One-Bowl Sweet Potato Cornbread

Name: One-Bowl Sweet Potato Cornbread
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato* (see cooking suggestions below); 1 cup milk of choice; 3 Tablespoons avocado oil (or melted butter); ⅓ cup light brown sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 cup yellow cornmeal; ¾ cup white whole wheat flour (or 1 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour blend); 1 Tablespoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon salt

by Taesha Butler on September 25, 2023

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5 from 13 votes

This sweet potato cornbread is tender, perfectly moist, lighten sweetened, and a delicious addition to any dinner spread and pairs perfectly with a bowl of veggie-loaded chili. Mixed up in one bowl and done baking in 25 minutes, this recipe is sure to be your new favorite cornbread.

Cut pieces of sweet potato cornbread in a baking dish lined with parchment paper on a white table. There is a measuring cup filled with cornmeal, a cooked sweet potato, a beige and white linen napkin, and a serving spatula set off to the side on the table as well.

As soon as there was a hint of cool weather in the air, I found myself in my kitchen playing around with all the delicious ways to add seasonal veggies to less than conventional recipes.

You see, I have plenty of experience veggie-loading chilis and soups (among many other things!), but I consider finding tasty ways to incorporate veggies in the unexpected ways to be my true superpower in the kitchen. And boy, did I ever with this sweet potato cornbread recipe!

This sweet potato cornbread serves up all the cozy fall feels thanks its tender crumb, classic cornbread heartiness, and the flavor from the added cup of sweet potato. (Check out my 3 favorite ways to cook sweet potatoes!). A bit of light brown sugar—much less than most traditional cornbread recipes—rounds out the sweetness of this side without sacrificing flavor. I opted for a mixture of white whole wheat flour and cornmeal to keep the cornbread texture consistent with what you’d expect—with some added heartiness. This cornbread is also naturally nut-free, and can easily be made gluten-free, egg-free, and dairy-free with a few adaptations. This recipe makes a batch of 9 squares, is mixed in one bowl, and takes 30 minutes to bake. After trying this cornbread, you will wish it was soup season all year long!

My 3 favorite ways to cook sweet potatoes:

In the oven: Super Easy Oven Baked Sweet Potatoes
In the slow cooker: Crockpot Butternut Squash
In the Instant Pot: 35-Minute Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes

This recipe is…

Vegetarian and nut free. It can also easily be made gluten free, egg-free, and dairy-free with some adaptations. See “suggested adaptations” section below.

Ingredients for sweet potato cornbread on a table before being made into muffins. — **Ingredients:** mashed sweet potato, milk of choice, avocado oil or melted butter, light brown sugar, eggs, yellow cornmeal, white whole wheat flour or all-purpose or gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt

How to make this cornbread: a step-by-step visual guide

Wet ingredients for sweet potato cornbread in a white bowl. There is sweet potato, milk, oil, brown sugar, and eggs in the bowl. — In a large bowl, whisk together the sweet potato, milk, oil, brown sugar, and eggs.

Wet ingredients for sweet potato cornbread mixed together in a bowl with a whisk. — Add the cornmeal and flour, then sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the top (so it mixes in more evenly). Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Cornmeal, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt on top of the wet ingredients for sweet potato cornbread in a white mixing bowl. — Add the cornmeal and flour, then sprinkle the baking powder, baking soda, and salt over the top (so it mixes in more evenly).

A wooden spoon stirring together the batter for sweet potato cornbread in a white mixing bowl. — Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated.

Batter for sweet potato cornbread being poured into a white square baking dish. — Pour the batter into a prepared 9-inch square baking pan or skillet and spread into an even layer.

A white square baking dish filled with the batter for sweet potato cornbread before being baked. — Bake at 375 degree until golden brown and cooked through (a toothpick or tip of a knife poked into the center of the bread comes out with a few moist crumbs), 25 to 30 minutes.

Sweet potato cornbread in a white baking dish on a cooling rack sitting on a white table. There is a measuring cup filled with cornmeal, a cooked sweet potato, a beige and white linen napkin, and a knife set off to the side on the table as well. — If you have a kitchen thermometer, bake until your cornbread are 200℉ in the center. This will ensure they are cooked through but aren’t over baked, which can result in a dry bake.

Suggested Adaptations

Make it easy on yourself: You can use a canned sweet potato (or pumpkin) puree for this recipe. Since canned puree usually has more liquid than homemade, reduce the milk in the recipe to ¾ cup.
Leave out the dairy: Use an unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk instead of the dairy milk called for in the recipe.
Need gluten-free? Replace the white whole wheat flour in this recipe with 1 cup of 1:1 gluten free flour blend for a gluten-free cornbread.

How to store this cornbread

This sweet potato cornbread can be covered and stored on the counter in an airtight container for up to two days, but if you plan to enjoy this nourishing side dish (or snack!) a bit longer, it’s best to store in the fridge for up to four to five days.

You can also freeze this cornbread for up to three months when stored in an airtight freezer safe container. I prefer freezing cornbread in individual squares rather than the whole batch altogether. This way, you can warm up as much as you like without any waste! To reheat, I like to thaw on the countertop or in the fridge overnight. Then, pop the cornbread in a 350 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes (check frequently to make sure it doesn’t burn) or until warmed through. And enjoy all season long!

Sweet potato cornbread in a white baking dish on a cooling rack sitting on a white table. Cornbread is being sliced into nine squares using a knife. There is a measuring cup filled with cornmeal, a cooked sweet potato, and a beige and white linen napkin set off to the side on the table as well. — Allow the bread to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares.

What to serve with this Hearty Cornbread…

Did you try this One-Bowl Sweet Potato Cornbread and now you’re hungry for more?

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Cut pieces of sweet potato cornbread in a metal baking pan lined with parchment paper on a white table. There is a measuring cup filled with cornmeal, a cooked sweet potato, and a beige and white linen napkin set off to the side on the table as well.