This sweet potato cornbread will change your expectations of cornbread. It’s simple to make, surprisingly wholesome, and consistently earns praise wherever it’s served.
TL;DR (Quick-Answer Box)
- What it is: A Southern-inspired cornbread made moist and rich with mashed sweet potatoes, sour cream, and a touch of pumpkin spice.
- Why you’ll love it: It’s unexpectedly healthy, effortless to prepare, and yields a dense, tender crumb with a balanced savory-sweet profile.
- How to make it: Combine the dry ingredients, whisk the wet (eggs, mashed sweet potatoes, sour cream, melted butter), fold together, then bake the batter in a preheated, buttered cast-iron skillet.
We adore this sweet potato cornbread. But the best proof comes from people who have tasted it: many call it the best cornbread they’ve ever had. It’s tender, just sweet enough, cake-like without being overly sweet, and not dry. If you’re curious, skip the comments for now and bake one—then decide for yourself.
What’s the Difference Between Northern and Southern Cornbread?
This recipe occupies a middle ground between Northern and Southern styles. Northern cornbread tends to be sweeter and more cake-like, while traditional Southern cornbread is typically unsweetened and has a crumblier, denser texture. This sweet potato version blends both approaches: it has a tender, moist crumb and a restrained sweetness that complements savory dishes.
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Write a Review
If you make this recipe, please consider leaving a review, a star rating, and a photo in the comments below. Hearing from you helps a lot. –David
Featured Review
This is some delicious cornbread. I would have never thought to use sweet potatoes. I made muffins. They were so good!
Redd
Sweet Potato Cornbread
David Leite
Ingredients
- 2 cups self-rising white cornmeal mix*
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (optional)
- 5 large eggs
- 2 cups (1 1/2 lbs) mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, melted
- Unsalted butter or mild vegetable oil, for the skillet
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in the oven for 5 minutes to warm.
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In a large bowl, stir together the cornmeal mix, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice, if using. Make a well in the center.
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In another bowl, whisk the eggs, mashed sweet potatoes, sour cream, and melted butter until smooth. Add the wet mixture to the dry and stir just until combined.
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Carefully butter the hot skillet or brush it with oil, tilting the skillet to coat the sides, then spoon in the batter.
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Bake for 20 to 35 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or nearly clean. Serve warm or at room temperature, sliced into wedges or squares. (You can bake ahead and rewarm the skillet before serving.)
Notes
Homemade Self-Rising White Cornmeal
To make self-rising white cornmeal, mix 1 1/2 cups plus 6 tablespoons white cornmeal with 2 tablespoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon table salt.
Adapted From
Southern Living: No Taste Like Home
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Only a portion of tested recipes make it to the site. This one passed rigorous blind testing and earned the Leite’s Culinaria stamp of approval, as the reviews below show.
Alexandra M.
I love this sweet potato cornbread. It rescued a chilly evening when I wanted something comforting to serve with chili. The bread was soft, rich, and had a slightly crunchy crust. It’s excellent with butter and honey or alongside savory dishes.
The recipe is unfussy: simple ingredients and minimal prep if the sweet potato is cooked ahead. It fit perfectly in my 10-inch cast-iron skillet and was not dry or grainy like many cornbreads. Sweet potato is a brilliant fix for dull cornbread.
Chiyo Ueyama
This was a winner for flavor and texture. The sweet potato adds subtle sweetness; the pumpkin pie spice aroma is pleasant but not overpowering. The texture wasn’t too cakey or dry and sliced cleanly.
I steam-baked my sweet potatoes and froze extra for later. I used yellow cornmeal for my self-rising mix and loved the result with soups like Senate Bean Soup or Moroccan Lentil Soup.
Michelle P.
The sweet potato kept this cornbread perfectly moist and dense—the way cornbread should be. I microwaved cubed sweet potato to speed things along and pureed it in a food processor; it worked great.
I baked it in a Dutch oven over coals and it baked evenly, puffed nicely, and sliced cleanly. I doubled the recipe for a crowd and still had leftovers, so expect generous servings.
Melissa Maedgen
I worried it might be too sweet, but it wasn’t. The texture is more cake-like but stays savory. The butter, eggs, and sour cream give richness without overwhelming sweetness. A fine introduction to less-sweet cornbread for those used to Northern-style versions.
Michelle Cragel
The sweet potato flavor came through and the cornbread was moist and flavorful. It cooked through in 20 minutes in my oven—watch the time to avoid overbaking.
Gail Rueckl
Best cornbread I’ve eaten: moist, sweet-savory, with a crunchy crust. Sweet potatoes are a brilliant, healthy addition. I made my own self-rising yellow cornmeal and omitted the spice.
Steve Dunn
My kids dislike sweet potatoes but loved this cornbread. It’s clearly cornbread with just a mild sweetness from the potatoes. I omitted the spice and made my own self-rising cornmeal. Moisture from sweet potato, butter, and sour cream yields a dense, pleasing crumb.
Jo Ann Brown
I skipped the pumpkin pie spice to pair the cornbread with chili and used pale sweet potatoes. The batter fit my 12-inch skillet fine and baked to golden perfection in about 30 minutes.
Natalie Reebel
The orange hue from the sweet potato makes for a lovely presentation. I used a 9-inch pan and ramekins; the smaller vessels reduced baking time. It was moist, dense, and a hit with everyone.
Pat Francis
Rich and luscious—served with honey butter it felt almost like a crustless pumpkin pie. I used a gluten-free mix and still had excellent results, even when I didn’t measure the sweet potato exactly.