Classic jumbo muffins with nostalgic gingerbread flavor swirled with bits of rich, roasted sweet potato and topped with crunchy crushed pecans. Sponsored by Wayfair and originally published November 2018. Last updated December 2022.
It's that time in between Thanksgiving and Christmas when the holiday season is completely popping. You're probably visiting friends and family and/or having them over to your home. And what better way to show up on someone's doorstep or welcome them to yours than with homemade baked goods?
If you enjoy homemade bakery treats, try these recipes next!
This sweet potato gingerbread muffins recipe is extremely easy and my favorite dessert to use up leftover sweet potatoes. Holiday guests describe them as comforting and pure fire. If you have any extra sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving, use them here.
What do they taste Like?
This unique muffin recipe starts with roasted sweet potato. I prefer roasting over boiling or steaming to get deeper flavor and tender, pliable texture that blends as easily into this muffin batter as it does my famous bourbon sweet potato pie. Sweet potato gingerbread muffins are dense and moist with tiny orange bits of sweet potato throughout. Crunchy pecans balances out the soft crumb.
Flavor-wise, you'll taste deep spicy sweetness from the combination of sugars and warming gingerbread spices like clove and cinnamon. Butter and vanilla add richness and classic bakery taste along with nutmeg. The combination of sweet potato and pecans is similar to pecan sweet potato pie.
What You'll Need for this Recipe
Making spiced sweet potato muffins is simple and so is the ingredient list. Here's what to add to your grocery cart. You'll see that this is an egg-free muffin recipe, which means you can lick the bowl!
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Butter
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Gingerbread Spices
- Granulated Sugar
- Milk
- Molasses
- Pecans
- Sea Salt
- Sweet Potato
- Vanilla Extract
A note on substitutions: You can use any kind of pecans from this recipe--whole, halves, or pieces--and chop them into the right size for topping the sweet potato muffins. However, for ease, tiny pecan bits are commonly sold as pecan chips or cookie pieces in the grocery store bakery sections.
Tips & Tools for this Recipe
As far as tools, grab paper muffin liners and a stand mixer to easily combine all the muffin batter ingredients. Alternatively, you can use a large mixing bowl and silicone spatula.
My jumbo sweet potato gingerbread muffins are baked in a six-count muffin pan but you can also make 12 smaller ones in a nonstick cupcake pan if that's what you have on hand and you'll be set to welcome even more guests over!
What's the secret to making good muffins? For bakery style muffins at home, bring the cold ingredients to room temperature. And mix the wet and dry ingredients separately then combine. This is the same method I use for my jumbo lemon blueberry muffins.
No matter which mixing method you use, just be sure not to overwork the batter. I mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated then finish by hand with the silicone spatula to make sure there are no dry pockets hiding.
How to make muffins fluffy? Start with high heat. Let the muffins bake for about 10 minutes then lower oven temperature for the remaining baking time. This hot start activates the rising agents quickly for fluffy muffin tops!
Can I bake muffins ahead of time? Yes! These muffins get better with time and can be made a few days ahead of time. Just cool then store them in an airtight container to keep moist. And storing homemade muffins at room temperature is your best bet for freshness and texture. Muffins will keep up to four days on the countertop.
What Makes Gingerbread Flavor?
Classic gingerbread taste comes from a special combination of spices and molasses. Here's the gingerbread spice mix.
- Allspice
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
Gingerbread sweet potato muffins include everything above except for the allspice only because I don't typically keep that on hand and find the flavor to be on point without it. If you prefer, add up to half a teaspoon of allspice.
