Fluffy Sweet Potato Pancakes (1-Bowl, GF/DF Options)
Craving fluffy sweet potato pancakes you can make easily in one bowl? This healthy sweet potato pancake recipe uses smooth sweet potato purée for moisture and lift, no heavy mix-ins needed. A gluten free, dairy free option and pancake-mix variation is included, so you can use what you have and still get light, tender pancakes that freeze beautifully.
If you love fruit-based pancakes, try my Apple Pancakes, same one-bowl ease with cozy cinnamon-apple flavor.
I made these pancakes on a busy school morning with a bowl of leftover roasted sweet potatoes from dinner. I blended the purée super smooth (same for making sweet potato tortillas), whisked in eggs and a little flour, and kept the batter thick, no extra milk. My first try was a bit flat; the next batch, with a smoother purée and a gentle mix, turned out tall and fluffy. My kid ate them plain, while rushing through the door; I froze the rest for quick breakfasts. Simple ingredients, one bowl, and they actually keep you full. That’s how this recipe was born in my kitchen.
Why You’ll Love These Pancakes
- 1-bowl, yield a fluffy (light and airy) texture;
- Freezer-friendly (great for meal prep);
- Gluten free & dairy free options included;
- Kid-approved; make mini pancakes for lunchboxes.
- You can use this pancake batter to make waffles too.
- Healthier twist: fiber-rich sweet potato purée, modest sugar, and options for whole-wheat or gluten-free flours.
Love a tangy, ultra-fluffy stack? Try my Gluten-Free Sourdough Pancakes next.
Ingredients
- Sweet potato purée: 1 cup (240 g) – from 1 medium-large sweet potato – you can bake, roast or steam the sweet potatoes in advance. Then mix with a splash of water in a food processor until smooth. Or you could use mashed sweet potatoes. Canned sweet potatoes also work.
- Eggs: 2 large (100 g, out of shell) – they’re important for a good fluffy pancake texture.
- Melted butter: 2 tbsp (28 g) – use melted butter; if dairy free: dairy free butter or oil);
- Flour: ⅔ cup (80 g) all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour (or a mix of both). For gluten free version use this gluten free flour mix or your favorite;
- Sweetener: maple sugar-3 tbsp (36 g); (or 45 ml maple syrup);
- Baking powder: 2 tsp (8 g) – as the leavening agent;
- Optional for flavor: 1 tsp vanilla, ⅔ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp cardamom.
Try my Oat Flour Pancakes (Moist & Fluffy) for a 100% oat version.
See all measurements in the recipe card:
How to Make Sweet Potato Pancakes
Instructions:
For minimal prep time make sure to make the sweet potato puree in advance.
Step 1. Make purée: Bake/steam, then blend to a smooth purée.
Step 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients first: sweet potato puree, egg, melted butter (or oil) and sweetener. Mix well. Skip the sweetener for a no-added sugar pancake version.
Step 3. Add dry: to the sweet potato mixture add flour, baking powder, salt and spices (cinnamon and cardamom). Mix until combined.
Step 4. Cook: heat a griddle or large frying pan over medium heat. Grease with butter or oil. Skip the frying oil with a non-stick ceramic skillet. Scoop 2 tbsp batter per pancake (≈ 4″ / 10 cm). Cook ~2 min until bubbles form and edges look set, flip, cook 1–2 min more until golden.
Step 5. Serve the sweet potato pancakes with maple syrup, yogurt, nut butter, fruits or other favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Substitutions & Variations
Gluten-Free Option
Use ⅔ cup (85–95 g) gluten-free all-purpose blend (gum-free or with xanthan both tested). If batter is very thick, whisk in 1–2 tbsp milk.
No Grain Flour (Paleo Friendly)
Whisk 240 g sweet potato purée + 2 eggs. Add 1/2 cup green banana flour (or cassava flour). Season with cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Cook smaller rounds (1–1½ tbsp batter). Fluff will be lower, but it’s a great “flourless” breakfast.
Oat Flour or Almond Flour
- Oat flour: use 90–95 g; add 1–2 tbsp milk if thick (oats absorb more).
- Almond flour: use 90 g; add 1 extra tbsp flour if batter spreads too much.
Using Pancake Mix
Replace flour + baking powder with ⅔ cup (85–95 g) pancake mix; reduce sugar by 1 tbsp if mix is sweet.
Savory Sweet Potato Pancakes
Skip sweetener + vanilla; add ½ tsp garlic powder, pinch of pepper, and chopped chives. Serve with fried egg and avocado slices.
Fluffy Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup sweet potato (puree or mashed) - ~ 1 medium-large sweet potato
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp melted butter - or dairy free butter
- ⅔ cup flour - see notes
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp maple sugar - or syrup
- ¼ tsp sea salt
To add flavor:
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp cardamom
Instructions
Prepare the Sweet Potato Mash/Puree
- For minimal prep time make sure to make the sweet potato mash/puree in advance. To make purée: Bake/steam, then blend to a smooth purée.
