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If you love sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole, then you’re going to flip for these homemade sweet potato waffles. Every bite is full of that irresistible sweet potato flavor, with brown sugar for sweetness and a combination of cloves and cinnamon for some warmth and cozy notes. Plus, the savory waffles come together in just 35 minutes!
For a more traditional take on waffles, you’ll be all over this classic waffle recipe. My churro waffles, banana waffles, blueberry waffles are a great take on the classic breakfast treat.
Why you’ll love these savory sweet potato waffles!
This sweet potato waffle recipe is like mashed sweet potatoes in waffle form!
I love that these waffles are made with cooked sweet potatoes, so if you have leftovers from another meal, like mashed sweet potatoes or Instant Pot sweet potatoes, you can use them up in this recipe. It’s a win from all around!
Here’s why this delicious twist on waffles is one of my favorite recipes:
- Kid-friendly: Kids think they are eating sweet waffles, not realizing the nutrients they are getting from the root vegetable.
- Customizable: I prefer to go sweet with my waffles, but this sweet potato waffle goes either way. Serve it up with syrup, or go the savory route with a dollop of sour cream and chives.
- Bold flavors: The combination of warm flavors surprises you with each bite. Sweet potato and spices add rich comforting flavor. And with an assortment of topping choices, you can make your own flavor combination!
- Perfect make-ahead breakfast: These crispy waffles with a soft middle texture are great fresh or frozen. Make them ahead of time, store them, and then pop them in the toasted or toaster oven to reheat.
Start your day the right way — with hearty, warm, and delicious sweet potato waffles!
Table of contents
Ingredients You Need
You’ll just need a few kitchen staples, plus some fresh cooked sweet potato!
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- All-purpose flour – You can swap in a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour substitute to make these waffles gluten-free.
- Brown sugar – Both light or dark will work here. The brown sugar sugar adds a richer sweetness that complements the sweet potatoes.
- Ground cinnamon and ground cloves – You can use pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon and cloves if you’d like.
- Eggs – Here’s the best way to crack an egg.
- Buttermilk – You can make your own buttermilk substitute, but store-bought is best.
- Sweet potato – I prefer to mash the sweet potato, as pureed sweet potatoes may be more runny which may cause the waffle batter to be more runny.
- Nonstick cooking spray – Don’t skip this, as it’s important to achieve crispy outsides on the waffles.
- Unsalted butter – You can use salted butter in a pinch, but you will want to reduce or cut the salt in the batter.
- Leavening ingredients – You will need both baking powder and baking soda.
- Kosher salt
Variations
- Substitute the mashed sweet potatoes for pumpkin or butternut squash puree.
- Add toasted pecans or walnuts to the batter for a little crunch.
- Stir cinnamon chips into the waffle batter to amp up the cozy cinnamon flavor.
How To Make Sweet Potato Waffles
After you mix together the waffle batter, just cook, and enjoy!
Here is how to make them:
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cloves.
- Finish the batter: In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, sweet potato puree, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cook: Preheat your waffle maker for about 6 to 7 minutes, depending on the model. Spray the inside of the iron with the nonstick spray, then pour in the batter in ½ to ¾ cup portions, or the amount recommended by your waffle iron manual. Close the lid and cook until the waffles are golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Serve: Plate the waffles and serve with maple syrup and salted butter.
Serving Suggestions
These sweet potato waffles taste amazing with toppings!
- Serve with maple syrup and butter. If you really want to elevate the flavor, try them with my cinnamon butter!
- Sprinkle the waffles with toasted pecans or walnuts.
- Add a dollop or two of Greek yogurt or homemade whipped cream.
- Drizzle with peanut butter or almond butter.
- If you’re feeling really fancy, try adding some fried apples (or apple pie filling) and cinnamon for an extra cozy touch.
- You can even serve them savory with fried chicken, bacon and honey, or sour cream and chives.
Storage Instructions
Homemade waffles store beautifully as leftovers or to make ahead!
- Fridge: Store leftover waffles in an airtight container or zip-top bag. They’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze: Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about 1 hour. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can make the sweet potato waffle batter ahead of time, up to 24 hours in advance. Blend everything together and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you’re ready to cook the waffles.
No, these sweet potato waffles are not gluten-free. This recipe calls for all-purpose flour, which contains gluten. To make the waffles entirely gluten-free, you could substitute a measure-for-measure all-purpose flour substitute. (Don’t use a single-ingredient gluten-free flour like almond or coconut, as this will change the consistency of the batter.)
Sweet potato waffles may be dense if you over-mixed the batter. When in doubt, stir just until the batter is combined. A few small lumps in the batter is okay!
For More Sweet Potato Recipes, try these next!
Air Fryer
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries
Appetizers & Snacks
Air Fryer Sweet Potato Chips
Side Dishes
Sweet Potato Casserole
Instant Pot
How to Make Sweet Potatoes in an Instant Pot
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Sweet Potato Waffles
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup sweet potato mashed or pureed (can use leftover sweet potatoes)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- Nonstick cooking spray
To Serve
- Maple syrup
- Salted butter softened
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves.2 cups all purpose flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, sweet potatoes and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir together until just combined. It is okay if there are still some small lumps in the batter. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.2 eggs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup sweet potato, ¼ cup unsalted butter
- Preheat your waffle iron for about 6 to 7 minutes depending on the model. Spray the inside of the iron with the nonstick spray, then pour in the batter in ½ to ¾ cup portions, or the amount recommended by your waffle iron instructions. Close the lid and cook until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.Nonstick cooking spray
- Serve with maple syrup and salted butter.Maple syrup, Salted butter
Notes
- Lumps are okay in batter: It’s okay if there are still some small lumps in the batter. Avoid over-mixing as it can make the waffles tough and gummy.
- For the lightest texture, mix just until combined — over-mixing creates dense waffles.
- Preheat the waffle iron: This helps the outside crisp up before the inside overcooks. Lightly butter or oil before each batch to prevent sticking.
- Freezer Storage: Waffles may be frozen and reheated without losing texture.
- Gluten-free: Use a measure-for-measure (1:1) gluten-free flour blend for best results.
- Topping ideas: Serve with maple syrup and butter, toasted pecans or whipped cream and cinnamon butter.
Holy smokes, BEST waffles I’ve ever had!
So delicious! I paired my waffles with Texas Roadhouse copy cat butter and 🤤 Autumn time perfection! My only change was to add more liquid to the batter so it wasn’t as denseand spread out better in my waffle maker.
love how you put the ingredients right after the instructions. Helps me from having to scroll back and forth. Can’t wait to make these this week
I tried this recipe for my family and it was a hit.
We’re so glad you all enjoyed it, Roselyn!
I’ve tried numerous other sweet potato waffle recipes in the past and I’ve got to say this is the best one! They came out perfectly. Best of all, my picky toddler loved them. I’ll definitely be adding these to my breakfast rotation. Thank you for the lovely recipe.
We’re so happy to hear this, Brittany! Thanks for trying it out. 😊
Really good! I microwaved a large sweet potato and mashed it. I didn’t have buttermilk on hand, so I made some with whole milk and vinegar. I also added a teaspoon of vanilla bean paste. Very tasty, thick, & moist waffles. I was nervous about the cloves (since I usually go for nutmeg), but these turned out great.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them!