Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet Potato Pancakes that are mega soft, fluffy, comforting and fabulous!

These Sweet Potato Pancakes are infused with coconut and oatmeal then spiked with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla for a delicately spiced, perfectly textured pancake you will CRAVE!  You can go the savorier route and serve them with butter, bacon, apple sauce etc. OR you can go the sweeter route with maple syrup or my highly recommend Apple Cinnamon Syrup.  No matter how you serve them, these Sweet Potato Pancakes guarantee a palate pleasing breakfast or dinner any night of the week!   Read on for more ideas how to serve Sweet Potato Pancakes, how to freeze and how to reheat.

This Sweet Potato Pancake recipe has long been a FAVORITE of mine.  Even Patrick loves them.  I prefer a big stack of these Sweet Potato Pancakes over traditional buttermilk pancakes any day of the week – or any night.

These Sweet Potato Pancakes have been on my site for a while but were in desperate need of a photo update.  The photos still don’t do their deliciousness justice, but they’re trying.  So, you are going to have to use your imagination…

What do Sweet Potato Pancakes Taste Like?

Imagine pancakes that are practically an oxymoron:  they are uber soft and moist from the sweet potatoes, but at the same time boast a hearty, almost chewy texture from the oatmeal and coconut.  The alluring texture is tantalizing and almost addicting.  I need, I crave!

Imagine sSweet Potato Pancakes swirled with the flavors of sweet potatoes, sweet coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla yet still neutral enough to emerge as a more savory-than-sweet canvas for whatever you decide to slather them with. 

They kind of remind me of oatmeal in this respect, satisfying texture awaiting whatever flavor scheme you are in the mood for.

As for me, I am always in the mood for these Sweet Potato Pancakes WITH 15 Minute Cinnamon Apple Syrup.  This succulent sweet syrup is exactly what it sounds like:  tender, sweet apples, swimming in cinnamon syrup just begging to compliment, to enhance, to douse these Sweet Potato Pancakes in its cinnamon decadence.

Now all that’s left to do is whisk up the batter, listen to the sizzling song of butter, watch for the tiny bubbles dotting the batter’s surface, and dive into a hot stack of Sweet Potato Pancakes smothered in Cinnamon Apple Butter.  Imagine that.

HOW Many Sweet Potatoes Do I need?

You will need 1 1/4 cups packed mashed sweet potatoes for this Sweet Potato Pancake recipe.  This is roughly one large sweet potato. 

I don’t recommend canned sweet potato puree as it is a little too runny.  If that is all you have on hand, however, you can try thickening it with some flour. 

HOW DO I COOK SWEET POTATOES?

If you don’t have leftover mashed sweet potatoes at your fingertips, don’t worry!  You can have mashed sweet potatoes in less than 10 minutes which means you’ll be devouring your Sweet Potato Pancakes in no time! 

The quickest way to cook sweet potatoes for this recipe is in the microwave:

1. Wash the sweet potato(es).
2. Peel the sweet potato(es).
3. Chop potatoes into 2” chunks.
4. Place in a microwave safe dish with a lid. 
5. Add water so it reaches about ¼” up the sides. 
6. Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes, check for doneness, then continue to microwave at 1-2 minute intervals until fork tender. You want the potatoes quite tender so they will easily mash.

How do I make Mashed Sweet Potatoes?

Once your sweet potato chunks are fork tender, add them to a large bowl.  Drizzle in some milk and either mash by hand or use a handheld electric mixer.  I prefer and electric mixer because it requires no elbow grease.  Add additional milk as needed so potatoes mash up smooth.

You don’t need to season or butter the potatoes because we will add both butter and seasonings to them to make the Sweet Potato Pancakes but a little melted butter is never a bad idea.

Can I make Mashed Sweet Potatoes in Advance?

Absolutely!  You can make the mashed sweet potatoes up to 5 days in advance and store them in an airtight container until ready to make the Sweet Potato Pancakes.  

how to make sweet potato pancakes

These Sweet Potato Pancakes are very simple to make.  First, whisk your flour, rolled oats, sweetened coconut flakes, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together.

Next, add two eggs to a medium bowl, whisk then mix in sweet potatoes, milk, butter and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture to the sweet potato mixture and stir just until combined.  The batter will be lumpy which is a good thing – this means you haven’t overworked your batter.  Overmixing batter results in dense, rubbery pancakes.  

how to cook sweet potato pancakes

Break out your nonstick skillet and grease with butter, oil or nonstick spray.  I just take a cube of butter, open the top of the package and rub the butter all over the skillet.

