Sweet Potato Biscuits

It’s fall, and that means that I’m working sweet potatoes and pumpkin into everything. Why? They provide a subtle sweetness, a vibrant orange color, and a dose of extra nutrients. And in the case of these Sweet Potato Biscuits, the sweet potatoes keep the biscuits deliciously moist and tender. I think you’ll love these Sweet Potato Biscuits because they’re still super simple to make, and are a fun twist on the usual for your weekend breakfast, or even Thanksgiving dinner.

What do They Taste Like??

They taste like classic biscuits, but with a very subtle earthy sweetness. The small amount of nutmeg in the dough also gives the biscuits a warm, autumn flavor. They’re like regular biscuits, but extra special.

What Do You Serve with Sweet Potato Biscuits?

Because these biscuits are not overwhelmingly sweet, I think they’d go great served in either a sweet or savory meal. They’re great for breakfast, with eggs and sausage, or just smeared with butter and maple syrup (or honey). But they’d also be great as a side dish with a pot roast, chili, pumpkin soup, or even with Thanksgiving dinner.

Can You Freeze Sweet Potato Biscuits?

Absolutely! Biscuits are great for freezing. If you are cooking for yourself and don’t want the challenge of eating ten biscuits in the next few days, feel free to freeze half. You can freeze your sweet potato biscuits either before or after baking. 

To freeze before baking, freeze them first on a parchment lined baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. You can then bake one or more as needed, straight from the freezer. They’ll just need a few extra minutes of bake time.

To freeze after baking, make sure they cool completely to room temperature first. Once cooled, place them in a freezer bag, then toss them in the freezer. They’ll be good in the freezer for about three months.

Do I have to Use a Microwave for the Sweet Potato?

Nope. I used the microwave to cook the sweet potato because it was fast and easy. You can definitely bake the sweet potato, if you like, but that will add about 45 minutes to the time needed to make this recipe (bake 400ºF for about 45 minutes, or until it is soft all the way through). You can also peel, dice, and boil the sweet potato, but keep in mind that this will add a lot more moisture to the biscuit dough, so you may need less milk to make the dough the correct consistency.

Love sweet potatoes? ME TOO! Check out some of my other favorite sweet potato recipes: Baked Sweet Potato fries with Peanut Lime Dressing, Streuseled Sweet Potatoes, Chorizo Sweet Potato Enchiladas, Sweet Potato Casserole Baked Oatmeal, or Sweet Potato Tacos with Lime Crema.

How to Make Sweet Potato Biscuits – Step By Step Photos

Start by pricking a one pound sweet potato several times with a fork. This allows steam to escape the sweet potato as it cooks, which will prevent it from exploding in the microwave.

Place the sweet potato on a microwave-safe plate and cook on high for 5 minutes, or until it is tender all the way through. You can test the sweet potato by poking it again with the fork in its thickest spot. The fork should pierce the sweet potato easily. If it’s still hard in the center, microwave for 1-2 minutes longer. Carefully remove the sweet potato from the microwave (the plate will be HOT). Let it cool slightly.

Carefully scoop one cup of the sweet potato flesh out into a bowl (use a towel to hold the hot sweet potato as you scoop). Mash the sweet potato until it is mostly smooth.

Add one cup of whole milk to the mashed sweet potato, then stir or whisk until it is mostly smooth. A few small chunks of sweet potato are fine.

Begin preheating the oven to 400ºF. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 Tbsp baking powder, 1 Tbsp sugar, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg. Stir the ingredients together until they are very well combined.

Grate one stick (8 Tbsp) of frozen butter into the flour mixture. Stir until the grated butter is well combined with the flour mixture. The small pieces of butter throughout are what will make the biscuits a little flakey.

Pour the milk and sweet potato mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until a cohesive ball of dough forms. Sweet potatoes can vary in their moisture content, so you may need to adjust the flour or milk to get the right texture dough.

The sweet potato biscuit dough should look like this. Shaggy, sticky, but not glossy and wet. No dry flour should be left on the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too dry (lots of little pieces, dry flour left in the bowl), add a tablespoon or two of milk. If the dough is too wet (very sticky or glossy), add some of the reserved flour.

Use some of the reserved flour to liberally dust a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the floured surface and press it down into a 1-inch thick circle. Use a biscuit cutter or glass to cut biscuits out of the dough (my glass was 3 inches in diameter). Gather up the scraps, press it down again, and cut more biscuits. Repeat until no more biscuits can be cut.

Place the biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown.

Serve the sweet potato biscuits while warm. The golden brown color can be kind of masked by their orange hue, so make sure to check closely as you get close to 20 minutes! 

I like mine with butter (yes, more butter) and just a little maple syrup for extra autumn-y goodness.