Sweet Potato Muffins

These sweet potato muffins are the perfect fluffy and sweet treat! Add a topping of crunchy pecans and a drizzle of glaze and serve them up for breakfast or a snack.

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Sweet Potato Muffins Recipe

Pumpkin muffins tend to get all of the love in the spotlight, but sweet potato muffins are a similar treat that don't get enough attention! These moist, fluffy and sweet muffins are simple to make and so delicious.

These amazing muffins are almost like a cake-like version of sweet potato casserole. There's a yummy pecan topping, a sticky sweet glaze and the fluffiest sweet potato muffin base that is totally irresistable!

We love to make a batch of these whenever we've got some extra sweet potatoes that we need to use up. In my opinion, it's the best use of extra sweet potatoes! I mean, who wouldn't want a muffin?

Sweet potato pancakes are another favorite way to transform this tasty root vegetable. Just like regular potatoes, there are dozens of ways you can use sweet potatoes and make them into yummy creations!

Why You'll Love this Recipe

These easy-to-make muffins will quickly become a recipe that you reach for time and time again:

• The natural sweetness from sweet potatoes allows these muffins to have a little less sugar added to them!
• You can make a batch of sweet potato muffins in just under an hour. If you need something to bring to a get-together, whip these up super fast!
• Easily adapt this recipe with a few changes in the ingredients. You can make them nut-free, gluten free, and add yummy mix-ins really easily!

Ingredients

While this ingredient list may look long, the recipe is very simple! Make sure you've got everything you need to make these sweet potato muffins:

Muffin Ingredients

• mashed sweet potato
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• ground cinnamon
• ground nutmeg
• ground ginger
• salt
• brown sugar
• coconut oil
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• milk

Pecan Streusel Topping

• brown sugar
• all-purpose flour
• cinnamon
• cold butter
• chopped pecans

Muffin Glaze

• powdered sugar
• milk
• vanilla extract

Substitutions and Variations

You can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute, such as King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour, to make this recipe without gluten. Or you could try this slightly different gluten free sweet potato muffins.

Feel free to use canned sweet potato puree if you don't want to make your own!

Mix in a ½ cup of chopped pecans, walnuts, or even chocolate chips into the muffin batter.

You can substitute the vegetable oil with melted coconut oil, olive oil, or even melted butter for a more rich flavor.

You can substitute pecans with walnuts, almonds, or even sunflower seeds if you prefer. If you want to skip nuts altogether, the streusel topping will still be delicious without them.

Pumpkin spice will work great in place of the ground spices if you don't have each of the individual ones.

How to Make Sweet Potato Muffins

Follow these simple instructions to make the perfect, fluffy, moist sweet potato muffins:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and then line a muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

In a separate bowl, mix the mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and milk until smooth.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Spoon the batter into the muffin liners, filling each about ¾ full. Sprinkle the pecan streusel topping generously over each muffin.

For the pecan streusel topping, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in the chopped pecans.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

While the muffins are baking, prepare the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add more milk if necessary to reach a drizzling consistency.

Allow the muffins to cool for about 10 minutes, then drizzle the glaze over the top. Let sit for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy!

How to Store Sweet Potato Muffins

Muffins are best fresh, but they can be just as good a day or two later - or even a month later - if stored properly.

I have a whole post about how to store and freeze muffins, but here's the gist:

Store in an airtight container, lined with paper towels to help collect condensation from residual heat in the muffins. Make sure they are completely cooled for best results.

The best way to store muffins depends on how soon you want to eat them: 

• Within 3 days of baking them: Store them on the countertop at room temperature. 
• In the next few days: Store them in the fridge, but with the risk of a change in texture. Alternatively, store what you'll eat in the next few days using the countertop method, then freeze the rest. 
• Within the next 3 months: Store them in the freezer - reheat when you get a muffin craving! 

Tips for Success

Make the best sweet potato muffins with these few simple tips:

• The pecan streusel and glaze are optional but they definitely add a nice touch to these muffins. If you don't want the added sweetness of the glaze, the muffins are just as delicious without it!
• If you don't have muffin liners, make sure you know how to grease a muffin pan so that the muffins don't stick.

FAQ

More Muffin Recipes

• Chocolate Muffins
• Strawberry Muffins
• Cinnamon Apple Muffins
• Mixed Berry Muffins