Heat the skillet over medium heat.  Once hot, ladle batter into the center of the pan. I usually use a measuring cup, that way the pancakes are roughly the same size. Once you pour and swirl the batter, if there is an unruly edge, you can nudge it back into place with your spatula – but no one is going to care about the shape of your Sweet Potato Pancakes – they are going to be too busy inhaling them!

Cook the pancakes until golden brown on each side, flipping when the surface begins to bubble in the center.  You may need to turn down the heat as you go if the pancakes start to brown too much on the outside before the center is done. 

How do I Keep Pancakes Warm?

Just like waffles, pancakes will become sad and limp if stacked on top of each other or covered with foil. 

Instead, preheat your oven to 200 degrees F and place a baking sheet inside. 

As you cook your pancakes, place them on the baking sheet without touching until your batter is gone. Now it doesn’t matter who gets the “first” Sweet Potato Pancake because they are equally warm and cozy.

Tips for Sweet Potato Pancakes

• Make sure you measure the mashed sweet potatoes and don’t just eyeball it.  The correct amount of sweet potatoes ensures moist pancakes.
• Use whole rolled oats instead of instant oats for a chewier texture. 
• Make sure you use sweetened coconut flakes otherwise the pancakes won’t be balanced.  You are welcome to toast your coconut if you prefer but it isn’t necessary.
• The general rule of thumb is the pancakes are ready to flip when the middle starts to bubble. Don’t try and flip them too early or they will fall apart.
• Add sweetness ON the pancakes instead of IN the pancakes.  If you add sugar to the batter, it will cook before the rest of the ingredients and you end up with blackened pancakes.  Been there.   Regretted That. 
• To that end, you will also end up with dark pancakes with raw centers if you cook at too high of heat.  Cook on medium and reduce the heat if the outsides are finished cooking before the inside.
• Don’t make the pancakes too large or they are hard to flip.  Smaller pancakes are better because you can fit most of your spatula underneath and they cook more evenly. 

How to Season Sweet Potato Pancakes

There are SO many possibilities for flavoring your Sweet Potato Pancakes.  I went with cinnamon and nutmeg because they are a match made in warm and cozy heaven BUT you could also add pumpkin spice, curry powder, turmeric, chipotle powder, cayenne, green onions, etc. depending on what you are in the mood for and what you are serving them with.

how to serve sweet potato pancakes

There are SO many ways to serve these Sweet Potato Pancakes.  They can be made savory, sweet, or somewhere in between simply by what you choose to serve/drench them with. 

SAVORY

You can go the savory route with softened or melted butter, bacon, nuts, creme fraiche, cream cheese, Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.  They would also be yum with a fried egg on top.

In between

Less sweet than syrup but sweeter than butter would be apple sauce, pear puree, apple butter, blueberries, bananas etc.

Sweet and Savory

You can get the best of both worlds with a slab of butter and sweet maple syrup or sweet maple syrup and chopped pecans or a kiss of Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup with candied bacon.

Sweet

Good ‘ol maple syrup will do the trick every time but these Sweet Potato Pancakes would also be wonderful with Blueberry Sauce but if you want the BEST Sweet Potato Pancakes, you’ll serve them with Cinnamon Apple Syrup.   

In fact, I created this syrup just for these pancakes, inspired by my love to overwhelm my oatmeal with apples, cinnamon and brown sugar.  But this syrup is light-years tastier than just apples and cinnamon! 

Every bite of soft, coconut, oatmeal, sweet potato pancakes dripping with sweet syrup swimming with cinnamon apples. They were made for each other, literally.

Can I make Pancake Batter Ahead of Time?

The easy answer is “no” due to the leavening agent baking powder.The baking powder starts to do its job the second it gets mixed in with the wet ingredients and will lose its efficacy over time.   

That being said, you can still make your pancake batter ahead of time.  You can either whisk your dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and keep them in separate airtight containers (refrigerate the wet) and just combine in the morning.

The second option is to add 25-50% more baking powder to start with to compensate for the loss of efficacy over time. If the first pancake doesn’t rise enough, sift a little more baking powder over the batter and stir just until combined.  

Note that pancake batter with baking soda cannot be stored, just baking powder (which is what we are using). 

can you freeze sweet potato pancakes?

