When the air turns crisp and the leaves start to fall, there’s nothing quite like the warm, comforting aroma of sweet potatoes baking with sugar, vanilla, and spice. This Sweet Potato Cobbler is your go-to holiday treat: easy enough for a weeknight, festive enough for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Whether you serve it as dessert (hello, vanilla ice cream!) or alongside roast meats, it’s bound to become one of your favorite sweet potato dessert recipes.
Craving more sweet potato magic? Check out these Chicken & Sweet Potato Bowls for Two for a savory twist using the same star ingredient.
Why You’ll Love Sweet Potato Cobbler
- It brings together the best of sweet potato casserole and cobbler — juicy sweet potatoes + a buttery, crumbly topping, without the fuss of pastry crust.
- The flavor hits all the cozy notes: brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, cinnamon.
- Prep is fast (just ~10 minutes), bake time is moderate (~35 minutes), so you get big flavor with minimal effort.
- Versatile: serve it warm on its own, dress it up with ice cream, or make it part of your holiday spread.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for about 6 servings of sweet potato cobbler.
For the Sweet Potatoes Base
- 2–3 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ~½‑inch cubes
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 2‑inch)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cornstarch
For the Cobbler Topping
- ½ cup all‑purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 stick cold butter, cubed
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Recipe Instructions: Step by Step
- Boil the sweet potatoes. In a saucepan, add the cubed sweet potatoes and enough water to fully cover them. Stir in granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 8 minutes. Potatoes should be tender but not falling apart. Remove from heat, drain, discard the cinnamon stick.
- Preheat oven & prepare the dish. Heat your oven to 375°F (≈ 190‑200°C). Grease a baking dish or a 9‑inch round pie plate with nonstick spray or butter.
- Assemble the sweet potato base. Place the cooked, drained sweet potatoes into the prepared baking dish.
- Make the cobbler topping. In a mixing bowl, whisk (or stir) together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter, fork, or two knives, cut in the cold butter until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Then fold in the egg and vanilla extract, mixing just until combined — you want a crumbly, slightly moist topping.
- Bake. Spoon or crumble the topping evenly over the sweet potatoes. Bake in the preheated oven for 30‑35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown around the edges and the filling is hot.
- Cool and serve. Let the cobbler rest until warm. This helps it set a bit. Serve warm, ideally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or whipped cream), or even a drizzle of maple syrup for extra sweetness.
Variations & Flavor Twists
Want to tweak it? Here are some ideas:
- With marshmallows: Add mini marshmallows on top in the last 5 minutes of baking so they toast.
- Gluten‑free version: Swap in a gluten‑free flour blend. Ensure baking powder is GF.
- Vegan version: Use plant‑based butter and substitute egg with flax egg or applesauce.
- Spice it up: Add nutmeg, clove, or allspice along with pumpkin spice.
- Topping swap: Replace crumb topping with oat crumble or pecan streusel.
Want more fall dessert ideas? You’ll love this super easy 3-Ingredient Apple Cake — moist, fruity, and done in no time.
Serving Tips
- Best served warm. The flavors and texture hit just right when it’s still slightly soft inside and delightfully crispy on top.
- Let it rest 5–10 minutes after baking so it holds together better.
- Pair with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for contrast.
- Great for holiday meals; works as dessert or festive side dish alongside turkey, ham, or roast chicken.
If you’re into fruity and rich desserts, you might also try this luscious Strawberry Cheesecake Dump Cake — no layering, just dump, bake, and serve.
Nutrition Snapshot (Approximate)
| Portion | Things to Know |
|---|---|
| Calories | Moderate‑high (sweet potatoes + sugars + butter) — enjoy in small portions if watching sugar/fat intake. |
| Nutrients | Sweet potatoes give fiber, vitamin A, some vitamin C; spices add antioxidant value. |
| Make‑ahead | Can be prepared up to the topping stage ahead of time, then bake later. |
FAQs
Yes — drain well first. Adjust cooking time, since canned potatoes are softer already. You’ll want to be gentle so they don’t turn mushy.
Make sure sweet potatoes are drained well. Use cold butter and don’t overmix topping. Bake until edges are golden, which helps set and crisp the topping.
Absolutely. Freeze after baking. Reheat in oven (covered for first half, uncovered to crisp) when ready to serve.
Yes: assemble base and topping the day before, keep refrigerated, then bake just before serving.
Sweet Potato Cobbler Recipe
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A festive, cozy dessert (or side dish!) that brings together juicy sweet potatoes and a buttery, crumbly topping — perfect for holidays or weeknights.
Ingredients
- 2–3 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ~1/2‑inch cubes
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 2‑inch)
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup all‑purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for topping)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 stick cold butter, cubed
- 1 egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (for topping)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, add the cubed sweet potatoes and enough water to fully cover them. Stir in granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and the cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 8 minutes. Drain and discard the cinnamon stick.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (≈ 190‑200°C). Grease a baking dish or a 9‑inch round pie plate.
- Place the cooked sweet potatoes into the prepared baking dish.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Fold in the egg and vanilla just until combined.
- Spoon or crumble the topping evenly over sweet potatoes. Bake for 30‑35 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
- Let rest 5–10 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
You can prep the dish ahead up to the topping stage and refrigerate until ready to bake. For variations, try marshmallows, oat topping, or a vegan/gluten-free twist.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Final thoughts
Sweet Potato Cobbler is that perfect comfort dessert (or side) bringing cozy textures, fall flavors, and holiday cheer with minimal effort. It combines warm spices, sweet potatoes, and a crisp‑crumb topping to please everyone at the table. Whether you stick with the classic version above or try a variation (gluten‑free, vegan, or extra marshmallows!), this recipe will earn a spot in your seasonal rotation.
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