Sweet potato muffins? Yes, please. Any day of the week, I welcome these to my table! With warm spices, sweet potatoes, and tons of fall flavor, these muffins are my go-to when I am ready to embrace autumn and its goodness in my kitchen.
This recipe has been in my arsenal and on this website for over a decade. It was first published in 2014. I know this does not make us any younger, but I could not resist giving it a fresh new look and re-introducing it to you.
Imagine biting into sweet, soft muffins that are rich in flavor and have melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chips. I am telling you, those muffins will leave you wanting more and become your family favorite. You will never believe sweet potatoes could create such a fantastic muffin recipe.
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In this Article
- Subscribe to Cooking Canva!
- Why you will love this recipe
- Ingredients needed to make this recipe
- Equipment Needed
- Why do I suggest parchment paper and muffin paper liners?
- Step-by-step instructions on how to make these delicious muffins
- Pro Tips
- What dishes can you enjoy with these muffins?
- Variations and Substitutions
- Storing and Reheating
- Frequently Asked Questions
- If you enjoyed these muffins, you might like some of my other sweet baked goods recipes.
- VIDEO: COOK ALONG WITH ME
- Sweet Potatoes Muffins
I only advise you to wait until they are cool before enjoying them. However tempting it may be to take a bite, trust me, the chocolate chips will burn you.
Why you will love this recipe
It’s so easy – there are no fancy techniques or equipment here! This sweet potato muffin recipe is straightforward, with a handful of simple steps.
Different – I love your typical muffins like blueberry, apple, and banana, but I also like to make flavors that aren’t as common and this one fits the bill!
Flavorful – These muffins are chock-full of flavor, with sweet potatoes, bright orange juice, and warm cinnamon.
The ingredients are simple – You probably have many of the ingredients in your pantry already, but if you don’t, they’re easy to find at the grocery store.
Ingredients needed to make this recipe
This is a short introduction. The ingredient list is also brief. It includes essential items that you may already have in your pantry. Please read the recipe for complete instructions.
Unbleached All Purpose Flour – This gives the structure of the muffin.
Baking Powder – As a leavening agent, the powder helps the muffins to rise.
Salt – This brings out all of the flavors of the other ingredients.
Sugar – A little granulated sugar helps to sweeten these muffins up.
Cinnamon – This warm spice pairs perfectly with the potatoes.
Orange Juice – A little citrus brightens up the muffins.
Egg – Always use large egg when baking.
Olive Oil – Using olive oil is the trick for making moist muffins. While it is my favorite, if you don’t have it handy you can also use vegetable oil or coconut oil.
Sweet Potatoes – Be sure to cook these ahead of time so that they’re ready to use for the recipe.
Chocolate Chips – Add a little sweetness with your favorite variety of chocolate chips. Or, you can leave them out if you prefer.
Sanding Sugar – Use the sugar to decorate the muffins. This step can be optional, but it sure tastes fabulous hen you bite into your muffins.
Equipment Needed
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Sheet pan – to bake the sweet potatoes
Muffin paper liners – my favorite, too as they are so much easier to make, do not stick to the pan, and are easier to grab and enjoy.
Mixing bowls
Why do I suggest parchment paper and muffin paper liners?
Let’s face it: no one wants to clean up a pan, and I am first online to make my life easier in the kitchen.
Parchment paper is a must anytime you roast something that you know will stick. In this case, once the potatoes are pierced, they will release their natural sweet juice, and it will, with certainty, stick to your roasting pan. Clean-up is a bit of a hurdle, at least to me. Therefore, the paper will eliminate any extra cleaning.
Why the muffin paper liners? Simple. They eliminate the need to butter your muffin pan and any risk of half of your muffin sticking to the side or bottom of your pan. It’s a must if you bake. They come in all colors, and the seasonal ones are so pretty that I add some to my pantry every year.
Step-by-step instructions on how to make these delicious muffins
This recipe is quite simple to prepare. With all my recipes, please assemble all the ingredients before starting cooking and baking.
Start with the sweet potatoes.
