This delicious sweet potato cobbler is the perfect dessert or side dish for Thanksgiving. The sweet potatoes are coated in a gooey, caramely sauce and the cobbler topping is crisp and tender.
Sweet Potato Cobbler
This old fashioned sweet potato cobbler is amazing! Tender sweet potato cubes are smothered in a brown sugar syrup that is flavored with warm cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. It’s topped with a homemade cinnamon and brown sugar biscuit dough, then baked until the dough is tender on the inside with a crunchy shell.
I didn’t add as much brown sugar to this recipe as other recipes call for, and I’m glad I didn’t because it’s perfectly sweet without overwhelming the flavor of the sweet potatoes. Using brown sugar gave it a deep caramel flavor, and made a delicious sticky glaze.
This easy sweet potato cobbler is just so good, especially served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream. It’s the perfect sweet treat or side dish for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes: These are naturally sweet, creamy, and a beautiful orange color. That combination makes them the perfect base for a cobbler recipe. The darker orange a sweet potato is, generally the sweeter it will be.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar both sweetens this cobbler, and adds a caramel-like flavor from the molasses in it.
Cornstarch: This is the thickener to make the syrup. It makes the syrup glossy and thick enough to coat the sweet potatoes.
Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg, and Salt: Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg are all warming spices that add flavor and depth. Salt balances out the sweetness and enhances the other flavors in this dish.
Cold Butter: This is critical for the biscuit topping. Cold butter melting and making steam pockets in the biscuit dough is what makes the biscuit topping so light and fluffy.
Vanilla Extract: This is a classic addition to cobbler that rounds out the flavor profile so well. I always recommend using pure vanilla extract instead of imitation vanilla if you can.
Flour: All-purpose flour gives the biscuit topping the structure it needs to hold together while still being light and tender.
Baking Powder: This is the leavener we’re using to add lift to the biscuit topping.
Milk: This is the liquid we’re using to bring the biscuit dough together. It also adds a rich flavor and creates a tender crumb.
How To Make Sweet Potato Cobbler
Parboil the Sweet Potatoes: Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Cook until they’re just tender but still holding their shape, then drain and set aside to cool and release excess steam. (See the recipe card below for the full printable instructions.)
Make the Syrup: Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, and spices together in a saucepan, then whisk in the water.
Add Butter and Vanilla: Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the syrup begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in the cold butter and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
Assemble: Transfer the sweet potatoes to a casserole dish, pour the syrup over the top, and stir until every piece is evenly coated.
Make the Topping: Whisk the flour, some of the brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together.
Add Butter and Milk: Cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles a coarse crumble with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, folding gently until the dough just comes together.
Add the Topping: Spoon the dough in dollops over the sweet potato filling and sprinkle the remaining brown sugar on top.
Bake and Rest: Place in the preheated oven and bake until the topping is golden brown and the syrup is bubbling around the edges. Let the cobbler rest before serving to allow the sauce to thicken up beautifully. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. See the recipe card below for the full written instructions, including ingredient amounts, cooking times, and helpful tips, etc.
Pro Tips
- Cut the Sweet Potatoes Evenly: Whether you choose to cut the sweet potatoes into cubes or slices, it’s important to cut them into evenly sized pieces so that they cook evenly.
- Don’t Skip Parboiling: Sweet potatoes take longer to cook than the biscuit topping does, so it’s important to parboil them before baking them. That way everything can cook in the oven in the same amount of time without the topping burning.
- Use Cold Butter: Cold butter is a key element in making biscuits, or biscuit toppings like in this recipe. When the cold butter heats up in the oven, it creates steam pockets, which is what makes biscuits light and fluffy, instead of heavy and dense.
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Only mix the dough until it just comes together. When you overmix the dough it activates the gluten, which would make the topping tough and dense, instead of light and fluffy.
- Let it Rest: This cobbler needs to rest for a bit after it comes out of the oven, both to cool a little and to give the sauce a chance to set and thicken.
What Is The Origin Of Sweet Potato Cobbler?
Sweet potato cobbler is a recipe that comes from the American South, where sweet potatoes thrived thanks to the climate. Since sweet potatoes were so widely grown and easily accessible, they became a staple ingredient in many dishes, including this sweet potato cobbler.
What Is The Difference Between Cobbler And Crisp?
Cobblers and crisps are both baked fruit (or in this case vegetable) desserts with a topping. The main difference is what that topping is made of. A cobbler is topped with a biscuit topping that has a texture similar to a scone. A crisp has a topping made from a mixture of oats, flour, butter, and sugar that is crunchy and crumbly after it bakes. Crisps typically feel lighter, while cobblers tend to feel more hearty.
What Is The Best Topping For A Cobbler?
The best topping for a cobbler is buttery, lightly sweetened biscuit topping like the one in this recipe. The top is golden brown, crisp, and sweet, while the inside is soft and tender. It really is the perfect combination.
Storing And Reheating
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat individual portions in the microwave, or the entire cobbler in the oven.
Keep In Touch
I’d love to hear what you thought of this recipe in the comments or on Instagram! @KeyToMyLime #KeyToMyLime
Holiday Recipes
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out all of our other Thanksgiving recipes. Some reader favorites are:
- Canned Sweet Potato Casserole
- Peach Cobbler with Cake Mix
- Peach Crumble
- Cake Mix Cookie Bars
- Peach Rose Tarts with Puff Pastry
- Pecan Pie Cobbler
- Bisquick Peach Cobbler
- Sweet Potato Cornbread
- Pumpkin Pie with Sweetened Condensed Milk
BEST Sweet Potato Cobbler (Easy Recipe)
Sweet potato cobbler is the perfect dessert or side dish for Thanksgiving. Coated in a gooey, caramely sauce with a crisp and tender topping.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes OR 1/4 inch thick slices)
Syrup:
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup cold butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 5 Tablespoons light brown sugar, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons COLD unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/3 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
Parboil the Sweet Potatoes:
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover them by about an inch. Bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes or until just tender (not soft enough to break apart with a fork). Drain using a colander and set them aside to cool for 10 minutes (this will let them release steam and excess moisture).
Make the Syrup:
- To a medium sauce pan, add the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk together until well combined. Continue to whisk while pouring in the water. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until it begins to thicken (about 5-7 minutes).
- Once thickened, add the cubed butter and vanilla. Stir until the butter has melted and the syrup is smooth and glossy.
- Transfer the sweet potatoes to a 13x9 casserole dish. Pour the syrup over the sweet potatoes and mix together until they’re evenly coated.
Make the Topping:
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together.
- Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Cut in using a pastry cutter or fork until it resembles a coarse crumble (you should still see pea-sized pieces of butter).
- Adding 1 Tablespoon of milk at a time, use a silicone spatula to gently mix until the dough just comes together.
- Spoon the dough in dollops on top of the sweet potatoes. Sprinkle the remaining 2 Tablespoons of brown sugar on top.
Bake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
1/10Amount Per Serving: Calories: 343Total Fat: 12.6gCarbohydrates: 54.3gFiber: 4.1gSugar: 25.8gProtein: 4.5g
Nutrition information isn't always accurate.
This is the best from scratch sweet potato cobbler recipe. It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish for Thanksgiving.
