Dry cornbread can ruin an otherwise great meal, but this sweet potato honey cornbread is made to stay soft, tender, and full of flavor. Mashed sweet potatoes add natural moisture and a warm, comforting taste without making the cornbread overly sweet. Honey, buttermilk, sour cream, and melted butter work together to create muffins with a rich crumb and just the right amount of sweetness.
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Here’s the Tea From Brandi
This recipe was tested to be simple, reliable, and approachable, even if homemade cornbread has not always worked well for you in the past. The sweet potatoes help prevent dryness, while the honey butter topping adds flavor and a soft finish. The result is a sweet potato cornbread muffin that works well as a holiday side dish, a Sunday dinner staple, or a cozy addition to a weeknight meal.
Sweet Potato Cornbread Ingredients
- Yellow cornmeal: This gives the muffins their classic cornbread flavor and golden color.
- All-purpose flour: A small amount helps balance the texture.
- Baking powder: This helps the muffins rise.
- Brown sugar or sweetener: Adds sweetness and depth.
- Mashed sweet potatoes: Keep the cornbread moist, tender, and flavorful.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: Add warm spice without overpowering the cornbread.
- Eggs: Help bind the batter.
- Buttermilk: Adds tenderness and a slight tang.
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt: Helps create a soft, moist crumb.
- Honey: Adds natural sweetness and pairs beautifully with sweet potatoes.
- Butter: Adds richness to the batter and the topping.
How to Make Sweet Potato Cornbread
Full measurements are included in the recipe card below. The main key is to mix the batter gently and avoid overbaking the muffins.
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin with butter or oil, or use muffin liners.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar or sweetener, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk the mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, buttermilk, sour cream or Greek yogurt, honey, and melted butter until smooth.
- Combine the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Fill the muffin pan: Spoon or pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Bake: Bake until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Finish with honey butter: Brush the warm muffins with honey butter, then let them cool slightly before serving.
Sweet Potato Honey Cornbread Recipe
Brandi Crawford
This sweet potato honey cornbread recipe makes soft, moist muffins with classic cornmeal flavor, warm spice, and a sweet honey butter topping. It is a great side dish for Southern dinners, holiday meals, and comfort food spreads.
Equipment
- Muffin tin
- Cast iron skillet
- 8×8 baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 cups yellow cornmeal
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup brown sugar or sweetener
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups cooked, mashed or pureed sweet potatoes, cooled
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Butter or oil to grease the pan
Honey Butter Topping
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin with butter or oil.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yellow cornmeal, flour, baking powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, sour cream or Greek yogurt, mashed sweet potatoes, honey, and melted butter until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir only until the batter is combined. Avoid overmixing, because overmixed batter can make the muffins tough or crumbly.
- Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 8 to 9 minutes, then check the tops. If they are browning quickly, loosely place foil over the pan without sealing it.
- Continue baking for another 7 to 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Mix the melted butter and honey for the topping. Brush the honey butter over the warm muffins.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Notes
This recipe makes about 12 to 15 muffins, depending on how full you fill the muffin cups.
For the smoothest texture, blend the cooked sweet potatoes with an immersion blender or food processor before adding them to the batter. Smooth sweet potato puree helps the muffins bake up tender.
You can air fry, bake, or boil the sweet potatoes. The goal is to cook them until they are fork-tender and easy to mash. Air frying and baking give the best flavor. Air fry at 400 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes, or bake at 400 degrees for 55 to 70 minutes, until a fork slides in easily. Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly, remove the skins, and mash until smooth.
Boiling also works, but it can make the sweet potatoes absorb extra water. If you boil them, peel and chop them first, then cook in salted water for 15 to 20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain them well before mashing.
Use plain mashed sweet potatoes, not sweet potato pie filling. Pie filling is already sweetened and seasoned, which can change the flavor and texture of the muffins.
Measure the sweet potato puree after mashing for the most accurate result. Let the sweet potatoes cool slightly before mixing them into the batter, because hot potatoes can melt the butter too early and affect the texture.
Do not overmix the batter. Stir just until everything comes together. For the best texture, remove the muffins from the oven when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Nutrition
Calories: 314 kcal
Carbohydrates: 58 g
Protein: 5 g
Fat: 6 g
Nutrition Data
Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and should not be considered a guarantee. For the most accurate results, calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients and amounts used in your kitchen.
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
Yes. Add 1 ½ tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 ½ cups of milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes before using it in the recipe.
Dry cornbread is often caused by overbaking. Remove the muffins from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Measuring too much flour can also make them dry.
Yes. These muffins can be made a day or two in advance. Store them tightly covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator. Wrapping them in plastic wrap and then foil helps keep them fresh.
Do not overmix the batter, and avoid baking the muffins too long. Honey, butter, sour cream, or Greek yogurt all help keep the muffins soft and tender.
Yes. Let the muffins cool completely, then wrap them in plastic wrap, add a layer of foil, and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 to 4 months.
A few seconds in the microwave works well for one muffin. For a larger batch, warm them in a 300-degree oven or air fryer for several minutes.
Yes. You can reduce the honey or sugar if you prefer a more traditional cornbread flavor, but the muffins will have a less sweet finish.
Yes. Yellow cornmeal gives a deeper color and slightly heartier corn flavor, but white cornmeal can also be used.
This can happen if the batter is overmixed or if the oven door is opened too early while the muffins are baking.
Yes. An 8×8 baking dish or a 10-inch cast iron skillet will work well.
Add the batter to a hot pan. You can heat the pan in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes before adding the batter.
Fill each muffin cup about three-quarters full so the muffins have room to rise without overflowing.
Variations and Add-ins
- Chopped pecans
- Chopped walnuts
- Dried cranberries
- Raisins
- White chocolate chips
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Dark chocolate chips
- Cinnamon chips
- Butterscotch chips
- Orange zest
- Maple syrup in place of part of the honey
- Brown butter
- Cheese
- Bacon
What to Serve with Sweet Potato Cornbread
Sweet potato honey cornbread pairs well with classic Southern comfort food. Serve it with collard greens with smoked turkey, Southern mac and cheese, baked turkey wings, baked chicken thighs and legs, or Southern green beans and potatoes. It also makes a great side for holiday dinners, potlucks, and cozy family meals.