Sweet potato biscuits are tender, buttery southern style biscuits made extra fluffy and moist with roasted sweet potato. These biscuits are the perfect fall treat and are great with breakfast or as a side!
Last Friday I shared my favorite kale salad, so today I thought I might balance things out a bit with buttery sweet potato biscuits.
If you've never had or made a sweet potato biscuits before, here's what to expect:
- These biscuits are flaky and buttery
- Moisture from the sweet potato makes these biscuits extra tender
- Requires just 10 minutes of active time to make
- Just a hint of sweet potato flavor
- Can be modified to be vegan and dairy-free
If you're looking for a vegan option without modifications, you might like these vegan buttermilk biscuits. These cheddar drop biscuits are a great option if you want a sweet potato-free biscuit.
What you'll need
- Roasted sweet potato: One large sweet potato yields about 1 cup mashed sweet potato. Choose an orange-fleshed Jewel or Garnet sweet potato. This is what I use in most of my sweet potato recipes, like stews, mashed sweet potatoes, and even veggie burgers.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour. White Lily or King Arthur brands are my go-to's for a light and tender biscuit. Half whole wheat flour can be used for a heartier option, but the biscuits won't be as tender.
- Baking powder helps the biscuits rise.
- Salt is added for flavor. Table salt is my go-to for baking.
- Milk: I use whole milk for the most high-fat, tender result, but any kind works.
Step by step instructions
Before you begin: Use a knife to poke one large sweet potato with a few holes. Place on a pan and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, until soft and tender. It should be leaking syrup-y juices.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Add the sliced butter.
- Using your hands, a pastry cutter, or a fork, working quickly to cut the butter up into pea-sized pieces.
- Pour in the milk and sweet potato puree. Mix with a large wooden spoon (or similar utensil) until just combined. The dough will be shaggy and pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface, like a baking mat.
5. Do not knead the dough as you do with bread. Instead, gently press the dough down to about ½ inch thickness. Fold the dough over onto itself 4-5 times, lightly patting down each time.
6. Cut out biscuit shapes and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden and fluffy.
Expert tips and recipe FAQ
- Sweet potato prep: Roasting sweet potatoes can be done 2-3 days in advance. Store a roasted sweet potato wrapped in foil in the fridge or mash the sweet potato in advance and store it in a container in the fridge.
- Keep your ingredients cold. I like to slice up the butter and place it in the freezer with the mixing bowl for 10 minutes before using it. This keeps the butter from melting too quickly while baking.
- Handle dough as little as possible and avoid over-flouring for the most tender biscuits. Only add flour if the dough becomes difficult to work with.
- Biscuit size: I used 4 inch biscuit cutters to make 4 biscuits in these pictures. You can use 2 inch or 3 inch size for more biscuits. Bake time for smaller biscuits will be 10-12 minutes instead of 15.
- I don't recommend using a rolling pin when shaping the dough. This will press down the dough and make it denser, not light.
You can use canned sweet potato puree. Canned purees are often wetter than mashed sweet potatoes. Add additional flour as needed to make the dough easier to work with.
I usually just mash it with a fork because I don't mind small bits of sweet potato in the biscuits. If you want an entirely cohesive result, I recommend pureeing the sweet potato with the milk in a blender until smooth.
I haven't tested this recipe with gluten-free flour but it should work with an all-purpose flour blend like Bob's Red Mill.
Sweet potato biscuits are great anywhere you'd have regular biscuits. Serve topped with vegetarian sausage gravy or mushroom gravy for breakfast. They make a wonderful Thanksgiving side alongside mac and cheese, collard greens, and your favorite protein (I go for panko tofu cutlets).
For a sweet option, slice open a biscuit and serve with a spread of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. It tastes like dessert!
Definitely! This recipe only makes 5-6 three-inch biscuits or 4 four-inch biscuits. You can even triple the recipe if you want.
Let the biscuits cool completely before transferring to a closed container. They are best enjoyed day of but can be kept at room temp for 2-3 days. I recommend popping leftovers in the microwave for 15 seconds.
To make vegan/dairy-free, use your favorite vegan butter and non-dairy milk. Earth Balance buttery sticks are my go-to. I prefer unsweetened, unflavored soy milk in savory recipes but almond or oat milk also work.
Biscuit making tools
- Pastry cutter: I usually use my fingers to make pea-sized butter pieces, but a pastry cutter is a great option as well. You can also just use forks to cut up the dough.
- Baking mat: I usually fold and cut dough on my baking mat (Silpat) because it's a clean surface and it makes cleaning up easier. You can bake on Silpat up to a certain tempature but I usually place my biscuits on parchment paper.
- Biscuit shapes: These cut perfectly shaped biscuits and come in a variety of sizes. You can also use a glass/cup to cut the biscuits but they won't rise as well. Make sure to press straight down when cutting, don't twist.
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Sweet Potato Biscuits
Ingredients
- ¾ cup mashed sweet potato from 1 large sweet potato
- 1 and ½ cups all purpose flour spooned into measuring cup and leveled with back end of knife
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced
- ⅓ cup milk
Instructions
Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a knife to poke one large sweet potato with a few holes. Place on a pan and roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, until completely soft and tender.
- Remove the skin and place the sweet potato in a small bowl. Use a fork to mash until mostly smooth. Measure out ¾ cup sweet potato. You can also mix the sweet potato with ⅓ cup milk and puree in a blender until smooth for a completely smooth mixture.
- Adjust the oven temp to 425 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a medium mixing bowl, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine. Add the sliced butter.
- Using your hands, a pastry cutter, or a fork, cut the butter up into pea-sized pieces.
- Pour in the milk and sweet potato puree. Mix with a large wooden spoon (or similar utensil) until just combined. The dough will be shaggy and pulling away from the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface, like a baking mat. Gently press the dough down to about ½ inch thickness. Fold the dough over onto itself 4-5 times, lightly patting down each time. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time as needed.
- Cut out biscuit shapes using a biscuit cutter. Place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet with their edges touching. Gently refold dough as needed to make more biscuits. The more the dough is handled, the denser the biscuits will be.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 12-15 minutes, until golden and fluffy. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Sweet potato: One large sweet potato yields ~1 cup of sweet potato. Sweet potatoes can be roasted 2-3 days in advance.
- Temperature: I recommend chilling the mixing bowl and sliced butter in the freezer for 10 minutes before using. This keeps the butter from melting too quickly. It's best if you have time to cool the sweet potato as well, but it's okay if you can't.
- Biscuit size: You can make 2-, 3-, or 4-inch biscuits depending on the size of your biscuit cutter. 4-inch take ~15 minutes, whereas 2-inch may take only 10-12 minutes.
- Dairy-free options: Substitute regular butter for any vegan butter alternative. Vegan butter, such as Earth Balance or Miyoko's Creamery, yields the same flaky biscuit texture. Any non-dairy milk works but I prefer unsweetened, unflavored soy milk.
- Serving: These biscuits go so well with a dollop of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Leftovers: Though best enjoyed day of, biscuits can be stored for 2-3 days in a closed container at room temp. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds for best results.
Author's note: This recipe was originally shared March 2018. It was updated October 2021 with new photos, videos and improved tips. The biscuits were originally shared with a cashew mushroom gravy recipe.
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