I’ve shared Southern recipes online for over a decade, and I’d never give you a dry cornbread recipe. This sweet potato cornbread stays moist, well-seasoned, and perfect beside collard greens, chili, or on its own with a pat of butter.
This Homemade Sweet Potato Cornbread blends buttermilk, roasted sweet potatoes, and warm spices, and is lovely with maple butter or cinnamon-honey butter. It’s a must for Sunday dinners, holidays, and Thanksgiving.
Sweet Potato Cornbread Ingredients
- Sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed)
- Yellow cornmeal
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt
- Brown sugar or other sweetener (optional)
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Butter (plus extra for greasing)
How to Make Sweet Potato Cornbread
Measurements and full recipe details appear in the recipe card below, but the method is straightforward:
- Prep the sweet potatoes: Peel and cook the sweet potatoes by boiling, steaming, baking, or air frying until tender. Mash or puree until smooth and allow to cool slightly so they won’t cook the eggs when mixed.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar (if using), cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt so everything distributes evenly.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the mashed sweet potatoes with eggs, buttermilk, and melted butter until smooth.
- Combine: Fold the wet ingredients into the dry just until combined; don’t overmix. The batter should be thick but pourable.
- Bake: Pour batter into a greased baking dish or a piping-hot, buttered cast-iron skillet. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Let the cornbread rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve warm with butter or a drizzle of honey or maple butter.
How to Get Cornbread with Crispy Edges and Crust
For a crisp, golden crust, pour the batter into a preheated, well-buttered cast-iron skillet. Southern-style cornbread often has a slightly crumbly interior that pairs beautifully with stews and greens. Using a hot skillet helps develop a crunchy edge while keeping the center moist.
Southern Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe
Equipment
- 10-inch cast-iron skillet (recommended) or an 8×8 baking dish
- Mixer, bowl, and whisk or spatula
- Immersion blender or food processor if you want very smooth sweet potato puree
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup brown sugar or other sweetener (optional)
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (measured solid)
- 1½ cups cooked, mashed or pureed sweet potatoes, cooled
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter for greasing the skillet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
- In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, brown sugar (if using), and salt. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and pureed sweet potatoes until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. Allow it to melt and coat the pan, including the edges. (If using a baking dish, grease it with butter or oil.)
- When the skillet is hot, pour in the batter and transfer to the oven. Bake 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Baking times may vary by oven.
- Allow the cornbread to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm with butter, maple butter, or honey.
Notes
- For the smoothest batter, puree cooked sweet potatoes with an immersion blender or food processor.
- Omit sweetener for a less-sweet, traditional-style cornbread. For a sweeter loaf, increase sugar to ¾–1 cup.
- Buttermilk adds acidity that reacts with the leavening for a better rise. If you don’t have buttermilk, mix milk with vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for a few minutes to thicken.
- Do not overmix the batter—overmixing dries out the finished cornbread and causes excessive crumbling.
- If you don’t have cast iron, use an 8×8 pan and reduce the amount of butter for greasing; you may need to adjust baking time.
- Cornbread is best hot and fresh, but can be made up to 8 hours ahead and stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Nutrition
Nutrition estimates are provided as a courtesy and should be calculated with the exact ingredients you use for accuracy.
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
Yes. Use mashed or pureed sweet potatoes that have cooled before mixing with eggs. Roasting or air-frying yields less watery results than boiling, though boiling works fine if you drain excess water. Air-fry at 400°F for about 35–40 minutes or roast in the oven about 60–70 minutes until soft.
Use yellow cornmeal combined with all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. This keeps texture balanced and helps the cornbread rise.
No—sweetener is optional. This version is mildly sweet because of the sweet potatoes. Adjust sweetness to taste.
Yes. It keeps well for up to 8 hours at room temperature and can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.
A cast-iron skillet is recommended for the best crust and even cooking, but an 8×8 baking dish works too—adjust baking time and grease the pan well.
Pairings
This cornbread pairs beautifully with classic Southern mains such as smothered or baked turkey wings, baked ham, smothered chicken, roasted turkey, creamed corn, and holiday sides.
More Sweet Potato and Cornbread Recipes
Try other sweet potato favorites and cornbread variations—candied sweet potatoes, sweet potato casserole, cornbread muffins, jalapeño cheddar cornbread, and more for inspiration and side-dish ideas.
Finish a slice with a drizzle of maple butter or cinnamon-honey butter for a comforting, flavorful treat.