Southern Sweet Potato Cobbler

Sweet Potato Cobbler
Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 70 mins
Total: 85 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Old-fashioned sweet potato cobbler is a Mississippi favorite and grandmothers all through the South have their own versions of this treasured recipe. In this rendition, cooked sweet potatoes are layered over a batter of flour, baking powder, sugar, and milk, and then topped with a sweet syrup flavored with vanilla and cinnamon. The mixture is baked until golden brown and bubbling.

Sweet potato cobbler makes a fabulous dessert with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream, or a drizzle of heavy cream over the top. It is a nice alternative to sweet potato pie, casseroles, or candied sweet potatoes.

Ingredients

For the Cobbler:

  • 3 medium sweet potatoes

  • 4 ounces (1/2 cupunsalted butter

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 1 cup milk

For the Syrup:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

  • 1 1/2 cups hot water

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps to Make It

  1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Have ready a 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish.

  2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Peel the sweet potatoes. Slice them into rounds about 1/2-inch thick or cut into bite-sized chunks and add them to the boiling water.

  3. Cover the pan and cook for about 12 to 14 minutes, or just until they are tender but still firm in the center when pierced with a fork. 

  4. Put the butter in the baking dish and place it in the oven until the butter has melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Watch carefully to make sure the butter doesn't burn.

  5. In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and milk. Spoon the batter over the center of the melted butter. Do not stir.

  6. To make the syrup, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, hot water, vanilla, and cinnamon. Stir until the sugars are dissolved.

  7. Arrange the sweet potatoes over the batter and pour the syrup mixture over the sweet potatoes.

  8. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

  9. Serve with ice cream,  whipped cream, or whipped topping.

Tips

Try not to overcook the sweet potatoes; they should be fork-tender but still somewhat firm. Instead of raw sweet potatoes, use 2 to 2 1/2 cups of cooked sweet potatoes. Canned sliced sweet potatoes are rather soft, but they may be used in the recipe as well. You can use self-rising flour and omit the baking powder and salt if you prefer.

Recipe Variations

Since this is one of those recipes that gets passed down generation to generation, and many cooks make from memory, there are several different versions of a sweet potato cobbler. Some may finish with a pastry crust instead of starting with the batter on the bottom, others cook the potatoes in the syrup and then top with a lattice design of pastry dough. You will find recipes where sugar and butter are layered several times with the sweet potato and strips of pastry dough and then covered with a full pie crust; while it is baking a sweetened evaporated milk mixture is poured over top. There are also versions featuring a biscuit topping over the spiced sweet potato mixture. 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
464 Calories
12g Fat
86g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 464
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 196mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 86g 31%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 65g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 8mg 42%
Calcium 129mg 10%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 296mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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