Sweet Potato Biscuits

How do sweet potatoes affect biscuit texture?

Mashed sweet potatoes add natural moisture and starch, making the homemade biscuits incredibly soft and tender inside. Compared to traditional biscuits recipe, they have a slightly moister crumb and a heartier texture.

Because they can be a bit denser due to the cooked potatoes, we increase the baking powder slightly to help them rise well and maintain a light, flaky texture. When baked at a high temperature (around 425°F), they develop a beautifully crisp, golden crust — thanks in part to the natural sugars in the sweet potato, which also enhance browning and add rich color.

Ingredients you'll need

Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

• All-purpose flour – Measuring flour accurately is key; always fluff it up before scooping and level it off with a knife to avoid adding too much, which can make the homemade biscuits dry or dense.
• Sweet potato – You will need 2 medium yams for this sweet potato biscuit recipe. Make sure to cool the roasted potato completely before adding into the dough, as warm potato can melt the butter and prevent it from turning out fluffy.
• Butter – Cold butter straight from the fridge is crucial for a flaky and tender texture.
• Baking powder – Using 3 teaspoons of baking powder provides the right amount of lift for tall, tender biscuits with sweet potato.
• Sugar – A small amount of sugar enhances the natural sweetness of the sweet potato and balances the flavors without making the biscuits too sweet.
• Milk – Whole milk adds moisture and richness. Reduced fat milk will make a reasonable substitute.

Troubleshooting tips

• Dry dough - If your dough looks dry and crumbly, making it difficult to form a smooth ball, mix in more cold milk.
• Flat biscuits - If they spread too much during baking and turn out flat, it could be because your oven was not properly reheated or the butter wasn't as cold, and it began to melt immediately.
• Too dense or heavy - It could be because your baking powder wasn't as fresh or past the expiry date. Also, adding too much flour than the recipe called for can make them heavy.

Wash and dry your yams. Prick them in a few places with a fork for the steam to escape.

Bake in oven - Place on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake in a 400-degree oven for 40 to 70 minutes, depending on the size.

Air fry - If you'd prefer to use your air fryer, check out the instructions for air fryer baked sweet potato. Just set the air fryer to 375°F and cook for 40-50 minutes.

Microwave - Place the potato on a paper towel and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Flip and microwave for another 2 minutes, or until fork-tender.

👩‍🍳 How do you know when the sweet potatoes are cooked? The skins will look slightly puffy, and the potato will be soft when pressed gently.

Let your cooked sweet potato cool completely before making the sweet biscuits. Once cooled, slice it open, scoop out the flesh into a plate or bowl, and mash until smooth and lump-free using a potato masher or the back of a fork.

How to make sweet potato biscuits?

You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

5. Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into a medium bowl and whisk until combined.

6. Add cold butter and cut using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with some pea-size chunks of butter within.

7. Add the wet ingredients and mix using a spatula. Fold until the mixture is just moistened and holds together, adding 2 to 3 more tablespoons of milk if needed. Don't overwork the dough!

9. Sprinkle a small handful of flour on a clean work surface. Turn the dough onto the surface and knead lightly 4 or 5 times with the palm of your hand until the mixture becomes a smooth ball.

10. Pat the dough to about ¾ inch thick.

11. Use a biscuit cutter (mine measures 2 ¼-inches), cut out the biscuits, and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, touching.

👩‍🍳 Pro tip: When cutting your biscuits, be sure not to twist the cutter. Twisting can seal the edges and won't give you tall, fluffy biscuits. Instead, press the cutter into the dough and lift it straight up.

12. Brush the tops with cream, milk, or melted butter. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes at 425 degrees, until the tops are lightly golden brown.

👩‍🍳Tip: Place them close together for even taller biscuits. Biscuits rise nice and tall when touching, pressed snuggly against one another in the oven.

Ways to enjoy

Sweet potato Biscuits are great served hot for breakfast with a little spread of cinnamon butter, cranberry orange sauce or simply with softened salted butter.

They also make a nice addition to your Holiday meal, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas. Add them to your menu along with air fryer green beans or roasted sweet potato and kale salad.

Storage and Reheating

Allow your freshly baked sweet biscuits to cool completely on a wire rack before storing them.

To Freeze: Place cooled ones in a zipper bag, seal, and freeze for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature for several hours before reheating.

To reheat:

• Oven - Place the desired number of biscuits on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 to 10 minutes in a preheated 375-degree oven or until they are warmed and the edges are slightly crispy.
• Air fryer - Place them in a preheated 340-degree air fryer basket and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or warm through.

Recipe tips

• It is important to keep the butter as cold as possible. Avoid letting the dough sit at room temperature before baking the biscuits.
• Press straight down with your biscuit cutter and do not twist or turn it, which seals off the edges and keeps them from rising as much.
• For a golden brown top, brush with heavy cream, whole milk, or melted butter.
• Never overwork the dough.
• Let the sweet potato cool completely before using it in the recipe.
• You will need 1 very large or about 2 medium yams for this recipe.

Recipe FAQs

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