy Reeser says
Thank you, I'm happy to hear you liked the pancakes!
Sorel says
Can I substitute almond flour for the all purpose? I’d like to make it gluten free.
Cassidy says
A gluten-free all-purpose flour mix would work best in place of wheat flour. I'm not sure if almond flour would work, but let me know if you try it out!
Eugenie says
The batter was too thick for me so I had to add more soy milk but then it was overmixed and the pancakes were kinda chewy. I’ll try it again sometime using only 1 cup of flour.
Cassidy says
Thanks for trying the recipe out, sorry to hear it didn't work out! I recommend the spoon and level measuring method next time you try the recipe. If you haven't done it before, you just spoon the flour into the measuring cup then scrape off the excess with the back of a knife. This will give you a consistent amount of flour.
Haley says
My family loved these pancakes! I used pumpkin purée because that's what I had on hand. They were dense, chewy and moist! I may add an extra pinch of salt next time, but will definitely be keeping this one on hand!
Cassidy says
Pumpkin puree is such a great idea! Glad you enjoyed.
Cassandra says
This recipe did not work at all. My batter turned out dry and crumbly it was not like pancake batter at all. The concept of this recipe is great but something is off on the proportions.
Cassidy says
Hi Cassandra, upon receiving your comment I remade the pancakes to make sure that I didn't write the recipe down wrong. It turned out just like in the photos; it is actually quite a dense and moist batter. Did you puree the sweet potato before adding it? I am not sure what went wrong because the batter was not dry or crumbly for me.
Steph says
Hello, what frying pan are you using in the pictures? It looks wonderful!
Cassidy says
It's porcelain enamel "tramontina", it's actually from a set at Costco.