Sweet Potato Pancakes

These fluffy Sweet Potato Pancakes are a delicious way to use up leftover mashed sweet potatoes. Packed with fibers and nutrients, this quick and easy recipe makes the perfect healthy breakfast or brunch.

Bored of the same healthy breakfast? I got you. These sweet potato breakfast pancakes are as satisfying and fluffy as they’re nutritious. Naturally sweet, oil-free, dairy-free and diet friendly, they are also high in fibers, vitamins and minerals. The secret is mashed sweet potato.

If you have leftover mashed potato or baked sweet potato, whipping up a stack of fluffy pancakes is a breeze. Interestingly, this recipe originates from last Thanksgiving. Left with a fridge full of cooked potatoes and tired of sweet potato muffins or sweet potato brownies, my choice went to pancakes.

Naturally sweet, cake-y, and fluffy with a hint of cinnamon, each bite captures the warm, cozy flavors of fall. I recommend serving them with sliced banana, a dollop of vanilla Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup for extra taste and benefits.

Why you will love this recipe

• Sweet and fluffy. These sweet potato pancakes are so delicious they taste like dessert for breakfast. Get your fork ready and try ’em with crunchy peanut butter and maple syrup for the complete experience.
• Healthy and nutritious. This recipe is sweetened naturally, made with sweet potatoes, whole grains and no oil. Mashed sweet potatoes bring extra fiber, minerals and vitamins such as vitamin A. Additionally, it can easily be made gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and high protein.
• Easy way to use up leftovers. Especially after Thanksgiving and the holidays. Instead of letting those mashed sweet potatoes go to waste, grab a bowl and start mixing! With just a few simple steps, you can whip up a batch of fluffy pancakes that everyone will love.
• Kid-friendly recipe. Fluffy, sweet, and packed with flavor, they’re sure to win over even the pickiest eaters. Plus, they’re a great way to sneak some extra veggies into your kids’ diet.
• Incredibly versatile. Whether you prefer a savory twist, or you enjoy the crunch of chopped walnuts mixed in, the possibilities are endless. These sweet potato pancakes aren’t just for breakfast – they’re also perfect for brunch, or as a dinner.

Ingredients and substitutes

This recipe for sweet potato cakes is healthy and simple, it only requires a handful of ingredients. I have included the precise quantities in the recipe card at the end of this blog post. But for the moment, here you can find some details and substitutes.

• Mashed sweet potatoes. This recipe can be made from leftover mashed potatoes or canned sweet potato purée, preferably unsweetened. You can also make the mash from steamed, cooked or freshly baked sweet potatoes. Pumpkin purée and mashed squash are great alternatives.

• Eggs. You’ll need 2 large whole eggs at room temperature. For best results, take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start. Room temperature eggs make pancakes lighter and fluffier. Replace with 2 flaxseed eggs, if vegan.
• Maple syrup. This is my sweetener of choice, as it is unprocessed and nutritious. You can replace maple syrup with honey, agave nectar, or date syrup. Brown sugar and coconut sugar will also work.
• Nut butter. For oil-free pancakes, this recipe uses nut butter. I recommend peanut butter, almond butter and cashew butter. In case of an allergy to nuts, swap it out for tahini or sunflower seed butter.
• Wholewheat flour. No white flour here, we only use wholesome ingredients. Wholewheat flour can be substituted with spelt flour, oat flour or almond flour for gluten-free potato pancakes.
• Baking powder. This helps pancakes rise and become fluffy.
• Salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Salt brings out the taste, vanilla and cinnamon add delicious flavors of fall.
• Milk of choice. I like unsweetened almond milk, but you can use any other dairy or dairy-free milk. My recommendations are soy milk, oat milk and semi-skimmed milk.

How to make sweet potato pancakes

Making healthy sweet potato pancakes is quick, if you have leftover sweet potato mash on hand. If not, prepare the mash by boiling, steaming, baking, or microwaving sweet potatoes until tender. Once cooked, peel and mash them until smooth. Then, mix the mash into your pancake batter and proceed with the recipe.

Step 1 – Combine the wet ingredients. Add to a large mixing bowl mashed sweet potato, eggs, maple syrup, nut butter, cinnamon, vanilla extract and salt. Stir all ingredients together until the mixture reaches a smooth texture free of lumps.

Step 2 – Combine the dry ingredients. Add whole wheat flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients. Pour in the milk and stir gently until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, or your pancakes may turn out dense and dry.

Step 3 – Cook the pancakes. Grease a griddle or a nonstick pan with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Once hot, pour one scoop of batter into the pan. Cook your pancakes over medium heat until the underside is golden and bubbles begin to appear on the surface, then flip with a spatula and cook until golden.

Watch the video recipe

Recipe variations

• Brown sugar pancakes – Swap out 1 tablespoon of maple syrup for brown sugar or coconut sugar to further skew the sweet taste of potatoes. Brown sugar pairs so well with butter, so you might also consider swapping out nut butter for a richer, buttery flavor.
• Savory sweet potato pancakes – Skip the maple syrup or reduce it to just 1 tablespoon, then mx in the batter an additional pinch of salt, ground black pepper, dried herbs, spices and seasonings of your choice.
• Oat sweet potato pancakes – Substitute whole wheat flour with rolled oats and blend the mixture in a blender or food processor until smooth and free of lumps. This creates a hearty and more nutritious pancake batter with the goodness of oats.
• Vegan sweet potato pancakes – For a vegan breakfast, swap out the eggs for 2 flaxseed eggs and use dairy-free milk. Here I am using unsweetened vanilla almond milk, which is also healthy and low calorie.
• Protein sweet potato pancakes – Replace 1/3 cup of flour with protein powder, I recommend vanilla vegan protein powder. For an extra boost of protein, you may even replace 1/3 cup (80 grams) of sweet potato mash with the same amount of Greek yogurt.
• Fall spiced pancakes – Bring more fall vibes to your breakfast by adding pumpkin spice mix and a pinch of nutmeg. For an extra fall twist, you can replace half or all of the sweet potato mash with pumpkin puree.
• Mix ins ideas – For more taste and texture, mix in the pancake batter chopped walnuts and pecans (another great way to use up those Thanksgiving leftovers), raisins, chocolate chips, crunchy seeds, or fresh blueberries.

How to store and freeze pancakes

This sweet potato potato pancakes recipe is perfect for meal prep. Make them ahead and they will keep well both in the fridge and in the freezer.

• To store: Allow the pancakes to cool completely before transferring them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, you can use a pan, hot oven, microwave, or toaster.
• To freeze: Let the pancakes cool first. Once cooled, place them in zipper bags and freeze for up to 2 months. To ensure better freezing, arrange pancakes on a baking tray and freeze for about 2 hours. After freezing, transfer them to a zipper bag and freeze for up to 2 months. To reheat, thaw the pancakes overnight in the refrigerator and warm them in a hot oven or microwave.

More healthy pancakes

• Pumpkin pancakes
• Apple pancakes
• Oat flour pancakes
• Keto pancakes
• Protein pancakes
• Healthy sheet pan pancakes
• Low calorie pancakes