Sweet Potato Muffins
Fluffy and moist sweet potato batter swirled with apple sauce, raisins and cinnamon makes a dozen muffins that are packed with beta carotene and fiber. These Vegan Sweet Potato Muffins are a welcome addition to any breakfast! Make ahead of time and freeze for quick breakfasts on the go!
I only wish I had a dollar for every time someone has told me how much they love this muffin recipe. Though I have many on this website, this is one of the most popular.
We love these healthy muffins because they’re…
- Cinnamony
- Moist
- Super flavorful
- Perfectly sweet
- Great for breakfast or dessert
- A perfect breakfast on-the-go
- Freeze well
- Simply delicious
How to make sweet potato muffins
This is a very simple recipe that is great for getting those reluctant cooks in the kitchen. Kids love making these too!
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
Cooking the sweet potatoes
You’ll need to cook the sweet potatoes before using them in this muffin recipe. Cooking can be accomplished in any number of ways–baking, boiling, slow cooker, or microwaving.
This recipe is excellent for leftover cooked sweet potatoes that you might already have on hand.
We love sweet potatoes at my house, and I sometimes cook a whole bunch at one time and keep them in the refrigerator for snacks.
One of the easiest ways to do that is to load a slow cooker full and allow them to cook all day.
After you have the sweet potatoes cooked, preheat the oven to 350°F for the muffins.
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk together–flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
After the cooked sweet potatoes have had time to cool, peel them and place them in a medium-sized bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to get them creamy.
In the bowl with the sweet potatoes, whisk together the apple sauce, plant milk, and vinegar.
Combine the dry mixture of flour and spices with the wet mixture and toss in the raisins and walnuts, if using.
Use a spoon or trigger ice cream scoop to dollop the batter into a muffin pan.
Personally, I always use a silicone muffin baking pan. It makes baking oil-free and clean-up so much easier!
Bake at 350°F for approximately 25 minutes. Test for doneness by pushing a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. When it comes out clean, the muffins are ready.
Allow to cool and serve these for a delicious brunch or snack that the whole family will love.
*Originally published June 14, 2016.
Tips for making this recipe
- I often hear people say they need ideas for quick and easy breakfasts because they don’t have time to make anything in the mornings on their way out the door for work or school.
- These muffins are a great option. They can be made over the weekend and eaten for breakfast throughout the week.
- Another great thing about this recipe is that the muffins can be frozen, and they thaw back out deliciously. Whether they are left out on the counter to defrost naturally or placed in an oven or microwave to speed up the process. Either way, they warm up very well!
Recipe adapted from The Cancer Survivor’s Guide by Dr. Neal Barnard.
Other great breakfast recipes
- Apple Sauce Cinnamon Muffins
- Best Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- Banana Oat Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Zucchini Bread
- Breakfast Fruited Quinoa
- Vegan Muffin Recipes
For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!
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Sweet Potato Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar or date sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon ground
- 1 cup sweet potatoes cooked
- 1 cup apple sauce
- 1 cup plant milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup walnuts crushed, (optional)
Instructions
- You’ll need to cook the sweet potatoes before using them in this muffin recipe. Cooking can be accomplished in any number of ways–baking, boiling, slow cooker, or microwaving. Some ideas are listed in the article above.
- To cook the muffins, preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk together–flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- After the cooked sweet potatoes have had time to cool, peel them and place them in a medium-sized bowl. Use a fork or potato masher to get them creamy.
- In the bowl with the sweet potatoes, whisk together the apple sauce, plant milk, and vinegar.
- Combine the dry mixture of flour and spices to the wet mixture and toss in the raisins and walnuts, if using.
- Use a spoon or to dollop the batter into a non-stick muffin pan.
- Personally, I always use a silicone muffin baking pan. It makes baking oil-free and cleanup so much easier!
- Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way to the top.
- Bake at 350°F for approximately 25 minutes. Test for doneness by pushing a toothpick into the center of one of the muffins. When it comes out clean, the muffins are ready.
- Allow to cool and serve these for a delicious brunch or snack that the whole family will love.
- Muffins store well in the refrigerator and freeze well too.
Video
Notes
- Prepare ahead- Make these muffins ahead of time to have a quick healthy breakfast to eat on the go during the week.
- Freeze them- These can be frozen, and they thaw back out deliciously. Whether they are left out on the counter to defrost naturally or placed in an oven or microwave to speed up the process. Either way, they warm up very well.