Yes!  Sweet Potato Pancakes freeze exceptionally well.   You can make a big batch, eat what you want, then freeze the leftovers for on-the-go breakfasts or fun dinners or an instant snack so no one ever feels hangry.

How to freeze sweet potato pancakes:

1. Line cooked pancakes on a baking sheet so they aren’t touching.
2. Once the pancakes are completely cool, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30-60 minutes or until pancakes are solid.  
3. Place pancakes in a freezer bag.
4. Squeeze out as much excess air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
5. Freeze for up to 3 months.

How do I Reheat Frozen Pancakes?

You don’t need to thaw your Sweet Potato Pancakes before reheating.  They will taste just as good either microwaved or baked from frozen.

Microwave: 

1. Place up to 5 pancakes on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Microwave for 20 seconds per pancake. 
3. Repeat as need until warmed through.  

Oven:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Cover tightly with foil.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until warmed through.

Are Sweet Potato Pancakes Healthy?

Sweet potatoes themselves are a complex carbohydrate rich in nutrients.  They are nature’s unsurpassed sources of beta-carotene as well as an excellent source of dietary fiber, Vitamins A, B and C.   

These Sweet Potato Pancakes also contain no refined sugar.  If you are looking for extra fiber, you can swap some of the white flour for wheat flour or for gluten free, swap the white flour for almond flour.   

Looking for More Breakfast Recipes?

• Breakfast Enchiladas
• Chocolate Waffles
• Creme Brulee French Toast
• Carrot Cake Crepes
• Breakfast Burritos
• Banana Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Want to try this Sweet Potato Pancake Recipe?

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©Carlsbad Cravings by CarlsbadCravings.com

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Sweet Potato Pancakes

Sweet Potato Pancakes that are mega soft, fluffy, comforting and fabulous! These Sweet Potato Pancakes are infused with coconut and oatmeal then spiked with cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla for a delicately spiced, perfectly textured pancake you will CRAVE! You can go the savorier route and serve them with butter, bacon, apple sauce etc. OR you can go the sweeter route with maple syrup or my highly recommend Apple Cinnamon Syrup. No matter how you serve them, these Sweet Potato Pancakes guarantee a palate pleasing breakfast or dinner any night of the week!

Servings: 12 pancakes depending on size

Total Time: 25 minutes mins

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Wet Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed mashed sweet potatoes
• 2 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings

• 1 Recipe Cinnamon Apple Syrup

Instructions

• Begin preparing/simmering Cinnamon Apple Syrup according to recipe directions (optional).
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
• In a separate bowl, beat eggs, then mix in sweet potatoes, milk, butter and vanilla.
• Add dry ingredients to the "wet" ingredients and mix until just combined - it will be lumpy.
• Lightly grease a nonstick skillet (butter, oil or nonstick spray) and heat over medium heat. Add batter to the center of the pan and swirl to spread batter into circles. Cook until golden brown on each side, flipping when the surface begins to bubble. You may need to turn the heat down if the outsides cook too quickly.
• Top with Cinnamon Apple Syrup (optional). See post for more serving suggestions.

Notes

HOW To Make Mashed SWEET POTATOES

1. Wash and peel the sweet potato(es).
2. Chop potato into 2” chunks.
3. Place in a microwave safe dish with a lid.
4. Add water so it reaches about ¼” up the sides.
5. Cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes, check for doneness, then continue to microwave at 1-2 minute intervals until fork tender.
6. Add potatoes to a large bowl.
7. Drizzle in some milk and either mash by hand or use a handheld electric mixer. Add additional milk as needed so potatoes mash up smooth.

How to freeze sweet potato pancakes

1. Line cooked pancakes on a baking sheet so they aren’t touching.
2. Once the pancakes are completely cool, place the baking sheet in the freezer for 30-60 minutes or until pancakes are solid.
3. Place pancakes in a freezer bag.
4. Squeeze out as much excess air as possible to prevent freezer burn.
5. Freeze for up to 3 months.

How to Reheat Frozen Pancakes

You don’t need to thaw your Sweet Potato Pancakes before reheating.  They will taste just as good either microwaved or baked from frozen.

Microwave: 

1. Place up to 5 pancakes on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Microwave for 20 seconds per pancake.
3. Repeat as need until warmed through.

Oven:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line pancakes in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Cover tightly with foil.
4. Bake for 10 minutes or until warmed through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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