Yields: About 24 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato (from about 1 large sweet potato)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1/2 cup chopped pecans, walnuts, or chocolate chips
Instructions:
Getting Started:
- Prep the sweet potato: Peel, cube, and boil or roast your sweet potato until very tender. Mash thoroughly with a fork or potato masher. Measure out 1 cup and let cool.
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Making the Dough:
- Cream the butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the mashed sweet potato, egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
- Combine the mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined (do not overmix).
- Add mix-ins (optional): Gently fold in any desired mix-ins like chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
Baking the Cookies:
- Scoop the dough: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the cookies are slightly golden brown.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips:
- Make sure your sweet potato is fully cooked. A fork should pierce it easily.
- Use room-temperature ingredients for optimal results.
- For extra-chewy cookies, slightly underbake them. They will firm up as they cool.
- Experiment with add-ins! Try dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on top.
Storage:
- Store your sweet potato cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them for longer storage.
