From Fudgy Brownies to Silky Pies, Here Are 26 Sweet Potato Desserts You’ll Love
Pies #Pies
We’re always happy to see a sweet potato, be it baked and slathered with butter or roasted with garlic and herbs. That said, we often overlook the spud’s dessert potential (c’mon guys, it’s in the name), so we’re here to right that wrong. Behold: a tasty list of sweet potato desserts that are too delicious and simple to turn down. Our favorites range from classic sweet potato pie and doughnuts to unexpected marshmallow-topped cookies and sweet potato brownies.
What Is Ube (And Why Is It So Trendy Right Now)?
Photo: Christine Han/Styling: Erin McDowell
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
A deliciously moist sweet potato confection with a cake-like texture and sweet, melty marshmallow frosting—suffice it to say, this is not your average sugar cookie.
Get the recipe
Emily von Euw
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, gluten free
A healthy, low-calorie baked good that you actually want to eat? These decadent sweet potato brownies will make you a believer, whilst giving you a solid dose of beta-carotene to boot. (The date caramel frosting will satisfy your sweet tooth for sure.)
Get the recipe
Brown Sugar & Vanilla
Time Commitment: 35 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Good news for gluten-free eaters: You don’t need to sit and stare sadly into the flames while everyone else enjoys a s’more—just bake a batch of these sweet potato gems and you’ll be sinking your teeth into the campfire classic in no time.
Get the recipe
Sally’s Baking Addiction
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, dairy free
These shoestring sweet potato fries doused with cinnamon-sugar and icing are sweet, salty and crunchy. We’re big fans of sweet potato fries in all forms, but this spin has us outside our comfort zone in the best possible way.
Get the recipe
The Minimalist Baker
Time Commitment: 30 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free, beginner-friendly
Is it dessert? Is it breakfast? We’ll let you decide—but we can promise that this deconstructed pie is downright delicious (and the oats will do you good at any time of day).
Get the recipe
Brown Sugar
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 5 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
Move over, pumpkin pie—this gently spiced sweet potato version of the classic holiday dessert is every bit as rich and delicious. Crown your slice with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Get the recipe
Broma Bakery
Time Commitment: 50 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
An impossibly moist and tender sweet potato bundt cake, finished with a maple glaze so yummy you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful.
Get the recipe
Brown Sugar& Vanilla
Time Commitment: 10 minutes (plus soaking time)
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, beginner-friendly
Raw sweet potato and carrots go for a spin in the blender along with walnuts, vanilla and spices (among other things) to make this very convincing liquid alternative to a slice of a carrot cake. Bonus: There’s no grating involved.
Get the recipe
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 4 hours and 20 minutes (includes chilling time)
Why We Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
This hybrid pie boasts a silky sweet potato filling and a crunchy, candied pecan topping. Decadent without being cloying, one slice may not be enough once you give it a taste.
Get the recipe
A Cookie Named Desire
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 25 minutes
Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser
You’ll never forget sweet potato pie’s magic once this dessert graces your table. Here, the secret ingredient is maple syrup; just a touch added to the filling yields seasonal, swoon-worthy results.
Get the recipe
Sweet and Sorrel
It might sound like blasphemy, but the silky-smooth custard of this baked sweet potato pudding is, dare we say it, better than pie. Don’t believe us? There’s only one way to find out.
Get the recipe
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 5 hours and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, make ahead
It’s rich, creamy and sinfully delicious with an ever-so-subtle earthiness. If you’ve never put sweet potato in a cheesecake before, you’ve been doing it all wrong.
Get the recipe
Butter Be Ready
Cinnamon rolls are never a hard sell, but these are truly special, thanks to sweet potato laced into the batter. The end result is much like the classic, but with a complexity you just won’t find at Cinnabon.
Get the recipe
Broma Bakery
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, beginner-friendly, kid-friendly
Presenting your new cream cheese-frosted favorite. Warm fall spices and gentle earthy flavor give these cupcakes a similar taste to carrot cake, but with an incredibly moist, tender texture that only sweet potato can achieve.
Get the recipe
Whitney Bond
Time Commitment: 10 minutes
Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten-free, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
If you want to end your meal with something sweet that isn’t a full-blown dessert, we strongly suggest you snuggle up with a mug of goguma, a type of Korean latte made with puréed sweet potato. Here, the comforting beverage gets a kick of caffeine from green tea.
Get the recipe
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
You really can’t go wrong with coffee cake, and this sweet potato version is a delicious upgrade of the classic. Here, sweet potato purée and sour cream produce a cake that’s supremely tender and fluffy.
Get the recipe
Sally’s Baking Addiction
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
No list of sweet potato desserts would be complete without a good ol’ sweet potato casserole. This buttery mash, finished with a drool-worthy brown sugar pecan crumble, checks all the boxes.
Get the recipe
Brown Sugar
Time Commitment: 20 minutes
Why We Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Sweet potato purée and Cool Whip are a match made in heaven, as evidenced by this airy and creamy mousse. Just add gingersnap crumbs and marshmallow frosting to complete the deconstructed pie, and you’ll be rewarded with a next-level dessert.
Get the recipe
Grandbaby Cakes
Time Commitment: 3 hours and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, <10 ingredients, crowd-pleaser
After all the warm, rich baked goods you’ve enjoyed during sweet potato season, you might be craving a palate cleanser. Might we suggest a scoop of sweet potato ice cream dappled with toasty mallows?
Get the recipe
Aran Goyoaga/Cannelle Et Vanille Bakes Simples
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, gluten free
Sweet potato, sorghum flour and almond flour keep this autumn delight gluten-free. We love the addition of finely chopped candied ginger to the batter for a touch of spice.
Get the recipe
The Minimalist Baker
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Why We Love It: gluten free, dairy free, beginner-friendly
In this recipe, almond butter and sweet potato combine to make a mean muffin that’s moderately sweet, fluffy and flavorful. (Oh, and gluten-free.)
Get the recipe
Whitney Bond
Time Commitment: 40 minutes
Why We Love It: make ahead, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, crowd-pleaser
Sweet potato desserts are great, but chocolate certainly couldn’t make them worse. Cocoa and chocolate chips unite with sweet potatoes and a flurry of fall spices for the ultimate mashup.
Get the recipe
Recipe Tin Eats
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy, kid-friendly
Enjoy these fondant sweet potatoes as a sweet and you’ll be all kinds of confused…and very happy. The potatoes are cooked in a savory style, emerging as golden nuggets that will melt in your mouth. Once drenched in maple-pecan sauce, well, you’re looking at dessert.
Get the recipe
Saving Room For Dessert
Time Commitment: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, gluten free, beginner-friendly
Fresh orange juice makes the sweet potato sing in this fluffy souffle, while candied pecans provide a pleasant textural contrast—and an extra dose of sugar. Serve this to guests and you’ll look fancy.
Get the recipe
Pinch of Yum
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
We love a good apple cider fritter, but if you prefer your doughnuts on the moist side, these sweet potato rings are the way to go. Don’t wanna fry your own? Fear not: These glazed beauts are a cinch to make on the stovetop.
Get the recipe
Yellow Bliss Road
Time Commitment: 2 hours and 10 minutes
Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, beginner-friendly
Nutmeg and cinnamon and marshmallow buttercream, oh my! This tender sweet potato cake melts in your mouth and tastes like fall in dessert form.
Get the recipe
35 Banana Dessert Recipes That Go Way Beyond Banana Bread