Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe (From Scratch & So Moist!)

This sweet potato cornbread recipe combines roasted sweet potato puree, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and buttermilk for the most tender, flavorful cornbread you'll ever make. Baked in a cast iron skillet until golden, it's the perfect balance of sweet and savory, no boxed mix required!

Updated October 22, 2025: Enhanced with detailed step-by-step instructions, a comprehensive FAQ section, multiple recipe variations, storage tips, and expert techniques for the most moist and tender sweet potato cornbread. Originally posted October 17, 2022.

Quick Recipe Overview

• Prep Time: 40 minutes (includes roasting sweet potatoes)
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Servings: 8 generous slices
• Difficulty Level: Easy (beginner-friendly)
• Best Paired With: Chili, collard greens, pot roast, or gumbo

Why This Recipe Works

Sweet potato cornbread is a Southern twist on classic cornbread that adds moisture, natural sweetness, and beautiful orange color. Here's what makes this from-scratch recipe special:

The roasted sweet potato method creates deeper flavor. Unlike boiling (which can waterlog) or using canned sweet potatoes, roasting concentrates the natural sugars and creates a richer, more caramelized taste. You'll mash about 1½ cups of roasted sweet potato flesh directly into the batter for maximum flavor impact.

Buttermilk is the secret to a tender crumb. This isn't optional, buttermilk reacts with the baking powder to create a lighter, more tender texture while adding tangy flavor that perfectly balances the sweetness. This is what keeps your cornbread from being dry.

Cast iron creates irresistible crispy edges. Preheating your skillet with oil creates those golden, crunchy edges that make homemade cornbread so addictive. It's a technique traditional Southern cooks have used for generations.

Brown sugar and warm spices add complexity. The combination of brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg complements the sweet potato without making this taste like dessert. It's still savory enough to serve alongside chili or greens.

From-scratch beats boxed every time. Unlike Jiffy mix recipes, making cornbread from scratch gives you complete control over texture, sweetness, and ingredients, plus no artificial flavors or preservatives.

Sweet Potato Cornbread: From Scratch vs. Jiffy Mix

You might be wondering whether to make this recipe from scratch or use a Jiffy cornbread mix shortcut. Here's my honest take:

• Why I prefer from-scratch: You control the sweetness level, avoid artificial ingredients, and get a better texture. Jiffy mix tends to be overly sweet and cake-like, while this recipe maintains that perfect cornbread balance.
• Quality of ingredients matters: Fresh roasted sweet potatoes have a richer, more complex flavor than canned. Real buttermilk creates superior tenderness. Room temperature butter creates a better texture than oil.
• It's not much harder: Yes, this takes about 20 minutes longer than a box mix recipe, but most of that time is hands-off roasting. The active mixing time is nearly identical.
• The results speak for themselves: This cornbread has deeper flavor, better texture, and stays moist longer than any Jiffy mix version I've tried.
• That said: If you're short on time, Jiffy mix recipes with sweet potato can still be delicious for a quick weeknight side. But for holidays, special dinners, or when you want to truly impress, from-scratch is the way to go.

Ingredient Notes

• Sweet Potatoes vs. Yams: While garnet yams (with their deep orange flesh) work beautifully, any variety of sweet potato will work. I find that roasted sweet potatoes give better flavor than canned, but in a pinch, drained canned sweet potato puree (not pie filling!) can substitute.
• Why room temperature butter? Cold butter won't incorporate evenly, and melted butter can make the texture greasy. Room temperature butter creates tender pockets throughout the cornbread.
• About the cornmeal: Fine yellow cornmeal gives you classic texture. Coarse cornmeal will work but creates a grittier bite, still delicious, just different.

How to Roast Sweet Potatoes for Cornbread

Before you start the cornbread, you'll need cooked sweet potato. Here's my preferred method for maximum flavor:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Prep the sweet potatoes. Scrub them clean, then slice in half lengthwise. No need to peel!
3. Roast cut-side down for 30 minutes until very tender and caramelized at the edges. A fork should slide through easily.
4. Cool slightly, then scoop out the flesh and mash with a fork until smooth. You need 1½ cups.

Time-saving tip: Roast extra sweet potatoes and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. This makes the recipe even faster on busy weeknights.

Other cooking methods: You can also boil peeled sweet potatoes for 15-20 minutes or microwave whole sweet potatoes for 8-10 minutes. Just make sure they're fork-tender and well-mashed. However, roasting gives the deepest flavor.

Sweet Potato Cornbread Recipe

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare Your Skillet

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place your cast iron skillet with ½ tablespoon vegetable oil inside the oven while you mix the batter. This 5-10 minute preheat creates a hot surface that gives you those coveted crispy edges.

No cast iron? Use a 9x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Skip the oil and don't preheat the dish, just pour the batter directly into the prepared pan.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together until evenly combined:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• ¼ cup brown sugar (break up any clumps)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt

Make sure the brown sugar is fully broken up and everything is evenly distributed, no lumps!

Step 3: Cut in the Butter

Add ¼ cup room temperature butter to your dry mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work it in until the mixture looks like coarse meal or wet sand. You should see small butter pieces throughout, they'll create tender, flaky pockets in the finished cornbread.

Pro tip: Don't skip this step or use melted butter instead. The texture won't be the same.

Step 4: Combine Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, stir together until smooth:

• 1½ cups mashed roasted sweet potato
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk

Mix thoroughly until the sweet potato is fully incorporated and there are no large chunks. The mixture should be smooth and orange throughout.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry

Make a well (a hole) in the center of your flour mixture. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the well. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold everything together until just combined.

