These mini Healthy Sweet Potato Pancakes are made with simple ingredients you probably already have, are naturally sweetened, the perfect size for little eaters and are a delicious way to get veggies in at breakfast.
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Say hi to Heather!
Heather Staller is not only a dear friend of mine and fellow veggie-lovin’ mama, but a gifted recipe developer! She is the lady behind the amazing site Happy Kids Kitchen, where she shares healthy recipes to not only make for your kids….but WITH your kids. When she is not mommying two young boys, Heather is teaching kids cooking classes and sharing her amazing ideas on Instagram.
Heather is the brains behind this recipe and created it with the hope of helping you get more veggies in at breakfast in a fun and delicious way. And in fact, TNNers, she totally accomplished that with these healthy little sweet potato pancakes!
Health benefits of sweet potato pancakes
If you are wondering why I am so jazzed about these healthy sweet potato pancakes, lets talk about why sweet potatoes are the bee’s knees in the first place!
- fiber. They have oodles of it. Especially when you eat the skin. 1 medium sweet potato has 6 grams of dietary fiber. (source)
- potassium. A good alternative for those of you who can’t eat or don’t like bananas.
- copper. This is an essential metal for making red blood cells and keeping your heart healthy.
- vitamin C. One cup of baked sweet potato 52% of your daily requirements. Move over oranges! (source)
- beta-carotene. Like carrots, sweet potatoes can be great for eye health.
- Manganese. 43% of your daily value of manganese can be found in one cup of baked sweet potato. In fact, manganese is important for brain health.
Why these healthy sweet potato pancakes are awesome!
- They are a delicious way to get veggies in at breakfast in a kid-approved way!
- Also, they are easy to make.
- Perfect to make ahead and reheat for those extra crazy mornings (because real life is unpredictable, especially before coffee).
- They are mini! That makes them a fun finger food to little eaters or extra perfect for lunch boxes or snack time! Pancakes aren’t just for breakfast, after all!
Suggested dipping sauces or toppings for mini healthy sweet potato pancakes
Because pancakes are awesome on their own, but they are always a little better with a little something something on the side to make them extra exciting! If you love a little extra pizzazz with your pancakes, consider pairing these healthy sweet potato pancakes with one of these gems…
- Veggie-loaded applesauce. Another great thing to make ahead and use in lots of different ways, this applesauce is easy to make and adds even more veggies to a veggie-loaded breakfast!
- Plain yogurt sweetened with a little maple syrup. This adds extra protein to the meal and when you sweeten the yogurt yourself, you can control the amount of sugar you add! Most sweetened yogurt have a lot more added sugar than many people would add on their own.
- Homemade whipped cream. Make these pancakes feel like a veggie-loaded treat! Homemade whipped cream (or coconut cream for a dairy-free option) is easy to make and (again) you can control the amount of sweetener you add….which is usually a lot less than the amount of syrup or honey you might pour on top of pancakes.
- Natural nut butter. This is my daughter’s favorite pancake topping and a great way to add healthy fat to breakfast. I like to either warm up nut butter and drizzle it on top or use it to make little pancake sandwiches with it! Unsweetened sunflower seed butter is a great nut-free option.
Suggested adaptations
- Half the batch. If you are making these on a busy weekday morning and don’t want to stand over your stove flipping more mini pancakes then you need right then…half this recipe!
- Sub pumpkin puree or butternut squash puree for sweet potato.
- Make them as larger pancakes. Up the cooking time per side and enjoy them as full-sized pancakes
Tips for making mini Healthy Sweet Potato Pancakes with kids
Talk about the veggies!
If you only measure one thing together, make it the sweet potato! Whether you use canned or homemade sweet potato puree, measuring and adding it to the recipe is a great opportunity for veggie exposure and a chance to talk about the wonderful nutrients and flavor the sweet potato is bringing to the pancake party.
Practice measuring!
