RECIPE

Brown Sugar and Pecan Sweet Potato Biscuits

Tender, tall biscuits with concentrated roasted sweet potato, toasted pecans, and a gentle brown-sugar sweetness.

Brown Sugar and Pecan Sweet Potato Biscuits recipe from Hungry Plate

Roasted sweet potato gives these biscuits a rich color and mellow flavor without adding excess water to the dough. Keep the butter cold, mix only until the flour disappears, and fold the dough just enough to build flaky layers.

Makes 10 biscuits · Prep: 25 minutes, plus 45 minutes for roasting the sweet potato · Cook: 14 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium sweet potato, about 10 ounces
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/3 cup toasted pecans, finely chopped
  • 3/4 cup mashed roasted sweet potato, cooled
  • 1/2 cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 tablespoon for brushing
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Prick the sweet potato several times with a fork, place it on a small baking sheet, and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until completely tender.
  2. Cool the sweet potato until it is easy to handle, then split it open, scoop out the flesh, and mash it until smooth. Measure 3/4 cup and cool it to room temperature.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
  4. Add the cold butter and use your fingertips or a pastry cutter to work it into the flour until the largest pieces are pea-sized.
  5. Stir in the pecans. In a separate bowl, whisk the mashed sweet potato with the 1/2 cup buttermilk.
  6. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the flour mixture and fold with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms; do not knead it smooth.
  7. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, pat it into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, fold it in half, and pat it out again. Repeat the fold once more, then pat the dough to 1 inch thick.
  8. Cut out 10 biscuits with a floured 2 1/2-inch cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Arrange them close together on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the tops with the remaining buttermilk, and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
  9. Bake for about 14 minutes, until the biscuits are puffed and lightly browned. Serve warm.