Sweet Potato Biscuits

There is a small bakery in our Atlanta neighborhood that makes the kind of biscuits people talk about. The real Southern kind. My husband and I often walk there on Sunday mornings and treat ourselves to a warm breakfast.

The owner, a true Southern belle, changes the menu with the seasons. As soon as the leaves start turning, sweet potato biscuits make their appearance. They are so popular that locals wait for them, and they usually sell out before ten in the morning. With a following like that, you would think she would make more, but she never does.

One weekend when we did not make it there on time, I came home a little disappointed and decided to try making my own version. After a few trials, I ended up with something very close to hers. 

Here is why I love this recipe:

• The mashed sweet potato adds a gentle sweetness that feels slightly sweet but still light and fluffy.
• You can shape and freeze the dough, so warm biscuits are always within reach, whether for a holiday meal or a simple weeknight dinner.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You only need six simple ingredients to make these flaky sweet potato biscuits. The exact measurements are in the recipe card below, but here are some important notes from my testing (plus a few substitution ideas):

Flour: I use standard all-purpose flour because it gives these biscuits the right balance of structure and tenderness. If you prefer a slightly lighter texture, you can swap in ½ cup of pastry flour for part of the all-purpose flour.

Sweet potato: You’ll need 1 cup of cooled mashed sweet potato (also called sweet potato puree), which is usually from 1 large potato or 2 medium ones. For the best texture, I prefer baking my sweet potato rather than boiling it, as boiling adds more moisture and can make the dough stickier and harder to work with. 

Baking powder: While 4 teaspoons might look like a lot, I promise it’s exactly what these biscuits need to rise and stay airy. 

Make sure your baking powder is fresh; anything older than 6 months won’t give the same lift. A good way to test freshness is to drop ½ tsp into warm water; if it fizzes immediately, it should still be fresh.

Butter: I used European-style unsalted butter, which has a higher fat content and creates extra flakiness, but regular unsalted butter works as well. Make sure that it is cold, as using cold butter is what gives you those beautiful visible layers. Also, do yourself a favor and cut it into smaller pieces to make mixing easier.

Buttermilk: This is what adds moisture and helps the dough come together. Using buttermilk is essential because its acidity activates the baking powder, making the biscuits rise higher.

Variations 

While I used six simple ingredients, you can easily adjust the flavors depending on how you plan to serve these buttermilk sweet potato biscuits. Here are a few variations you can try:

• Sweet version: If you want the biscuits to lean more toward dessert, add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg. These additions will promote the sweetness in the sweet potato, giving it a dessert-like taste.
• Savory version: When I make these sweet potato biscuits for Thanksgiving, I usually mix in 1-2 teaspoons of very finely chopped fresh thyme, black pepper, or a pinch of smoked paprika. It pairs wonderfully with turkey and most holiday vegetable sides.

How to Cook Sweet Potatoes for Biscuits

Before you start mixing the dough, you’ll need 1 cup of cooled mashed sweet potato. You can cook your sweet potato several different ways, and each method gives slightly different results. 

Here’s what I found while testing:

Baked: Roasting your sweet potatoes in the oven yields the best flavor and adds the least excess liquid, which is ideal for this recipe. Because there’s little moisture, the dough comes together easily and stays flaky when it’s baked. Baking sweet potatoes also caramelizes them slightly and enhances their sweetness.

Microwaved: If you’re short on time, microwaving is the quickest way to soften a sweet potato. Simply pierce it several times with a fork, place it on a microwave-safe plate, and cook for 5-8 minutes, turning halfway through, until completely tender. Though keep in mind that there is a direct correlation between the size of the potato and the cook time.

Boiled: While you technically can use boiled sweet potatoes, I do not recommend it, as the sweet potato mash will be softer and have a little more moisture. 

Still, if you have to use boiled sweet potatoes, I recommend adding 1-2 tablespoons of flour while folding the dough until it feels workable and no longer sticky.

Once your sweet potato is cooked, peel it and mash it until completely smooth. I usually use a fork or a potato masher; just make sure there are no lumps.

How to Make Sweet Potato Biscuits (Step by Step)

Once you have your ingredients ready, this sweet potato biscuits recipe comes together quickly. Here’s how I make it:

Step 1 – Preheat the oven: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

I intentionally went with a slightly lower oven temperature (compared to most recipes, which bake at 400°F to 425°F) because a lower temperature prevents over-browning, as sweet potatoes cook and brown faster.

Step 2 – Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. 

Step 3 – Cut in the cold butter: Add the cold, cubed butter into the dry flour mixture and work it in with a pastry cutter or the back of a fork until the pieces are the size of peas.

Step 4 – Add the sweet potato and buttermilk: Gently mix in the mashed sweet potato and buttermilk with a wooden spoon.

Step 5 – Fold the dough: Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently pat it into a rectangle. Fold it in half, rotate, and repeat this 2-3 times. This step is crucial because each fold adds more layers of butter and dough, which bake into tall, flaky biscuits.

Step 6 – Shape and cut the biscuits: Form the dough into a rectangle about 1 to 1½ inches thick. Use a round biscuit cutter (I use a 2-inch cutter) and press straight down. A good way to prevent the biscuit cutter from sticking to the dough is to dip it in flour before using it. Also, as you cut the dough, you’ll be left with scraps; gather them and repeat the process until you run out.

Step 7 – Chill the dough: Transfer the sweet potato biscuits to the prepared sheet pan, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

While it is optional, I  highly recommend placing the shaped biscuits into the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes before baking. Doing so will help firm the butter and give you a better rise.