More Gingerbread Treats
- Bourbon Gingerbread Hot Chocolate
- Chewy Gingerbread Cocoa Cookies
- Gingerbread Christmas Donuts
- Two-Bite Gingerbread Chocolate Mini Holiday Cakes
And More Sweet Potato Recipes
- Baked Sweet Potato Oatmeal Cups
- Browned Butter Sweet Potato Soup
- Salted Caramel Sweet Potato Bars
- Shepherd's Pie with Sweet Potato Crust
- Sweet Potato Praline Bread Pudding
I hope you'll welcome holiday guests into your home this season with a warm batch of fall muffins. Sharing is caring so be sure to pin this gingerbread treat for later and follow me over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
Gingerbread Sweet Potato Muffin Recipe
Sweet Potato Gingerbread Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato about 6 to 8 ounces
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup molasses
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ⅓ cup milk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground clove
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped pecans also known as "cookie pieces"
Instructions
- Spray a six-count muffin pan with nonstick oil and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Pierce sweet potato a few times with a fork and place on oven rack. Roast for about 40 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool to the touch then peel.
- Using a stand mixer or hand beater, mix together cooled sweet potato, sugar, molasses, melted butter, vanilla extract, and milk. Small chunks of sweet potato will remain.
- In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, and sea salt. Add to wet mixture and mix until just incorporated and no dry pockets remain.
- Divide batter evenly between each well of prepared muffin pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans over top of each muffin then lightly press them into the batter.
- Transfer pan to oven to bake for 10 minutes then lower oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake an additional 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Serve warm.
Notes
- If using a stand mixer or food processor, be sure not to over-mix batter. Mix or process dry mixture into wet until just incorporated then stir by hand to check for dry pockets.
- ½ tablespoon of Allspice can be added to this recipe for more authentic gingerbread flavor.
Nutrition
Heidi says
I was curious about how much sweet potato you used. I have giant sweet potatoes to roast, so I was wondering if it was a cup or more towards two? Thank you!
Jazz says
Hi, Heidi! I don't typically measure the sweet potato in cups but define a "large" sweet potato as about 6 inches long and 3-4 inches in diameter. These usually yield about 1 1/2 cup mashed. You can likely get away with 1/2 cup difference in either direction. Hope this is helpful.
Deb says
What would temp and time be for 12 muffins. Thanks! deb
Jazz says
Hi, Deb! The temperature would be the same but, if you’re making 12 cupcake-sized muffins, I recommend starting with 18 minutes and checking from there. If the muffins will be the same (jumbo) size as the ones in this post, you can keep the time about the same (40 minutes). I hope this is helpful.
Emily says
WOW!!! These look so amazing, I love anything gingerbread!!
-Emily
https://norepeatsorhesitations.com/2018/11/28/self-care-with-aveeno-positively-radiant/
Shanika says
Wow---never thought of putting sweet potatoes and gingerbread flavor together? Sounds so good! I need to try this!
Andrea @Beautiful Eats & Things says
Those flavor combinations sound amazing! I will definitely have to give this recipe a try!
Tisha says
I have to try this! Gingerbread and sweet potato sounds like a great mix. I always eat a muffin in the mornings too lol
Jazz says
It's a great mix! I love one of these in the morning with green tea.
Erika | Black Girls Who Brunch says
*clicks tongue like a ghetto girl* NOW YOU KNOW I AM ALL FOR THIS!!! Sweet potato will win me over anytime. Gingerbread goes great with it too. This is genius.
Jazz says
LMAO not the ghetto tongue pop! These muffins are worth that, though.
Calysta says
Sweet potato and gingerbread are two of my fall flavor favorites! I’m going to have fun trying this!!!
Katherine says
I love how muffins can be so versatile with their ingredients! I never would’ve thought to put sweet potatoes and gingerbread into the same recipe, but these sound divine! I think they’re such a great recipe for all the holiday parties we’ll be going to this season!
Jazz says
So true! Hope you'll try these out. 🙂
Katrina Adams says
I Sweet Potato muffins, cake, and pretty much anything with Sweet potatoes!!!! These sound delicious!!!
Leslie says
YUM!!! These are perfect for fall and winter. I'm going to try to make them gluten free.
Marya Mesa says
These look yummy and a great way to get some veggies in!
jenna | the urben life says
These look amazing, I love sweet potatoes so much! I know my husband and I would eat these up 🙂 I need to get some molasses.
Jazz says
Yes! I only use molasses around this time of year to make gingerbread but it's a must-use. Thanks for stopping by, Jenna!