Critical: The batter will be thick, lumpy, and slightly uneven, that's exactly what you want! Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough, dense cornbread. Stop stirring as soon as you don't see dry flour streaks.

Step 6: Bake the Cornbread

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven using oven mitts (it's very hot!). Pour the batter into the center of the skillet. Swirl the skillet gently to coat the bottom with the hot oil, you should hear a satisfying sizzle. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly to the edges.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until:

• The top is golden brown with slightly darker edges
• The edges pull away from the pan slightly
• A toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs

Don't overbake! Check at 35 minutes. Overbaking is the #1 cause of dry cornbread.

Step 7: Cool and Serve

Let the cornbread cool in the skillet for 10 minutes. This resting time allows it to set properly and makes slicing much easier. The residual heat will finish cooking the center perfectly.

Slice into wedges or squares and serve warm with plenty of butter. For extra indulgence, drizzle with honey or sorghum syrup.

Expert Tips for Perfect Sweet Potato Cornbread

Room temperature butter is non-negotiable. Cold butter won't incorporate properly into the dry ingredients, and melted butter will make the texture greasy and flat. Let butter sit out for 30-60 minutes before you start.

Don't skip the buttermilk. It's the MVP ingredient for tender, moist cornbread that doesn't dry out. The acidity reacts with the baking powder for better rise and reacts with proteins for more tender crumb. Regular milk simply won't give you the same results.

Roasting beats boiling for sweet potatoes. Boiled sweet potatoes absorb water and can make your batter too wet and dilute the flavor. Roasting concentrates the sweetness and gives you better texture control. If you must boil, make sure they're well-drained.

Check your baking powder freshness. Baking powder loses potency over time. Test it by adding a spoonful to hot water, if it doesn't fizz vigorously, replace it. Old baking powder means flat, dense cornbread.

Let the skillet get screaming hot. That initial sizzle when batter hits hot oil is what creates the crispy, golden bottom crust that makes cornbread so addictive. Don't skip the preheat!

Adjust sweetness to your preference. This recipe hits a sweet-savory balance, but you can customize:

• Less sweet (more savory): Use 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
• Sweeter (almost dessert-like): Use ⅓ cup brown sugar or add 2 tablespoons honey

Avoid overmixing at all costs. Stir just until you don't see streaks of dry flour. The batter should be lumpy. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes cornbread tough and rubbery instead of tender.

Use quality cornmeal. Old, stale cornmeal tastes bitter. Fresh cornmeal has a sweet, nutty flavor that makes a noticeable difference.

Serving Suggestions

Sweet potato cornbread is incredibly versatile and pairs beautifully with so many dishes:

With soups and stews: Crumble it into a bowl of chili, use it to soak up chicken and dumplings, or serve alongside vegetable soup. It's perfect for absorbing all those flavorful liquids.

Alongside Southern classics: This is the ideal companion for collard greens, black-eyed peas, ham and green beans, or smothered pork chops. Use it to sop up that delicious pot likker!

With holiday meals: This makes an impressive Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish. Serve it alongside turkey, ham, candied yams, and green bean casserole.

For breakfast: Toast leftover slices and top with butter and honey for a sweet morning treat. Or serve with scrambled eggs and sausage.

As a base for other recipes: Crumble day-old cornbread for cornbread dressing, use it as a base for cornbread stuffing, or make cornbread croutons for salads.

Simple snacking: Warm a slice in the microwave for 15 seconds, slather with salted butter, and drizzle with honey. Pure comfort!

Storage and Reheating

How to Store Sweet Potato Cornbread

Room temperature: Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. The sweet potato keeps it naturally moist, so it won't dry out quickly.

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The cornbread will firm up when cold, but reheats beautifully.

Freezer: Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag with air pressed out. Freeze for up to 1 month. Label with the date. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Best Ways to Reheat

Oven method (best for preserving texture): Wrap slices in aluminum foil and warm at 300°F for 10-15 minutes until heated through. For crispy edges, unwrap the foil for the last 2-3 minutes.

Microwave (fastest): Heat individual slices for 20-30 seconds on medium power. Place a damp paper towel over the top to add moisture and prevent drying out.

Skillet method (for crispy texture): Melt a little butter in a skillet over medium heat. Warm slices for 2-3 minutes per side until crispy and heated through. This method is fantastic for breakfast!

Air fryer: Heat at 320°F for 3-4 minutes for perfectly crispy edges.

Recipe Variations

• Savory version: Omit the brown sugar entirely and reduce cinnamon and nutmeg by half. Add ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeños for a spicy kick. Perfect with chili!
• Maple pecan cornbread: Replace brown sugar with 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup mixed into the wet ingredients. Fold in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans before baking.
• With bacon bits: Fold in ½ cup crispy crumbled bacon and 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat (reduce butter to 2 tablespoons). Omit or reduce the cinnamon and nutmeg for a more savory profile.
• Dairy-free adaptation: Use vegan butter in place of regular butter. Replace buttermilk with 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond, oat, or soy) mixed with 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Muffin version: Divide batter among 12 greased or lined muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full. Bake at 400°F for 18-22 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Perfect for portion control!
• Extra moist version: Add 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the wet ingredients along with everything else. The cornbread will be richer and even more tender.
• With creamed corn: Fold in ½ cup drained creamed corn before baking for extra moisture and corn flavor. This is a classic Southern addition!

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