Sweet Potato Pancakes
These sweet potato pancakes stay surprisingly light when the batter is handled gently. Caramel and ginger butter melt down the stack, making the first bite feel like a special brunch treat.

Recipe link
Prep time15 min
Cook time30 min
Total time45 MINUTES
- Course
- Breakfast
- Cuisine
- American
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Est. calories / serving
- 485
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato (peeled, cooked, mashed — about 1 cup)
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted, slightly cooled)
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 pinch nutmeg (ground)
- butter or ghee (for griddling)
Toppings
- Homemade Caramel
- Ginger Butter
Garnish
- pecans (toasted, chopped)
- powdered sugar (optional)
- cinnamon (optional)
- candied ginger (finely chopped, optional)
Instructions
Instructions
- Cook the Sweet Potato: Peel and dice the sweet potato. Add to a small pot of water and simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until completely tender. Drain very well, then mash until smooth. Measure 1 cup and let cool slightly.1 medium sweet potato
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potato, eggs, buttermilk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and melted butter until smooth.1 cup mashed sweet potato, 2 eggs, ¾ cup buttermilk, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tbsp butter
- Add the Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, and nutmeg over the sweet potato mixture. Stir gently until just combined.¾ cup flour, 2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp sea salt, pinch nutmeg
- Rest the Batter: Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes while the griddle heats.prepared batter
- Heat the Griddle: Set a griddle or large nonstick skillet over medium heat and melt a small amount of butter.butter
- Cook the Pancakes: Scoop about ⅓ cup batter per pancake onto the griddle. Cook for 2–4 minutes, until bubbles form on top and the edges begin to set. Flip and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.prepared batter
- Plate the Pancakes: Stack 2 pancakes per plate.sweet potato pancakes
- Garnish and Serve: Drizzle with Homemade Caramel, add a small scoop of Ginger Butter, and finish with toasted pecans. Add powdered sugar, cinnamon, or finely chopped candied ginger if desired. Serve immediately.Homemade Caramel, Ginger Butter, toasted pecans, powdered sugar, cinnamon, candied ginger
Notes
- Drain the Sweet Potato Well: Extra water in the mashed sweet potato can make the batter loose and heavy.
- Do Not Overmix: Stir only until the flour disappears. Overmixing makes the pancakes tougher.
- Batter Texture: Sweet potato pancake batter should be thicker than regular pancake batter but still spoonable. Add a splash of buttermilk if it feels too stiff.
- Cook Over Medium Heat: Sweet potato and brown sugar can brown quickly, so avoid high heat.
- Serving Suggestions: Serve with Homemade Caramel, Ginger Butter, Homemade Vanilla Whipped Cream, toasted pecans, or fresh berries.
Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)
Yield
8 pancakes — Serving size: 2 pancakes
- Calories
- 485
- Carbohydrates
- 66 g
- Protein
- 11 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 132 mg
- Sodium
- 428 mg
- Potassium
- 465 mg
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Total Sugars
- 28 g
- Vitamin A
- 9700 IU
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Calcium
- 188 mg
- Iron
- 3 mg
Equipment
- Small pot
- Potato masher
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Griddle or large nonstick skillet
- Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons