Make Ahead

Whole Grain Sweet Potato Muffins

by:
September 22, 2011
4
6 Ratings
Whole Grain Sweet Potato Muffins
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Serves 8 to 12
Author Notes

This is an easy to make, one bowl sweet potato muffin recipe -- with lots of aromatic spices. Plus, it's made with whole-wheat flour and is NOT a hockey puck. The only "extra" step is pre-roasting your sweet potatoes! Read more at http://threecleversisters.com/2011/02/11/whole-grain-sweet-potato-muffins/
This recipe was inspired by a variety of sources, including Mark Bittman and Kim Boyce. —sarabclever

Test Kitchen Notes

My husband has been on a sweet potato strike for close to a year, but I caught him sneaking a second muffin into his lunch bag for work this morning. Can there be any praise higher than that? I love the hearty nuttiness that came from using whole grain flour, and also love that these muffins don't veer into "sickly sweet dessert muffin" territory. I wound up using a few splashes of heavy cream at the end to get the dough wet enough, and I think I need to remember that for the next batch! —Allyn

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 cups whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar or brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup mashed sweet potato (roasted)
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup yogurt, buttermilk, or milk soured with one teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
Directions
  1. Note: If you haven't roasted your sweet potato already, pierce all over with a fork and roast for 45 minutes to an hour at 400° F until a knife slides through without resistance. Allow to cool.
  2. Preheat (or reduce, if you followed step one) the oven to 375° F. Grease or line with paper liners 12 muffin cups. Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In another bowl mix together the remaining ingredients, and fold these wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined. This batter is thick; you may have to add more liquid, depending on whether you use buttermilk, vinegared milk, or yogurt.
  3. Fill the muffin cups approximately 3/4 of the way full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool for five minutes, then twist the muffins out and set on their side over the wells in the muffin pan (as shown above). This will allow the muffins to cool without getting gummy and damp.
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sarabclever
My love of cooking grew out of my love of eating and travel. Now I'm working full time with a preschooler and toddler, so it's a bit of a juggle to say the least, especially as the "picky phase" emerges (I hope it's a phase, anyway). I've lived an travelled abroad a lot but now am in the Boston area, and cooking is my way to travel these days! My sisters and I are spread out across the US but started a blog together where we post recipes and talk about food. Mostly the kind that satisfies our sweet tooth.

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24 Reviews

Jessica
Jessica November 8, 2022
I don't know why this recipe doesn't have 5 stars. It was delicious and they came out perfectly. Of course the muffin is going to be a little denser with whole wheat flour, but that's why I made it. Worth the work.
 
modon69478
modon69478 September 21, 2021
I made these this morning and found that it was a very thick batter. I added about 1/3 cup of almond milk and it was okay, but it made way more than 12 muffins. It was okay, but probably won't make it again. Too much work - sorry!
 
K.V.
K.V. September 3, 2020
Very good, and got better with time. I froze the batch after I started to eat them one after the other in quick succession.
 
Lisa
Lisa December 30, 2016
I made these using leftover mashed sweet potatoes mixed with maple syrup and orange zest. I didn't add any other spices. They are quite good. Nice texture and not too sweet.
 
freshbread
freshbread September 16, 2016
If you were to make tiny versions of these - say, in a mini muffin pan, for a brunch bread basket - how would you adjust the time and temperature for baking?
 
aargersi
aargersi September 17, 2016
Fresh bread - I have been mini-Ing (verb?) muffins for a while, and I have found that 15 minutes is the sweet spot ... if the temp for the muffin is 400 I turn it down to 375, this one is already there so I would keep that
 
freshbread
freshbread September 18, 2016
Thank you! Will try and report back. :)
 
QueDelish
QueDelish February 27, 2016
Compliments to the lovely chef who shared this amazing muffin recipe!

I have no doubt these come out phenomenal as written, but I just had to play...

I added 2 pods worth of green cardamom (ground up in mortar & pestle), a very small splash of vanilla extract. Noticed a mention of coconut oil instead of the butter, and did 1/4 c coconut oil in lieu of the oil & butter. For the egg, used a "flax egg" (1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 2.5 Tbsp water, mix and set aside 5 min before adding to wet ingredients). Used 1/2 c. buttermilk and splashed in cashew milk (had made some yesterday, could easily use almond milk or dairy milk) to thin out the batter as suggested. Sprinkled raw turbinado sugar on top of each muffin prior to baking.

