You know how some cornbread is dry and crumbly? And others lean so sweet they basically taste like cake? Well, this sweet potato cornbread lands happily right in the middle. Moist and tender thanks to a full cup of mashed sweet potato, lightly sweetened with brown sugar, and made in one bowl with just the right amount of cozy cornmeal texture in every bite. It’s the kind of easy side dish that absolutely begs to be served next to a steaming bowl of chili or your favorite comfort soup.

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.
Sweet potato filled cornbread is the perfect savory-slightly-sweet pairing for all your hearty stews and favorite comfort soups.

The sweet potato cornbread that is perfect for those chilly nights..

The second there’s even the tiniest hint of cool weather in the air, I immediately start thinking about allllllll the hearty, cozy dinners I’m going to make. Specifically, anything I can ladle into a bowl. Chili and soups simmering away on the stove, filling the house with their bold aromatics and comforting flavors, with a hunk of cornbread on the side strictly for dunking purposes. And while I love classic cornbread, I’ve found a lot of recipes either lean disappointingly dry or oddly dessert-like. This sweet potato cornbread is very much my happy middle ground.

I love adding sweet potato to baked goods (looking at you, sweet potato muffins) because it brings a really lovely natural sweetness and moisture without making things feel heavy (plus, of course, a little veggie-loading bonus). The mashed sweet potato keeps this cornbread tender and soft, while it has the perfect amount of brown sugar to round out the flavors, while having about half the added sugar of traditional cornbread recipes. The whole batter comes together in one bowl and bakes in about 25 minutes, and reheats beautifully…so you can make a batch ahead of time and dunk it in all the veggie load soups all week long.

And if you love the moisture and subtle sweetness vegetables bring to baked goods like I do, my pumpkin cornbread is another cozy version that leans a little less sweet but just as comforting and is even a touch easier to make since it uses canned pumpkin puree.

Let’s make this cornbread together. Just you and me…

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. Whisk in.
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.
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.
A white square baking dish filled with the batter for sweet potato cornbread before being baked.
Spread into an even layer.
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.
Bake until golden brown.
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.
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.
4.97 from 30 votes

Moist Sweet Potato Cornbread (One-Bowl)

Yield: 9 pieces
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Cuisine: American
Course: Side Dish
Author: Taesha Butler
You know how some cornbread is dry and crumbly? And others lean so sweet they basically taste like cake? Well, this sweet potato cornbread lands happily right in the middle. Moist and tender thanks to a full cup of mashed sweet potato, lightly sweetened with brown sugar, and made in one bowl with just the right amount of cozy cornmeal texture in every bite. It’s the kind of easy side dish that absolutely begs to be served next to a steaming bowl of chili or your favorite comfort soup.
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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

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan or cast iron skillet.
  •  In a large bowl, whisk together the sweet potato, milk, oil, brown sugar, and eggs.
  • 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.
  •  Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan or skillet and spread into an even layer.
  • Bake 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.
    TIP: 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.
  • Allow the bread to cool for at least 15 minutes before cutting into squares.
  •  Leftover bread can be covered and stored at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Notes

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 any 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. 
Suggested ways for baking your sweet potato for this recipe
Serving: 1piece, Calories: 216kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 43mg, Sodium: 371mg, Potassium: 181mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 2183IU, Vitamin C: 0.4mg, Calcium: 135mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutritional information provided here is only an estimate shared for convenience and as a courtesy. Information will vary based on ingredients + brands used to create the recipe.