Sweet Potato Pie Cookies
Cooking Method: Baking Cuisine: American Favorites, Holiday Cuisine Courses: Desserts
These cookies are soft and warmly spiced with sweet potato puree, cinnamon, and a touch of caramelized sweetness. They’re the perfect fall treat or anytime you want a little comforting hug in dessert form!
Why They’re Irresistible
These cookies are soft, warmly spiced, and loaded with sweet potato puree, cinnamon, and just a touch of caramelized sweetness—think the same cozy vibes as Sweet Potato Cinnamon Bread. They’re perfect for fall baking or any day you want a cozy, comforting dessert that feels like a warm hug; and if cinnamon-forward cookies are your thing, try our Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies.
What You’ll Need
- ½ cup mashed sweet potato (sweet potato puree)
- unsalted butter
- brown sugar
- granulated sugar
- egg
- vanilla
- all-purpose flour
- cinnamon
- nutmeg
- ginger
- baking soda
- salt
How to Make the Cookies
- Cook sweet potato (roast for extra flavor or microwave for speed) and mash until smooth.
- If making vegan, mix 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 Tbsp water and chill 5–10 minutes to make a flax egg to replace the egg.
- If using brown butter, brown the butter, let it cool, then chill before creaming with the sugars.
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Cream unsalted butter with brown and granulated sugar until fluffy.
- Stir mashed sweet potato, egg (or flax egg), and vanilla into the creamed butter and sugars until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
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If using mix-ins, fold in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or ½ cup chocolate chips, or press a pecan half on top of each cookie before baking.
- If the dough is too sticky, chill in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a lined baking sheet.
- Bake until the edges are set and golden but the centers remain soft.
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Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Baking Tips and Notes
- For gluten-free cookies, swap flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend—it works great!
- You can keep the dough chilled for up to 2 days before baking to save time later—the same flavor-building step used in The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- Don’t worry if cookies keep baking a bit on the hot pan after coming out of the oven—remove them a little early to avoid overbaking—the same pull-when-edges-set cue that keeps The BEST Sugar Cookies soft.
Nutrition numbers are estimates and can vary depending on your exact ingredients and brands. Check your labels for exact info!
- For gluten-free baking, just use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose.
- Chill your dough up to 2 days in the fridge before baking—this really makes a difference in the texture and flavor.
- Cookies keep cooking on the hot pan after coming out of the oven, so take them out once the edges are set but centers are still soft to keep them tender.
Nutrition info is a general guide—your bakery results may vary slightly depending on ingredients and brands, so always double check if you’re counting calories!
Mix-Ins and Flavor Swaps
Want to mix things up? Here are some simple ways to customize these cookies and make them your own:
- Nutty: Fold in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, or press a pecan half on top of each cookie before baking for a delightful crunch. Pecan fans might also enjoy our Melt-In-Your-Mouth Pecan Snowball Cookies.
- Chocolate Lovers: Stir ½ cup dark or white chocolate chips right into your dough for a sweet, melty surprise.
- Pumpkin Swap: Use canned or homemade pumpkin puree (same ½ cup amount) to give these a classic pumpkin pie twist.
- Gluten-Free: Swap the all-purpose flour with your favorite 1:1 gluten-free blend—no other changes needed! For more guidance on a tender GF dough, see our Lemon Cut Out Cookies (Gluten Free, Paleo).
- Vegan Version: Use vegan butter and replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, chilled for 5–10 minutes).
- Brown Butter Boost: Brown the butter first, let it cool, then chill before creaming with the sugars to add a deliciously nutty caramel flavor.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
Let me share my favorite ways to keep these cookies fresh and tasty:
- Room Temperature: Keep cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, layering parchment paper between them to avoid sticking.
- Refrigerate: Baked cookies keep for up to a week in the fridge. They might firm up a bit, but just warm them slightly before serving.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Store in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months. When ready to eat, thaw on the counter or warm in a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes to refresh.
- Freeze Dough: Refrigerate dough for up to 48 hours, or freeze scooped dough balls on a tray until solid. Transfer frozen balls to a bag and bake directly from frozen, just add 1–2 minutes to bake time. This method also works for other drop cookies like Crisp and Chewy Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies.
- Reheat: For a quick warm-up, zap a cookie in the microwave for about 10–12 seconds. Or, heat cookies in a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven softness.