My "taste tester" suggested selling these. Saved and look forward to making these again very soon!
 
Taylor S.
Taylor S. November 29, 2015
These turned out quite well. Very easy to whip up and good for you too!
 
suzi
suzi February 11, 2015
so pleased with myself (thanks to you and this neat little recipe you shared) that i had to brag. we are vegan whole food fanatics here and i occasionally try to tweak a recipe that sounds tempting. this one fit the parameters, especially since i had a big sweet potato leftover from my last nights dinner. i doubled your recipe and used my homemade almond meal (leftover from making almond milk) and whole wheat flour, skipped the white sugar and used half brown sugar half coconut sugar, coconut oil in the place of butter and veg oil, my homemade coconut milk kefir in place of yogurt. filled a 9x13 casserole. last minute i chopped walnuts and pressed them on top of half and baked thirty minutes. YUM!!! came out super moist and not too sweet. i like the addition of the walnuts and next time will add throughout. next time. yes, there will be a next time!!! how fun when i succeed and have a keeper. thanks again!!
 
Shelley M.
Shelley M. February 11, 2015
Don't have sweet potatoes, but think I'd like to try making these with pumpkin puree.
 
Robin O.
Robin O. January 17, 2015
These muffins are amazing! I used half white sugar and half brown sugar. Also, I made them with paper liners and the muffins didn't stick to the paper at all.
 
Lucie R.
Lucie R. December 12, 2014
These sound absolutely amazing! I just made a new Christmas cookie recipe which I know you will love. Please check it out! Oat cookies dunked in dark chocolate, topped with flaked almonds and dried cranberries. x http://juicyluciefoods.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/christmas-cookes.html
 
Sigita
Sigita August 11, 2014
Very nice texture and flavor. I added some toasted sunflower seeds. This is certainly a recipe that you can add/delete flavors, nuts etc.
Would make again for sure.
 
Kels M.
Kels M. February 16, 2014
Made these yesterday with plain Greek yogurt + a few extra tablespoons of milk to add enough liquid, traded all the oil but a tbsp. for applesauce, and added a couple handfuls of dark chocolate chips. (Probably came out even health-conscious wise, but health-conscious isn't always my strong suit and sometime your life just needs a some dark chocolate.)

So yummy! My husband loved them, too. Thanks for sharing this brilliant recipe!
 
misshjf
misshjf December 5, 2011
I made these a few days ago as a way to use up some leftover roasted sweet potatoes and was thrilled with the results! The kitchen smelled so fantastic as they baked that I couldn't help myself--I ate two piping hot muffins with cold butter straight out of the oven and saved the remaining 10 for brunch the next day.
 
aargersi
aargersi December 4, 2011
these are SO GOOD! Try them with apple butter ...
 
drbabs
drbabs December 6, 2011
They are SO GOOD! Thank you for sharing yours with us--we devoured them!
 
Mary-Margaret
Mary-Margaret November 22, 2011
I made these recently and they are wonderful! Using what I had in the kitchen, I substituted canned pumpkin for the sweet potatoes and sprinkled a little Turbanido sugar on top before baking. Finally -- a moist and light whole wheat muffin! Thanks for a delicious recipe!
 
sarabclever
sarabclever November 22, 2011
Hurah, great. I love your and @Grandma Kathy's idea to sprinkle on turbinado sugar.
 
sarabclever
sarabclever November 9, 2011
I'm so pleased you made these and liked these, and that you took the time to let me know! I understand about kids wanting more sugar--just today I had a savory parsnip muffin handed back to me with the comment "this is not for eating" from my three year old. (I will note all the adults who tried them like them, so we'll throw my son's opinion out).
 
drbabs
drbabs December 6, 2011
My 5 year old grandson adored them.
 
drbabs
drbabs December 6, 2011
My 5 year old grandson adored them.
 
Grandma K.
Grandma K. November 9, 2011
Made these for the first time today. My husband loves them. Very aromatic, simple to make and about as healthy as possible. His high compliment? "Not too sweet!" Promised some to my grandkids for breakfast tomorrow. They may have appreciated more sugar so next time I will sprinkle a little turibano on top before baking.