- Wash and poke your sweet potatoes, then place them on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake in the middle of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until soft to the touch.
- Bake the sweet potatoes. Once they have cooled slightly, use a vegetable peeler or make an incision with your knife to remove the skin and place the rest in a dish.
- Smash them to reduce them to a pulp and remove as much as possible any chunks.
Now, the main ingredients for your muffins
- Combine the flour, baking soda, sugar, cinnamon, and chocolate chips in a separate large mixing bowl.
- Stir the cooked and mashed sweet potatoes, orange juice, beaten egg, and oil into the dry ingredients. Mix well until all blended and no flour is visible.
- Line the muffin tin wells with muffin cups and fill them evenly with the muffin batter.
- Add the sanding sugar to the tops of the muffins and bake until they pass the toothpick test.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin pans before serving at room temperature.
Pro Tips
- For the best results, always start with room-temperature ingredients when baking.
- Avoid filling the muffin cups too high to allow for them to rise.
- Be sure to mix only as much batter as necessary. Overmixing can result in dense muffins.
- Always use the toothpick test even if your muffins look ready from the outside.
What dishes can you enjoy with these muffins?
These muffins are sweet little treats you can enjoy as-is or with a spread like cream cheese or apple butter. You can also serve them alongside other breakfast dishes like an omelet or Italian fruit smoothie.
They also pair well with soups, especially those with fall flavors like cream of carrot soup or roasted cauliflower soup.
Variations and Substitutions
- Swap out the sweet potatoes and use canned pumpkin instead.
- Try folding crushed nuts into the batter. Pecans and walnuts both work well.
- To make the muffins gluten-free, use a 1:1 alternative. Or you can experiment with other alternatives like almond flour.
- Use a little vanilla extract or a dash of pumpkin pie spice for an even warmer aroma.
- Instead of sanding sugar, top the muffins with a maple syrup-infused frosting or a streusel topping.
- Try using coconut sugar for an unrefined sweetener that can add a little nuanced flavor.
Storing and Reheating
Keep these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer storage, wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and freeze them for up to 3 months.
I do not recommend freezing them as they will become mushy once returned to room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does baking sweet potato increase sugar?
Sweet potatoes have their own natural sweetness, of course, and baking them does increase their sugar content.
Are baked sweet potatoes healthier than regular potatoes?
Baked sweet potatoes have significantly more Vitamin A than regular white potatoes.
Are yams and sweet potatoes the same?
Yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. The texture of yams more closely resembles white potatoes and they do not have the same sweetness as sweet potatoes.
Is sweet potato a vegetable or a fruit?
Sweet potatoes are a root vegetable.
If you enjoyed these muffins, you might like some of my other sweet baked goods recipes.
VIDEO: COOK ALONG WITH ME
Sweet Potatoes Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 egg, beaten
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 2 sweet potatoes, or 1 pound combined
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- sanding sugar, for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Wash and pierce the sweet potato with a fork. Place it on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until soft.
- Remove from the oven and peel them. Place the meat into a dish, smash it to reduce to a no-chunk pulp, and let it cool.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, cinnamon, and chocolate chips.
- Add to the dry ingredients the orange juice, sweet potatoes, egg and oil and mix well.
- Place muffin cups in the pan and pour the mix onto the cup holder rim.
- Sprinkle sanding sugar and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Pro Tips
- For the best results, always start with room-temperature ingredients when baking.
- Avoid filling the muffin cups too high to allow for them to rise.
- Be sure to mix only as much batter as necessary. Overmixing can result in dense muffins.
- Always use the toothpick test even if your muffins look ready from the outside.
Nutrition
Cooking Canva provides nutritional information, but these figures should be considered estimates, as a registered dietician does not calculate them.
- Course: Desserts
- Cuisine: American
- Occasion: Thanksgiving, Christmas
- Season: Fall, Winter
- Type: Affordable Gourmet, Videos
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Originally published on March 9, 2014.
steve
these were awesome!! you will definitely enjoy them.
Teana Allen
I am so happy you enjoyed them. Thank you for your feedback.
Bon Appetit!