Sweet Potato Biscuit Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. If you don't already have cooked sweet potato, roast or microwave a medium sweet potato until tender, then peel and mash until smooth. Measure 1 cup mashed sweet potato and let it cool slightly.

Dry ingredients

In a large bowl whisk together 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Cut 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter into small cubes. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, quickly cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Work quickly so the butter stays cold.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk together 1 cup mashed sweet potato, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, 1 large egg and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth and homogenous.

Mix dough

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the sweet potato mixture in. Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold until just combined and no large streaks of flour remain. The dough should be slightly sticky but manageable. If it's too wet, add up to 2 tablespoons more flour; if too dry, add a tablespoon of buttermilk.

Turn out and pat

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, gently pat the dough into a roughly 1-inch thick rectangle about 7–8 inches wide. Avoid overworking to keep biscuits tender.

Cut biscuits

Use a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter or a floured round cutter to cut biscuits, pressing straight down without twisting to help them rise evenly. Re-form scraps gently and cut additional biscuits; you should get about 8–10 biscuits.

Bake

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart for slightly crisper sides or touching for taller biscuits. Brush the tops lightly with a little heavy cream (reserve a teaspoon if desired) or melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into a center biscuit comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly.

Cool

Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Biscuits are best served warm.

Mix butter

While the biscuits bake or cool, place 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer or sturdy spoon, beat the butter until smooth and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.

Add flavorings

Add 3 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional) to the butter. Continue beating until fully incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Taste and adjust sweetness or cinnamon to preference.

Chill (optional)

If you prefer a firmer butter for spreading, refrigerate the cinnamon honey butter for 10–20 minutes. Otherwise, serve immediately with warm sweet potato biscuits.