Show your child what an accurate measurement looks like. For example, when measuring oats, fill the measuring cup leaving some space at the top then fill it with the oats heaping over the top. The first measurement was “too little” and the second “too much.” This time, measure by taking a big scoop of oats then leveling off the top with a flat hand and show your child that the cup is “full but flat.” Like Goldilocks and the Three Bears: it has to be “just right.” Also tell your child to never “pack” or push the ingredients firmly into a dry measuring cup unless the recipe instructs you to do so.
Talk about stove safety.
There is plenty for younger children to participate in before starting to cook the pancake batter and most likely they will be happy to hand the task over to you after they have helped measure the ingredients, add them to the blender, and help operate the blender. If your child is still interested in helping and you don’t want her up at the stove, have her assigned to another task, like chopping some fruit (with a child-safe knife) or setting the table. If you are comfortable with having a younger child up at the stove with you, show her how to keep one arm down by her side while she holds the scooper or spoon with you to create the little pancakes in the pan.
Other sweet potato recipes you’ve got to try…
- Sweet Potato Peanut Butter Muffins
- Sweet Potato Tots
- Chocolate Sweet Potato Cookies
- Sweet Potato & Salmon Poppers
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Mini Sweet Potato Pancakes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats uncooked. If gluten free is important, make sure the oats are certified gluten free
- 1 tsp baking powder aluminum free suggested
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned sweet potato puree* see below for alternatives
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp flavorless oil plus more for cooking
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- For pancakes, add oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice to a high-speed blender. Blend until oats become a fine powder.
- Add remaining pancake ingredients to the blender and blend until well combined. Stop a few times to scrape the sides of the blender to ensure everything is well mixed.
- Heat a cast iron pan or other skillet over medium-low heat. Use a tablespoon or a small cookie scooper to scoop a scant tablespoon of pancake batter into the pan. Flatten the batter out slightly with the back of the spoon to spread the batter into an even circle. Repeat with batter until you’ve made 5 to 6 small pancakes in your pan.
- Cook until you see small bubbled forming on the top of the pancake and the edges seem dry, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for another 30 seconds to a minute. Place cooked pancakes onto a plate and continue with the remaining batter.
- Enjoy warm with dip of choice. Let cook completely before storing leftovers in an air-tight container in fridge for 4-5 days or in freezer
Notes
- Canned sweet potato puree can be found in many grocery stores. It has a similar consistency to canned pumpkin.
- If you want to cook sweet potato at home, peel and cut the sweet potato into ¼-inch dice. Measure a heaping ½ cup diced sweet potato and steam it until very tender. Cool to room temperature. Add to blender with other pancake ingredients along with a ¼ cup water.
Nutrition
The nutritional information is provided as an estimate only and may vary based on the product type, servings and other factors. If you are following a diet, please consult with a professional nutritionist or your doctor. Stay healthy!
Could I omit the maple syrup?
Sure!
Have you made these egg free? These sound delicious but my son has an egg allergy
I haven’t but I bet they would work with flax eggs!
Just made these for breakfast and they are perfection! I skipped the maple syrup and added a few blueberries when they cooked. Total repeat!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I love the addition of blueberries
My 1 year old LOVES these. I use Pumpkin and Banana. Even my teenagers gobble these up!
I’m so glad! I love that they whole family gets to enjoy them!
Could you make these into muffins? I made them as pancakes and loved them but was wondering if you could adapt them to muffins?
Oh a fun idea! I’ll have to try!
The perfect breakfast to start any day and make it special 🙂
Whenever I make these they are always a little mushy on the inside. Is this normal? I cook them small and on low. But no matter how long I leave them on the burner they seem to be slightly mushy. My kids love them anyway. I just can’t stand the texture. And I’m assuming they’re fully cooked. Just wondering if the mushiness is normal. Possibly from the sweet potato? I steam my sweet potato from scratch. Thanks
Hm. I haven’t had that issue. I’m wondering if maybe your sweet potato mash/puree is a bit wetter than mine. That can happen, as veggies hold a lot of moisture and it can vary from potato to potato or how it is prepared. Maybe try cutting backing a tad on the sweet potato or a liquid in the recipe to help with the mush factor. So glad the kids love them!
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll try that 😊
Is the ACV for flavor?
It helps to activate the baking soda!