Sweet Potato Cornbread

Name: Sweet Potato Corn Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup whole milk (best if at room temp); 1 egg (best if at room temp); 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/2 cup sweet potato puree (flesh of 1 small sweet potato, mashed up); 1/4 cup butter, softened; 1 1/4 cups cornmeal; 1 cup all-purpose flour (sub: gluten-free 1:1 baking flour); 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt

★★★★★ 5 /5

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By: Polly ConnerPosted: 11/21/22Updated: 2/2/23

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This sweet potato cornbread recipe is so easy to make, incredibly delicious, and includes sneaky nutrition.

Cornbread is a classic side dish that almost all ages enjoy. Similar to our Make Ahead Breakfast Cake and our Chocolate Sweet Potato Banana Bread, we have snuck a powerhouse ingredient into the batter without altering the flavor: sweet potato!

Ingredients in Sweet Potato Corn Bread

You likely have all of these ingredients in your pantry already!

Butter
Whole milk
Egg
Brown sugar
Sweet potato puree – Microwave or bake a sweet potato, scoop out the flesh, and mash it up. Or, you can buy canned sweet potato puree.
Cornmeal
All-purpose flour – Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour will also work.
Baking powder
Salt

Sweet potato corn bread stacked on a plate

How to Make Sweet Potato Corn Bread

Like many baked goods, in this cornbread recipe, you will mix the dry ingredients together first and set them aside.

Dry ingredients for sweet potato corn bread in glass bowl

After mixing the wet ingredients together, you will combine them with the dry ones to create the batter. Spread the batter evenly into a prepared metal baking pan.

Baking Tip

If using a glass baking dish, add a few extra minutes to the baking time.

sweet potato corn bread batter in a baking dish

Bake that delicious cornbread and confirm that it’s done by checking to see if a toothpick comes out clean from the middle.

Baked sweet potato corn bread in a metal dish

Questions about Cornbread

Can you taste the sweet potato?

If you fully cook and puree the sweet potato, you really don’t taste it very much in the cornbread. The best way I can describe it is that it adds a hint of sweetness and fall flavor that you won’t find in a classic cornbread recipe.

It blends in perfectly with the batter and you get some extra nutrition!

Can you make it in a square pan?

Yep! This recipe works fine in either shaped pan. If you use a square pan, cut the cornbread into squares instead of triangles.

Can you make it without the sweet potato?

If you don’t have a sweet potato on hand, no worries. This recipe will work fine without it. It will bake a little faster so check for doneness around 15 minutes.

How to Freeze Cornbread

Cornbread can be stored in the freezer. Keep in mind that it will get a touch dried out through freezing and thawing, so be sure to serve with butter and honey!

To Freeze For Later: Bake cornbread just until done. Cool completely. Cover the baking dish tightly in a few layers of foil or plastic wrap, pressing as much air out as you can.

To Prepare From Frozen: Thaw on the counter. Warm a slice in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and top with a pat of butter, if desired.

See more freezer friendly recipes here!

sweet potato corn bread prepped for the freezer

Recipes to Serve With Sweet Potato Cornbread

Healthy Turkey Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili (with Sweet Potato and Black Beans)

slow cooked ribs on a cutting board with extra sauce on the side

Crock Pot Ribs

Pumpkin Chili

carved turkey breast on a serving platter with gravy on the side

Easy Roast Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy

Tomato Bisque

Instant Pot Beef Stew

Fried Catfish

Crock Pot Pulled Pork

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews

Sweet Potato Corn Bread

This sweet potato cornbread recipe is so easy to make, yet incredibly delicious. The sweet potato brings fall flavor, additional moisture, and some added nutrition without overpowering the desired, classic cornbread flavor.

Yield: 8 servings 1x

Prep: 15 minutesCook: 20 minutesTotal: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

1 cup whole milk (best if at room temp)
1 egg (best if at room temp)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sweet potato puree (flesh of 1 small sweet potato, mashed up)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour (sub: gluten-free 1:1 baking flour)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a metal 9 inch baking pan with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, egg, brown sugar, sweet potato puree, and butter. Whisk together the ingredients until fully incorporated. If the butter starts to coagulate, that’s ok as long as it’s evenly mixed in throughout the batter.
In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet. Stir together just until combined but don’t over mix. (Over mixing will produce denser results.) Transfer to the baking pan.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Equipment

9″ Circle Pan

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Glass Measuring Bowl

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Notes/Tips

If using a glass plan, add a few minutes to the baking time.

Gluten-Free Version: Use 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour. Bob’s Red Mill is a brand we like for this product.

Cuisine: American Method: Baking

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.