Prepare the Batter
- Whisk wet: In a large bowl, whisk purée, eggs, sweetener, melted butter until smooth.
- Add dry: Sprinkle in flour and baking powder, then salt and spices. Mix just to combine (a few small lumps are fine).
- Be sure not to overmix the batter – a few lumps are perfectly fine. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing will result in tough pancakes.
Cook
- Heat a non-stick or ceramic skillet on medium. Lightly grease.
- Scoop 2 tbsp batter per pancake (≈ 4" / 10 cm). Cook ~2 min until bubbles form and edges look set, flip, cook 1–2 min more until golden.
Serve
- Serve the sweet potato pancakes with maple syrup, yogurt, fruits or your favorite toppings.
What You Need
Notes
Tips For Perfect Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Sweet Potato: you could use mashed sweet potatoes if you don’t mind some lumps in the final product. Canned sweet potatoes is another option.
- Flour: you can use any type of flour you like. All-purpose, whole wheat, oat flour, gluten free flour mix or even almond flour will work. Just keep in mind that the texture of your pancakes may vary slightly. Some flours tend to absorb a lot of moisture like oat and whole wheat, so you might need to add additional liquid or eggs. For best results I suggest you stick to the presented proportions.
- Texture = purée. Ultra-smooth purée gives lift; lumpy mash makes denser pancakes.
- Don’t overmix. Stir just until flour disappears to keep gluten (or binders) from toughening.
- Griddle temp: If first batch is pale and spreads, raise heat slightly; if dark outside/raw inside, lower heat.
- Mini pancakes for kids cook more evenly; freeze in stacks with parchment.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator.
Pro Tips
- Texture = purée. Ultra-smooth purée gives lift; lumpy mash makes denser cakes.
- Don’t overmix. Stir just until flour disappears to keep gluten (or binders) from toughening. Overmixing will result in tough pancakes.
- Griddle temp: If first batch is pale and spreads, raise heat slightly; if dark outside/raw inside, lower heat.
- Mini pancakes for kids cook more evenly; freeze in stacks with parchment.
- Add-ins in the batter for extra flavor: Seasonings such as nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin spice, chopped nuts and seeds, chocolate chips, fresh or frozen fruit.
Make-Ahead, Store & Freeze
- Fridge: 3–4 days in airtight container.
- Freeze: Lay flat, freeze, then bag up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, warm-up in the morning.
- Reheat: Toaster or 350°F (175°C) oven 6–8 min; air fryer 325°F (165°C) 3–4 min; microwave 1 min.
Serving Ideas
- Serve with maple syrup and butter for a classic breakfast dish. Or maple cream, it’s just heavenly similar to caramel!
- Top with whipped cream or yogurt (if dairy free use coconut cream and coconut yogurt);
- Finish with fruits like banana, blueberries, strawberries or apple sauce.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and drizzle some nut butter.
- Savory: fried egg + avocado, a pinch of everything seasoning.
Sweet Potato Pancakes FAQs
Batter too thin, purée lumpy, or heat too low. Thicken with 1–2 tbsp flour; raise heat slightly.
Not necessary, but if you have the time letting the batter sit for 5-10 minutes will allow the baking powder to activate and make your pancakes even fluffier.
Yes, you can use any type of flour that you like. All-purpose, whole wheat, oat flour, gluten free or even almond flour will work. Just keep in mind that the texture of your pancakes may vary slightly. Some flours tend to absorb a lot of moisture like oat and whole wheat, so you might need to add additional liquid or eggs. For best results I suggest you stick to the presented proportions.
Yes, you can either make the sweet potato puree ahead of time or make the entire pancake batter and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to cook (up to 12 hours in advance).
Yes, you can use shredded sweet potato but the pancakes will be a little more dense and may not be as fluffy. If you prefer to use shredded sweet potato, make sure to squeeze out any excess moisture before adding it to the batter. You can try these sweet potato fritters with grated sweet potatoes if you like.
Yes, you can make these pancakes without eggs but they will not be fluffy at all. Just replace each egg with 1/4 cup of (non-dairy) yogurt. You may also need to add a little more flour to the batter if it’s too thin and 1 tsp more baking powder.
More Breakfasts You’ll Love
- Oat Flour Pancakes: Moist & Fluffy
- Gluten Free Sourdough Pancakes
- Cabbage Fritters (Fried or Baked)
- Crispy Golden Grated Potato Fritters
More Sweet Potato Recipes To Try
- Sweet Potato Tortillas
- Savory Vegan Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Butternut Squash Casserole With Sweet Potato
Tried Making this Sweet potato Pancake Recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Tap ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to rate it or leave a quick comment below! your feedback helps other readers (and keeps me creating new treats).
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Thank you for the recipe
I think you forgot to tell us to add the butter with the wet ingredients
Thank you for catching this, I corrected the text.
Can you use this for waffles?
Yes
This recipe looks delish! I just wanted to ask if you know if these would work as waffles?
Yes it should work~
These sweet potato pancakes turned out just as in the pictures, soft in fluffy, slightly sweet…love them!
Wonderful!