Sweet Potato Cookies
Sweet potatoes in a cookie?! Yes please! Sweet potatoes in all their sweet glory are a great addition to sneak in some nutrients to your baking. Baking these sweet potato cookies are great to make on the weekends, as they are a perfect wholesome snack to munch on during the week (or sometimes breakfast in a hurry.. it be like that sometimes).
You’re probably thinking.. Did she just mention this cookie could be eaten for breakfast?! Yes, yes I did. Eating cookies for breakfast has been a dream of mine since I was child… (who didn’t wish for that as a kid, honestly?) But with this mix of complex carbs and natural sugars, this cookie is easy to digest and packed with energy that eating only couple can hold you over while on the run.. Quite literally actually, because I bake these for my husband to eat while he is marathon training!
So maybe you’re not marathon training like him, but you’re still looking for a wholesome cookie either to eat as a dessert or just to munch on throughout the day. I’m happy to say you’ve come to the right place.
Personally, I think you can eat these all day. I’ll pop a couple in the morning before I hit the gym, or later in the evening when I want something sweet after dinner. Plus with how mobile they are, I’ve been able to sneak some through TSA to eat on my flights, because let’s be honest.. finding gluten free food in airports is never easy. So how do you make these suckers? Read below for the recipe!
Recipe Ingredients Notes
Dry Ingredients
Gluten Free Oats: I typically make this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Gluten Free Rolled Oats. However, any gluten free oatmeal will work, just make sure it is “Old Fashioned Rolled Oats” the thicker texture holds the cookie better together.
Almond Flour: My favorite almond flour to use is Bob’s Red Mill Super Fine Almond Flour (I promise I’m not paid to advertise them, I just really like this brand!). Any almond flour or almond meal will do… just make sure it is super fine, if not, you can always throw it in a blender or food processor to create a fine version yourself.
Ginger: I used powdered ground ginger that you find in the ingredient aisle for this recipe. You can use fresh grated ginger, but be aware the taste will be a lot stronger.
Cinnamon: Any powdered ground cinnamon from the ingredient aisle will do.
Baking Powder & Baking Soda: I use both in this recipe compared to others out there. I noticed when only using baking powder the cookies come out a bit ‘cakey’ and don’t spread like a cookie in the oven. The baking soda helps level this out.
Salt: Table salt will work just fine for this recipe.
Wet Ingredients
Sweet Potato: You will need about 1 cup of sweet potato puree for this recipe. I’ve always made this recipe using a fresh potato and then breaking it down myself to a puree (explained in steps below), if you’re short on time, you can also use a store bought sweet potato puree.
Maple syrup: I use a Grade A light amber Maple syrup for this recipe as it is easier to work with and not too sticky when mixing. The only difference in grades of maple syrup is the color and taste. The darker the color the stronger the maple syrup taste.
Butter: I always suggest using unsalted butter when baking. This allows you to control the amount of salt you put into a recipe. Make sure your butter is at room temperature for this recipe.
Vanilla Extract: I suggest using a real vanilla extract, which I know is more costly than imitation vanilla extract, but it does have a better flavor in my opinion.
Optional Ingredients:
I use walnuts in the recipe because I like the pairing, but they can totally be left out or replaced with another nut. Every now and then when I make this I will also use chocolate chips.
Equipment needed for this recipe
My recipe for Sweet Potato Cookies requires the typical equipment needed for baking cookies. You will need mixing bowls (at least two (2)), a whisk or hand mixer, measuring cups, a spoon for scooping batter, microwavable safe bowl, parchment paper and baking pans. Two (2) forks will also be needed, as it makes it easier to shred apart the sweet potato.
How to make Sweet Potato cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two (2) baking pans with parchment paper.
Step 2: In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, pulse the oats about five (5) times, until roughly chopped. I use a blender similar to a single serving nutri-bullet and it works just fine.
Step 3: Place oats in a mixing bowl and combine with the almond flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 4: To make sweet potato puree, take (1) large (about 1 to 1½ pounds) orange-fleshed sweet potato (also called a yam) rinse and scrub them to get any remaining dirt off. Using a fork, stab holes around the surface of the sweet potatoes. Place them in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 5-7mins, until very soft. To keep them from drying out, place a wet paper towel on top while microwaving to maintain moisture. Once soft, remove from the microwave and peel off the skin of both potatoes; then mash in a bowl using two (2) forks until it has the consistency of applesauce. Set aside to cool.
Step 5: In a separate bowl, cream the room temperature butter until the consistency looks like soft frosting. By creaming the butter you are allowing the cookies to have a smoother texture and rise evenly.
Step 6: Once butter is creamed, whisk in sweet potato puree, maple syrup, and vanilla to the same bowl. Once combined, slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl with wet ingredients, adding about ⅓ at a time. The dough should be thick. Optional: add nuts, chocolate chips etc. of your choice.
Step 7: Using a normal spoon, scoop batter into hands and roll into small balls. Place and space the cookies about 1 inch apart and lightly press down on each one to slightly flatten.
Step 8: Bake in the center of the oven until the bottoms are a golden brown, about 25-35 mins. This may seem like a long time, but baking with sweet potatoes takes a bit longer.
Sweet Potato Cookies
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Whisk or Hand Mixer
- Set of Measuring Cups
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Microwavable Safe Bowl
- Parchment Paper
- 1-2 Baking Pans
- 2 Forks
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup Gluten Free Oats
- ¾ cup Almond Flour or Almond Meal
- 1 tbsp Ground Ginger Powder
- 1 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup Sweet Potatoes (aka Yams) about 1-1½ pounds
- ½ cup Maple Syrup Grade A – Light Amber
- ½ cup Butter Room Temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ½ cup Optional Nuts – I use Walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line two (2) baking pans with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender, pulse the oats about five (5) times, until roughly chopped. I use a blender similar to a single serving nutri-bullet and it works just fine.
- Place oats in a mixing bowl and combine with the almond flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- To make sweet potato puree, take (1) large (about 1 to 1½ pounds) orange-fleshed sweet potato (also called a yam) rinse and scrub them to get any remaining dirt off. Using a fork, stab holes around the surface of the sweet potatoes. Place them in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 5-7mins, until very soft. To keep them from drying out, place a wet paper towel on top while microwaving for moisture. Once soft, remove from the microwave and peel off the skin of both potatoes; then mash in a bowl using two (2) forks until it has the consistency of applesauce. Set aside to cool.
- In a separate bowl, cream the room temperature butter until the consistency looks like soft frosting. By creaming the butter you are allowing the cookies to have a smoother texture and rise evenly.
- Once butter is creamed, whisk in sweet potato puree, maple syrup, and vanilla to the same bowl. Once combined, slowly add the dry ingredients into the bowl with wet ingredients, adding about ⅓ at a time. The dough should be thick. Optional: add nuts, chocolate chips etc. of your choice. I use Walnuts.
- Using a normal spoon, scoop batter into hands and roll into small balls. Place and space the cookies about 1 inch apart and lightly press down on each one to slightly flatten.
- Bake in the center of the oven until the bottoms are a golden brown, about 25-35 mins.
Notes
- Adding nuts to the cookies are optional. If you do add, I’ve noticed walnuts and pecans taste best with the sweet potato cookies. Chocolate chips are also good too.
Did You Make This Recipe? If so, please share a picture with me on Instagram! Tag @glutenfreegrubz and hashtag #glutenfreegrubz. I can’t wait to see!
I love this recipe! It is a great addition to my “go to” recipes for my kids’ snacks. Thank you for sharing !