Paleo Sweet Potato Muffins: Moist Grain-Free Muffin Recipe

This Paleo Sweet Potato Muffins recipe is quick and simple—perfect for using leftover sweet potatoes after Thanksgiving or Christmas. These muffins are versatile, made with wholesome ingredients, and delicious enough that you wouldn’t guess they’re healthy.

Many sweet potato muffin recipes call for fresh sweet potato, which requires peeling, chopping, and boiling. To save time, this recipe works beautifully with canned sweet potatoes. Look for cans packed in water rather than syrup. If the cans contain sweeteners like Splenda, just drain into a colander and rinse the potatoes under a gentle stream of water for a minute or two—this removes any added sweetness and readies them for use.

Typical large canned sweet potatoes (about 1 lb. 13 oz.) yield roughly two cups of mashed sweet potato after draining and rinsing. That amount is enough for two batches of muffins; I freeze half in a sealed zipper bag for the next batch. To thaw, leave it at room temperature overnight or defrost briefly in the microwave. If you prefer fresh sweet potato, this recipe works with that too—just cook until very tender so the potato mashes easily.

Unlike many Paleo sweet potato muffins that turn out very soft and delicate, these muffins bake up firm and sturdy—perfect for packing in lunch boxes or taking on the go. They hold their shape well and travel nicely.

These muffins use very little coconut oil—just two tablespoons. The sweet potato itself helps keep them moist, so lowering the oil reduces fat and calories while still producing a pleasing texture. I tested several paleo flour blends and got the best results with Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour, which is widely available.

A simple Paleo streusel topping adds a bit of texture and makes the muffins feel special. I often skip it when I want a quicker bake, and the muffins are still delicious without it.

These muffins are great for breakfast, as a snack, or as a lightly sweet finish to a meal. They disappear quickly at my house, so I store them in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze individual muffins wrapped in plastic or foil and sealed in a zipper bag. Frozen muffins thaw quickly for packed lunches or on-the-go snacks.

Recipe

Paleo Sweet Potato Muffins Recipe

Author: Rebecca Baron
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
Category: Breakfast
Cuisine: Paleo

Description

These sweet potato muffins are easy to prepare, filled with wholesome ingredients, and have a naturally sweet, comforting flavor. They stay moist while remaining firm enough to pack or take on the go.

Ingredients

Muffins

2 ¼ cups Paleo baking flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp Paleo baking powder
¼ tsp real salt
1 ½ tsp cinnamon
Dash allspice and/or clove (optional)
3 eggs
1 cup mashed sweet potato
¾ cup honey
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp vanilla

Optional Streusel Topping

½ cup almond flour
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp honey
Pinch real salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray or use lightly greased paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and any optional spices.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, mashed sweet potato, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla until combined.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until evenly mixed.
Fill the muffin cups with batter and bake for 20 minutes.
If using the streusel topping: bake 10 minutes, then add about ½ tablespoon of topping to each muffin and bake another 10 minutes. Make the topping by combining the almond flour, coconut oil, honey, and a pinch of salt, working them together with a fork or fingers until coarse crumbs form.

Notes

Nutritional information provided with this recipe includes the streusel topping.