Southern-style Sweet Potato Buttermilk Biscuits brushed with warm honey butter. Flaky, easy, and perfect for Thanksgiving, brunch, or any cozy fall gathering.

Honey Butter Sweet Potato Buttermilk Biscuits

Name: Honey Butter Sweet Potato Buttermilk Biscuits
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons baking powder; ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons cold butter (cubed and divided); 1 cup mashed cold roasted sweet potato; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold buttermilk; 1½ tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 tablespoons melted butter; 1 tablespoon honey; pinch cinnamon (optional)

Let me just say this loud enough for the people in the back who doubted me: yes, I absolutely said I was writing a sweet potato buttermilk biscuits recipe… and yes, some folks side-eyed me like I’d finally fallen off the foodie deep end.

Spoiler alert: they were wrong, and these biscuits are pure, flaky, honey-buttery happiness.

These honey butter biscuits recipe treats are everything you want in a biscuit .. tall, tender, and golden .. but with a cozy sweet-potato richness that tastes like Thanksgiving put on its good jeans. Perfect for holiday spreads, Sunday brunch, or eating in the corner with a stick of butter like a feral raccoon. No judgment here.

brushing butter on a sweet potato biscuit

What Are Sweet Potato Buttermilk Biscuits?

They’re classic homemade Southern biscuits made with mashed roasted sweet potato .. giving you biscuits that are softer, richer, slightly sweet, and beautifully tinted with that warm fall orange. They’re like regular biscuits… but upgraded, moisturized, thriving, and fully aware of their worth.

Why You’ll Love These Biscuits

Ridiculously soft and tender thanks to sweet potato magic
Tall, flaky layers that feel like a personal achievement
Honey butter brushed on top .. enough said
Perfect for Thanksgiving or any “please brag about me” moment
Reheat beautifully, which should honestly be illegal for carbs this good

Choosing the Right Ingredients (and Why They Matter)

All-Purpose Flour:
The biscuit backbone .. gives structure without weighing them down.

Baking Powder + Baking Soda:
Your rise squad. Sweet potato adds moisture, so both are essential.

Salt:
Always brings balance.

Cold Butter:
Flaky layers require butter so cold it questions its life choices. Cold chunks = steam pockets = height. Don’t even think about leaving it out.

Mashed Sweet Potato (about 1 cup):
Adds moisture, color, richness, and flavor. Important: the mashed sweet potato must be cold. Warm potato = sticky, dense dough.

Cold Buttermilk:
Adds acid to activate your leavening and keeps everything tender.

Honey:
A little sweetness to balance everything out.

Honey Butter Topping:
Melted butter + honey + a pinch of cinnamon (optional) for glossy biscuit glamour.

Sweet Potato Prep Options:

Oven method: Roast a peeled sweet potato at 400°F until soft (about 45–50 minutes). Let it cool completely before mashing.
Microwave method: Pierce sweet potato with a fork, microwave 5–7 minutes until tender, peel, then let cool completely.
Last-minute hack: If you forgot to cook the potato ahead, microwave it, peel it, then beat it with an electric hand mixer for smoothness. Transfer to the fridge to cool before adding to dough.

Step-by-Step Instructions (9-Inch Pan Method)

Preheat oven & prep pan:
Preheat oven to 425°F. While heating, place your 9-inch round nonstick cake pan or preferred cast iron skillet in the oven to warm. When oven is ready, carefully remove the pan and add 2 tablespoons butter, swirling or brushing to grease bottom and sides.
Mix dry ingredients:
In a large bowl, whisk together:
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt

Cut in butter:
Add ½ cup cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter, mini food processor, or two forks to cut until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.

Add sweet potato & buttermilk:
Stir in 1 cup cold mashed roasted sweet potato. Pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 ½ tablespoon honey.

adding wet ingredients and sweet potato to biscuit dough

Stir until dough just comes together. Don’t overmix. Your dough will be very shaggy and that is what you want.

Knead & fold:
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface.

Pat into a rectangle, fold in half, turn, repeat 5-6 times for layers.

Cut biscuits:
Pat dough to about ¾-inch thick (or thicker for 3–4 inch cutters). Use biscuit cutter or round glass, pressing straight down without twisting. Reform scraps for more biscuits.
Tip: Larger cutter = tall, showstopper biscuits; smaller cutter = more biscuits, slightly shorter.

Arrange in pan:
Place biscuits close together in greased 9-inch pan. Optionally, you can also use a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Brush with buttermilk:
Lightly brush tops with 2 tablespoons buttermilk.
Bake:
Bake for 15–20 minutes until golden. Larger biscuits will need the full 20 minutes.
Honey butter finish:
About 5 minutes before done, remove pan and brush tops with 2 tablespoons melted butter, dash of cinnamon + 1 tablespoon honey. Return to oven to finish baking.
Serve:
Enjoy immediately, warm and flaky!

Tips & Tricks

Keep butter and buttermilk cold for maximum flakiness.
Roast sweet potato instead of boiling for richer flavor.
Don’t twist cutter .. edges will seal, biscuits won’t rise.
Bake biscuits close together in pan or skillet for taller results.
Freeze dough ahead for easy holiday prep.

Storage & Freezing

Room Temperature:
Store up to 2 days in an airtight container.

Refrigerator:
Up to 5 days .. reheat before serving.

Freeze (Baked):
Up to 2 months. Reheat at 350°F for 10 minutes.

Freeze (Unbaked):
Up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 3–4 minutes to bake time.

Variations & Add-Ins

Hot Honey Biscuits: Brush with hot honey. Life-changing.
Maple Butter: Swap honey for maple syrup.
Brown Sugar Cinnamon: Add 2 tablespoons brown sugar + pinch cinnamon.
Savory Herb: Add 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary or sage.
Cheddar Sweet Potato Biscuits: Fold in 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar.
Pan Options: 9-inch round pan (my favorite), cast iron skillet, or parchment-lined baking sheet .. all work beautifully.

FAQ

Can I use canned sweet potato?
Yes! Drain completely and mash smooth first.

Can I use whole wheat flour?
Half whole wheat, half all-purpose works best.

Can I make ahead for Thanksgiving?
Freeze the cut dough and bake fresh that morning.

Why did my biscuits flatten?
Warm butter, overmixing, or twisting the cutter.

Can I add spices?
Yes .. cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice pair beautifully.

Final Thoughts

These homemade Southern sweet potato buttermilk biscuits will steal the Thanksgiving spotlight, elevate any brunch, and probably make you forget how to share. Warm, flaky, golden, and just sweet enough .. the honey butter finish puts them over the top. Everyone who doubted me? Time to apologize.

xoxo, Heather 💋