- Need more help?- Detailed instructions and in-process photos above can give you a great visual on how to prepare this recipe.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
About Terri Edwards
Hi guys! I am the content creator behind EatPlant-Based and a licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. I am passionate about sharing healthy recipes and tips to empower others to get healthy. I’m so glad you’re here! Read More…
I made these and brought some to my parents today (Easter). They are delicious!! My parents were so happy. They want more! These will definitely be in my recipe rotation. Thank you ?
Carrie- So glad you and your parents enjoyed these! I often make a double batch and freeze some for later. They do quite well.
Can I use canned pumpkin in place of sweet potato. Or do you have a vegan pumpkin muffin or pumpkin bread recipe. I have several large cans I need to use up. Thank you
Hi JoAnn- Yes, I think pumpkin would be great as a replacement for the sweet potatoes. Would love to hear how they turn out!
I made these today, and they are very good! However, I followed the recipe exactly, and I had enough batter for eighteen full size muffins, not twelve. I also had to bake them for almost 45 minutes! Why so different from the recipe stats?
Hi Marie- Those are good questions. I can usually get up to 15 muffins from the batter, depending on how full I fill the cups. I’m not sure about the difference in cooking time. Oven temperatures vary is my only guess. Glad you liked the recipe!
Thsnks for the reply. They were delicious, and even better the next day! I will definitely make them again!
What can i use instead of date paste?
Hi Debbie- Instead of date paste, you can use 1/2 cup brown sugar or other less refined sugar in these muffins.
Does anyone know of another option to wheat flour? I need to be gluten free and I have a problem with almonds as well, so almond flour is out too. Thanks!
Hi Tanya- I think oat flour would be a good gluten-free option for this recipe.
Can I use 1/2-cup maple syrup instead of sugar or date paste and reduce the amount of milk by 1/2-cup to accommodate the extra liquid?
Hi Clarissa- I think maple syrup would be a great substitution. Reducing the milk would be a good idea. If you see that 1/2 cup isn’t enough to keep that batter nice and moist, just add another splash.
These are delicious and freeze well. I’ve also substituted the sweet potato with butternut squash from our garden, and they are delicious as well!
Hi Jackie- What a great idea to sub out for butternut squash! I may have to try that myself this fall. It sounds yummy.
I can’t wait to make these! I’ll be using GF flour so my sister can eat them, too. One question, do you think I could leave out the sugar completely? I was thinking with the sweet potatoes and applesauce they might be sweet enough? Thank you!
Hi Fily- I personally don’t think they would be sweet enough without some kind of sweetener. Maybe you could sub out the sugar for maple syrup. I hope you and your sister enjoy these!
Hi Terri, I have tried this recipe and it’s awesome! I recently discovered applesauce gives me acid reflux and wonder what would be a suitable substitute for it in baking?
I have tried and enjoyed many of your recipes. Your site has been so helpful. Thank-you!
Hi Sharon- I’m so glad that you are enjoying this recipe! A good substitution for the applesauce might be 1 cup of mashed banana. Let me know how it goes. 😀
Used the walnuts and raisins. The muffins are moist and tasty – excellent. Thanks for the recipe.
Great recipe ; ) Have made these several times over the past few months they always turn out great even if i do deviate from the recipe somewhat. I have used pumpkin, carrots, butternut squash in place of the sweet potatoes all turned out great. This time when i made them i used some Grandma’s Molasses and added some powdered ginger which of course gave them a slight gingerbread flavor but not to much. Also added a couple of flax eggs for extra omega 3’s. Seems like this is one of those recipes that don’t ever turn out bad no matter what you change ; )
I really enjoy using this recipe regularly. I use oat flour in place of wheat, & 1/2 cup date syrup or molasses vs sugar. I use soy milk but half of what the recipe calls for and double the walnuts. No raisins – I used mulberries the first time and they made it too sweet for my liking. Thank you for the wonderful & healthy recipe!
Hi Ashley- I love your substitutions and hearing that this recipe is regularly on the breakfast menu for you. That’s awesome!
Oh baby, these turned out SO much better than the last time I made muffins with mashed sweet potatoes. I didn’t have apple sauce but had one old apple in the crisper drawer so chopped up fine. Also I reconstitue raisins in hot coffee then squeeze out some of the coffee. Mixed it all together and let sit in the fridge for an hour. Also added 2 small handfuls choc chips and these are to die for! THANKS, saving your recipe! PS I added ground flax seed too.
Hi Kathleen- That’s awesome, and I love your add-ins. So glad you loved them!
Another wonderful recipe these muffins are delicious very moist . They freeze very well.
So good. Used canned butternut squash instead of sweet potatoes (as I had it on hand) and maple sugar. Really like that they are not overly sweet. The raisins bring the sweetness to the muffins.
Will be freezing and enjoying in the future!