Step 8 – Bake: Transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake the biscuits for 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown and the sides look set. When done, resist the urge to dive in right away, as letting them cool for 5 minutes or so helps them set.

How to Make Ahead, Store, and Freeze These Biscuits

To make ahead: If you’re planning for a holiday meal or simply want to get a head start, you can prepare the biscuits a day in advance.

Simply shape and cut the biscuits as usual, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. 

Storing leftovers: I’ll be honest, these biscuits taste best when they are freshly baked. However, you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing: I highly recommend freezing them before baking for the best texture and that dreamy, thick, flaky rise. Simply place the cut biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then transfer them to a freezer bag, remove as much air as possible, and seal it tightly. They keep well for up to 3 months and can be baked straight from frozen. Just add 2-3 extra minutes to the bake time.

You can technically freeze the already-baked biscuits using this method, but be aware that they will likely not have the flaky texture (and layers) when thawed and reheated.

Reheating: For the best texture, I recommend re-heating the biscuits in the oven. Place them in a 325 °F (163 °C) oven for about 10 minutes, or until heated through. This brings back their soft centers and crisp edges without drying them out.

Expert Tips for Flaky Biscuits Every Time

Use cold ingredients: It is imperative that all of your ingredients are cold. Keep your butter, sweet potato mash, and buttermilk cold right up until the moment they are mixed in for the tender and flaky biscuits.

Roast your sweet potato ahead of time: For the best texture, I recommend roasting it a day in advance and storing it in the refrigerator. Using a cold sweet potato will help your dough stay firm and will prevent the butter from softening. It is also a great time saver, as the most time-consuming part of this recipe is cooking the sweet potato.

Be gentle with the dough: Mix just until the dough holds together; overmixing develops the gluten and can lead to not-so-flaky, rather dense biscuits.

Don’t toss your scraps: After cutting the first round, gather the scraps and gently press them back into a uniform layer. This will give you a few extra biscuits.

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Sweet Potato Biscuits Recipe

5 from 9 votes

By: Aysegul Sanford

Yields12 biscuits

Prep Time50 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Resting time30 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 35 minutes mins

Recipe for the best flaky and light sweet potato biscuits. Made with buttermilk these easy sweet potato flour biscuits are just as good as grandmas. They are made in one bowl and with only 6 ingredients. They can be baked right away or frozen to bake later. Serve them as a side dish with soups, stews or just by themselves with butter on the side.

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the workspace
• ▢ 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• ▢ 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato, from 1 large sweet potato
• ▢ ½ cup buttermilk, cold

US Customary – Metric

Instructions 

• Pre-heat the oven to 375 °F (190 °C) degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a bowl. 
• Add in the unsalted butter. Using the back of a fork or a dough cutter cut the butter into the flour until butter pieces resemble peas. 
• Add in the mashed sweet potato. Pour in the buttermilk.
• Give it a mix with a wooden spoon. (See note 1)
• Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently knead until the dough is fully mixed and slightly sticky.  
• Shape it into a 1 to 1 ½ inch thick rectangular.
• Cut rounds using a biscuit cutter (I used a 2-inch biscuit cutter).  Gather the remaining scraps and repeat until all the dough is used. 
• Transfer the biscuits onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. (See note 2)
• Bake for 15 minutes. When done, remove from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Video

Notes

• Yields: This recipe makes 12 sweet potato biscuits when using a 2-inch round cutter. The nutritional values are per biscuit.
• Note 1: At this stage, it might feel like you need more liquid but resist the urge to add in more. Believe me, it will come together beautifully as you continue to mix.
• Note 2:  If you have time, I highly recommend covering the biscuits with stretch film and letting them cool in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking for those flaky layers. 
• Make ahead: You can make biscuits as written, place them in a parchment-lined sheet pan, cover tightly with stretch film, and keep them in the fridge a day before you are ready to bake/serve them. 
• Storing leftovers: While these biscuits are best on the day that they are baked, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.  You can reheat them in a low-heat oven at 325 °F (163 °C) before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 147mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4676IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Tried this recipe?Mention @foolproofliving or tag #foolproofeats!

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Biscuits

You can pair these biscuits with just about anything you’d normally serve with bread. I tend to save them for special occasions like Thanksgiving because they feel a little more special than a plain butter biscuit. Below are a few of my favorite pairings:

As a Thanksgiving side: These biscuits pair beautifully with Thanksgiving classics like Roasted Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Wild Rice Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, and Turkey Gravy.  

With soup and stew: It is no secret that biscuits and soup are such a classic pairing. You can serve them with a heartwarming Beef Barley Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup, or even Vegetable Beef Soup for a filling winter dinner.

With butter: Serve them warm with any of your favorite spreads. Warm butter is a classic pairing, but maple butter, honey butter, or whipped cinnamon butter make these biscuits feel extra cozy.

For sandwiches: These biscuits make great little sandwiches. If you have leftover turkey or ham, cut the biscuits in half, add some butter or mustard, and make mini leftover turkey sliders. You can also make breakfast sandwiches with a classic ham and egg combo. They’re simple, delicious, and always crowd-pleasing.

Other Homemade Biscuit Recipes You Might Like

• My Whole Wheat Biscuits recipe is another staple in my weekly rotation. A great option for bread, it is just as flaky but offers a more earthy flavor profile thanks to whole wheat flour.
• If you need a gluten-free option, then my Almond Flour Biscuits is the recipe I recommend. It is made with five simple ingredients, and they’re naturally low-carb, paleo, and keto-friendly.