Sweet Potato Muffins With Cinnamon Sugar Topping

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 12/31/19
sweet potato muffins
These sweet potato muffins are jazzed up with a cinnamon sugar topping. Diana Rattray
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
296 Calories
18g Fat
30g Carbs
6g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 296
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g 23%
Saturated Fat 3g 13%
Cholesterol 78mg 26%
Sodium 408mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 30g 11%
Dietary Fiber 3g 9%
Protein 6g
Calcium 142mg 11%
*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.)

 These sweet potato muffins get extra texture and flavor from pecans and the cinnamon-sugar topping. You optionally can add 1/2 cup of toffee bits (Bits 'O Brickle Bits) to the muffins or turn them into a bread. The sweet potato purée lowers the amount of oil needed in the recipe and makes the muffins very moist.

The muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months. If you make two batches and freeze one, you'll have a fabulous treat to serve when friends and family visit unexpectedly.

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Ingredients

  • For the Muffins:
  • 1 3/4 cups/8 ounces all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk (or whole milk)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/3 cups sweet potato (puréed, from a can or freshly cooked sweet potatoes)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • Optional: 1/2 cup toffee bits or brickle bits
  • For the Topping:
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe for sweet potato muffins, they are broken down into workable sections to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Make the Muffin Batter

  1. Gather the ingredients. Heat the oven to 375 F.

  2. Butter or spray the wells of a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking or baking spray. 

  3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon, the ground nutmeg, baking powder, and salt. Stir or whisk to blend thoroughly; set aside.

  4. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs. Whisk in the 1/4 cup of granulated sugar and the brown sugar, evaporated milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add the sweet potato purée and whisk until well blended.

  5. With a spoon, stir the flour mixture into the sweet potato batter just until the dry mixture is moistened. The batter will be a bit lumpy.

  6. Fold in the pecans and toffee bits, if using.

  7. Fill muffin cups nearly full.

Make the Topping and Bake

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

  3. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top of each muffin.

  4. Bake the sweet potato muffins for 22 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of a muffin.

Recipe Variations

While these sweet potato muffins are delicious just as they are, every recipe can benefit from a little variation now and then.

  • Replace the optional toffee bits with 1/2 cup of dried cranberries or raisins.
  • Add about 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips in place of or in addition to the toffee bits.
  • Use walnuts instead of pecans.

How to Make Fresh Puréed Sweet Potatoes

Scrub and peel 2 medium sweet potatoes. Cut into cubes and place in a saucepan. Cover with water. Bring the sweet potatoes to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low or medium-low, cover the pan, and cook until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Pulse in a food processor until smooth. Let come to room temperature before using in this recipe.

Storage and Reheating

Freeze the muffins in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat single frozen muffins in the microwave for about 20 to 30 seconds (100% power). Or wrap frozen muffins in foil and heat in a heated 350 F oven for about 15 minutes.