Sweet Potato Biscuits

Light, fluffy, and buttery Sweet Potato Biscuits are Southern soul food perfection! Made with vegan butter and non-dairy milk, unsuspecting diners will never guess these are plant-based. Perfect for celebratory meals, brunch, and comfort food cravings!

This post was originally published on April 14, 2022. It was updated with new recipe photos and information on March 24, 2025.

I created this possibly-perfect sweet potato biscuit recipe back in 2015––it’s also in my first cookbook, Sweet Potato Soul––and it is still one of my family’s go-to recipes. Even my 89-year-old grandmother is a fan–she makes them for my daughter and I nearly every week!

These sweet potato biscuits are surprisingly easy to make. With just a few basic ingredients you’ll have light and fluffy, perfectly moist, and slight sweet biscuits to enjoy for dinner, breakfast, brunch, or the holidays.

Just like your grandma’s biscuits, these vegan biscuits start with cold butter. To keep them vegan, use a vegan butter, such as Earth Balance, Miyokos, or Country Crock Plant Butter. You can swap in coconut oil if needed, but stay clear of margarine – it isn’t a one-to-one replacement for butter because of its high water content.

For more sweet potato recipes, check out my Sweet Potato Soup, Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato, Sweet Potato Macarons, and Oat Bran Muffins with Sweet Potato.

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Puree: Fresh (not canned) puree is best, giving the biscuits recipe a light sweetness and a touch of moisture. Bake, steam, or pressure cook fresh sweet potatoes, and freeze the extra puree for easy prep next time!

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: This is one of my (not so) secrets to light and flaky homemade sweet potato biscuits. You can use white or spelt flour.

Vegan Butter: Such as Earth Balance. If needed, you can also use coconut oil. Chill the butter or oil until using; ultra-cold butter is essential for flaky biscuits!

Milk: I prefer plain soy milk, but nearly any variety of unsweetened, unflavored non-dairy milk will do. As with the butter, make sure it’s cold!

Apple Cider Vinegar: Just one teaspoon of this vinegar ensures a delicate and light crumb. If needed, you can substitute distilled white vinegar.

Sugar, Salt, & Baking Powder: For sweetening, seasoning, and leavening the biscuits. Use raw cane or coconut sugar to keep this recipe plant-based. I always recommend aluminum-free baking powder with a good expiration date, too.

How to Make Sweet Potato Biscuits

• Prepare. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Combine Wet Ingredients. Stir the sweet potato puree, vinegar, and non-dairy milk together in a bowl until combined. Set aside.

• Combine Dry Ingredients. Place the pastry flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt in the food processor bowl. Lock on the lid and pulse to combine.

• Pulse In Butter. Add the cold vegan butter or coconut oil to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

• Add Wet Ingredients. Add the sweet potato mixture and pulse 5-10 times to combine.

• Turn Out Dough. Generously flour a clean work surface, like the kitchen counter or a large cutting board. Transfer the dough onto the prepared workspace. The dough will probably be fairly wet, so gently turn it in the flour or lightly sprinkle it with more flour to help make it more manageable. Fold the dough over a couple of times, then pat the dough to about 1/2-1 inch thick.

• Cut The Biscuits. Cut the dough into biscuits using a biscuit cutter, a large cookie cutter (if you want fancy shapes), or a wide-rimmed glass. Be careful not to turn or twist the cutter as you create the shapes; press it straight down and up.

• Bake. Transfer the cut biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake them in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.

• Enjoy! Serve the biscuits hot with a brush of vegan butter and a drizzle of vegan honey, agave syrup, or sorghum syrup.

Jenné’s Recipe Pro-Tips

• Accurately measure the flour. Measure it by weight or scoop it into measuring cups before leveling off the tops. Scooping the flour directly can result in up to 30% more flour, making the biscuits heavy and tough.
• Use COLD butter. This ensures the most tender and flaky biscuits. Remove it from the refrigerator just before adding it to the food processor.
• Don’t overwork the dough. Over-mixing or over-kneading it develops the flour’s gluten, making it tough and chewy. For the lightest and fluffiest sweet potato biscuits recipe, pulse the dough until combined and turn it on the floured work surface until just covered with flour (being careful not to knead it excessively).
• Don’t twist the biscuit cutters. Press the biscuit cutter, wide-rimmed glass, or cookie cutter directly down into the dough. Twisting it will crimp down the sides, preventing the biscuits from fully rising as they bake.
• Gluten-free. If desired, you can make these easy sweet potato biscuits gluten-free. Just swap in your favorite gluten-free all-purpose baking mix and let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe for sweet potato biscuits makes a great addition to Easter, Mother’s Day, or birthday brunch spreads with any of the following dishes:

• Tofu Quiche
• Vegan “Chicken” and Waffles
• Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Tofu Scramble

Storage Directions

• Storage: Cool the sweet potato biscuits to room temperature before transferring them to an airtight container and storing them at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Freezing: The cooled biscuits can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Defrost them at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until thawed.
• Reheating: If you prefer to enjoy leftover biscuits warm, heat them in the toaster oven on low heat for 2-3 minutes or in the microwave for 15-30 seconds until hot.

More Plant-Based Soul Food Recipes

• Vegan Red Beans and Rice
• Vegan Hoppin’ John
• Vegan Collard Greens
• Vegan Jambalaya
• Vegan Mushroom Éttouffée