Common Questions
- Can I use canned sweet potato or pumpkin? Absolutely! Use plain canned puree in the same ½ cup amount. If you have extra pumpkin, you can put it to good use in this Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread. Just avoid pie filling since it’s already sweetened and spiced.
- What if my dough feels too sticky? Pop it in the fridge for 20–30 minutes and it’ll firm right up. You can also chill the dough for up to 2 days before baking.
- Why do my cookies spread too flat? Over-creaming your butter and sugar, warm dough, or not enough flour can cause this. Try chilling the dough and mixing just enough to combine.
- Can I make these nut-free? Yes! Just skip the pecans or any nuts—you’ll still get delicious cookies with no nuts involved.
- How do I get those soft centers and nicely golden edges? Bake until edges are set and golden, but centers still look soft. Let them cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes—they’ll finish firming up perfectly.
Soft, warmly spiced cookies made with sweet potato puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, offering a cozy and comforting dessert perfect for fall or any time.
- Total Time: 25-27 minutes
- Yield: About 24 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- ½ cup mashed sweet potato (roasted or microwaved)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free version)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Optional toppings and mix-ins: ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, ½ cup dark or white chocolate chips, cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Prepare sweet potato by roasting until tender or microwave until soft; mash smooth and let cool.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until fluffy and pale.
- Add the mashed sweet potato, egg, and vanilla extract into the butter-sugar mixture; mix well until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour (or gluten-free blend if using), cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, mixing gently until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep cookies soft.
- Using a rounded tablespoon, scoop dough onto the prepared baking trays, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- If desired, press a pecan half on top of each cookie or sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or fold in chocolate chips or nuts into the dough before scooping.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set and golden but centers remain soft.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to finish setting, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
For gluten-free cookies, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, no other changes needed., Chill dough for up to 2 days before baking to enhance texture and flavor., Cookies continue to cook on the hot baking sheet after removal from oven; remove when edges are set but centers are still soft to avoid overbaking., To make a vegan version, use vegan butter and replace the egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, chilled 5–10 minutes)., Browned butter can be used for a nutty caramel flavor; brown butter, let cool, then chill before creaming with sugars., Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, refrigerate up to a week, or freeze up to 2 months., Freeze dough balls on tray until solid, then transfer to bag and bake directly from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to baking time., Reheat cookies in a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes or microwave for 10–12 seconds to refresh softness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: American Favorites, Holiday Cuisine
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: Approximately 120 calories per cookie (estimate, varies by ingredient brands)
- Fat: 5g per cookie (estimate)
- Carbohydrates: 18g per cookie (estimate)
- Protein: 2g per cookie (estimate)
Soft, warmly spiced cookies made with sweet potato puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, offering a comforting fall dessert with optional mix-ins like pecans or chocolate chips.
- Total Time: 25-30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Ingredients
- ½ cup mashed sweet potato (sweet potato puree)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (or vegan butter)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (or 1 flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, chilled 5–10 min)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free flour blend)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- Optional mix-ins: ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, or ½ cup chocolate chips, or pecan halves for topping
Instructions
- Cook sweet potato by roasting or microwaving until tender, then mash until smooth.
- If making vegan, combine 1 tbsp ground flaxseed with 3 tbsp water and chill for 5-10 minutes to create flax egg.
- If browning butter, melt butter over medium heat until golden brown and nutty; let cool and chill before use.
- Cream unsalted butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until fluffy.
- Mix in mashed sweet potato, egg (or flax egg), and vanilla extract until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking soda, and salt.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- If desired, fold in ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, or ½ cup chocolate chips; alternatively, press a pecan half on top of each cookie before baking.
- If the dough is too sticky, chill in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spacing them adequately.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until edges are set and golden but centers remain soft, approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
For gluten-free cookies, substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend., Dough may be refrigerated up to 2 days before baking to enhance texture and flavor., Take cookies out of the oven when edges are set but centers are still soft to avoid overbaking; residual heat will continue cooking them., Cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, refrigerated for up to a week, or frozen for up to 2 months., Freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray until solid, then transfer to a bag and bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time., Reheat cookies in a microwave for 10–12 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 5–8 minutes for freshness.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: American Favorites, Holiday Cuisine
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: Approximately 120 calories per cookie
- Fat: 5g per cookie
- Carbohydrates: 18g per cookie
- Protein: 2g per cookie
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