There isn’t always time on busy mornings to have pancakes for breakfast, but on the days there is—like the ones when the kids get up super early!—we love these healthy Sweet Potato Pancakes. They’re made with whole grains, are naturally sweet, and pack a veggie into breakfast.
Healthy Sweet Potato Pancakes
My oldest girl loves to help me cook, standing in the learning tower ready to help stir the batter. I measure everything out, she dumps them into a bowl. I stand watch beside her as she stirs, first with a spoon and almost always eventually with her hands. Do we make a mess? Absolutely. Is it a fun way to start the day? Always. (Plus, the vacuum is never far away to help with cleaning up all of the flour on the floor.) And these Sweet Potato Pancakes, which started as a way to use up some lingering produce, are one of our favorite ways to enjoy pancakes.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pancakes Step-by-Step
Here’s a look at the process involved in making these pancakes.
- Measure out 1/2 cup of the mashed sweet potato.
- Add all ingredients to a blender except the flour and blend until smooth. Stir in the flour. The batter should be pourable but thick.
- Heat a nonstick or cast iron pan or griddle over medium-heat. Add a sliver of butter, let melt, swirl to cover pan and cook batter, about 2 tablespoons at a time, for 3-4 minutes per side or until set and lightly brown. The pancakes should be mostly set and you should see little bubbles around the edges before you turn them over. The best way to ensure that they cook all the way through is to make sure they are thin. Lower the heat a smidge if needed for your pan and stove. (Y0u can spoon them out with a spoon if needed, or pour them straight from the blender.)
- Add more butter and repeat to cook the rest of the pancakes. Serve warm.
Can I make these gluten free?
Yes! I use a gluten-free flour blend, but you can use whole wheat flour if you prefer. Either way will have similar results, so you can tailor how you make the pancakes to the needs of your family.
Can I store leftover pancakes for later?
Absolutely! Just let them cool fully and store in an airtight container or storage bag in the fridge or freezer. In the fridge, you can store them for up to 3 days, in the freezer, 3 months. Warm for 15-30 seconds in the microwave, turning over halfway through.
What if I don’t have a blender?
Simply mash the potatoes well and stir into the rest of the batter. The batter won’t be quite as smooth, but it will work well!
How to Prepare Sweet Potato for Pancakes
There are two ways to cook the sweet potato for this recipe, depending on whether you decide to make them ahead or not. Either place it on a foil-lined pie plate or baking sheet, poke holes with a paring knife, and roast for about an hour at 400 degrees F. Or, peel and dice the sweet potato and place in a heat-proof bowl (a 4-cup glass measuring cup works well) and cover with about 2 inches of water. Cook in the microwave until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Let cool slightly. Drain and mash lightly with the back of a spoon. Let cool slightly.
Sweet Potato Pancakes for Baby
These pancakes are moist and when served in small pieces, are a great breakfast for babies. It’s also a nice way to introduce a more bread-like texture in a format they can move more easily in their mouths—the sweet potato helps make these pancakes very soft and easy to chew.
Tips for Making the Best Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Make sure that the sweet potato is very well cooked, so it mashed easily, and cooled at least slightly.
- Spread the batter thin, about 1/2-inch thick or a smidge thinner. This will help that they cook through.
- Let the batter cook long enough in the pan to set around the edges and slightly towards the center, and that you see bubbles. This will ensure that the center cooks all the way through. Depending on your stovetop and pan, you may need to turn the heat down to medium-low to ensure that the batter cooks all the way through without burning.
- If using whole wheat flour, be sure not to run the blender too long—just long enough to make the ingredients smooth. This will help the pancakes stay light and fluffy.
Between the three of us, we ate nearly the entire batch topped with banana, a little syrup, and some peanut butter. And while I don’t advocate sneaking veggies into kids food because I want my girl to know what I’m serving her, it was fun to offer her a familiar and beloved food with a little extra nutrition tucked within.
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I heat the oven to 200 F and keep the cooked pancakes warm on a baking sheet while I finish the batch, though you could also serve them as you go. (This recipe was updated 8/10/18 to ensure that the batter cooks through.)
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 cup gluten free or whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or neutral oil, plus more for cooking
Instructions
- To cook the sweet potato, either place it on a foil-lined pie plate or baking sheet, poke holes with a paring knife, and roast for about an hour at 400 degrees F. Or, peel and dice the sweet potato and place in a heat-proof bowl (a 4-cup glass measuring cup works well) and cover with about 2 inches of water. Cook in the microwave until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Let cool slightly. Drain and mash lightly with the back of a spoon. Let cool slightly.
- Measure out 1/2 cup of the mashed sweet potato.
- Add all ingredients to a blender except the flour and blend until smooth. Add the flour and stir in to combine. The batter should be pourable, but thick. (If you don’t have a blender, simply stir together the ingredients. The batter won’t be quite as smooth, but it works fine too.)
- Heat a nonstick or cast iron pan or griddle over medium-heat. Add a sliver of butter, let melt, and swirl to cover pan. Add a small amount of batter, about 2 tablespoons at a time, and spread the batter thin, about 1/2-inch thick or a smidge thinner. This will help that they cook through. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until set and lightly brown. The pancakes should be mostly set and you should see little bubbles around the edges before you turn them over. Add more butter and repeat to cook the rest of the pancakes.
- Serve warm with syrup, nut butter, or yogurt.
Notes
Variations:
Use plain yogurt in place of the milk.
Add 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans.
Serve as sandwiches with cream cheese or nut butter between two pancakes.
I started these tonight so we could combine everything in the morning. What parts can/do you make ahead of time? Amateur hour question up next: I’m supposed to drain and mash the potatoes, right?
And, while I have you: How do you freeze your muffins? I was individually wrapping in foil, which seemed excessive, but then I just stuck them in a Ziploc bag in the freezer, and they got frosty.
I feel like I need you on speed dial, like the Butterball hotline.
Yes, drain and lightly mash them (sorry for not being more clear about that—it’s updated now).
You can mix the dry ingredients and cook and mash the sweet potato. Then do the rest in the morning. You could probably also actually mix everything but the mashed banana and let it sit in the fridge covered overnight, then add the banana and any extra milk you need to thin the batter out if it gets thick sitting. I have not done that though, so you’d be assuming a tad bit of risk:)
For freezing, I freeze them in zip top freezer bags—the key to preventing them from getting frosty is to get out as much air as possible. Seal the bag except for about 1-inch. Suck the air out with a straw or just your mouth (it doesn’t seem gross when you actually do it!) to mimic vacuum sealing.
I’m here when you need me!
I bow down to you. Maaany thanks! Pancake report TK manana.
What mashed banana? I don’t see banana on the ingredient list anymore.
I just retested and simplified the recipe and removed the banana!
do you freeze them cooked?
My son is an extremely picky eater, but he absolutely loves this!! THANK YOU!
Hooray!!
Hi! This recipe looks great but I don’t have a blender. Could I use a hand-held mixer instead?
You can simply mash the potato well, then stir it into the rest of the ingredients. The batter won’t be quite as smooth but it works well that way too!
I used an electric griddle at 350 F. I couldn’t get the insides to not be mushy. Any suggestions? I even left a couple on long enough to get almost black, and they were still gooey. Thanks!
And thanks for the recipe!
Hi! I am not super familiar with how the heat on electric griddles work but it may need to be a little lower and you may need to try to spread the batter a little thinner so it cooks through before it gets too dark. Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with!