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Tender and lightly spiced, sweet potato waffles are a wonderful way to start out your morning! The batter works well for pancakes, too.

In my book, there’s not much better than enjoying a stack of warm waffles on the weekend.

I love making weekend breakfasts for my family, and waffles are often at the top of their request list.

A plate with two waffles topped with a pat of butter and syrup, with a milk jug in the background and a fork on a cloth napkin to the side.

These sweet potato waffles are tender, lightly sweet, and feature the perfect amount of cozy, warming spices. You don’t need a special occasion to whip them up, so get those waffle irons ready!

Ingredients for sweet potato waffles

Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

Sweet potatoes – If you don’t have leftover mashed sweet potatoes from another recipe, we’ll need to make some. This recipe calls for 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes, so you’ll need 1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes.

Flour – We’ll use all-purpose flour here. If you need the waffles to be gluten-free, use a gluten-free all-purpose blend like Pamela’s.

Brown sugar – Dark brown sugar gives the waffles an extra depth of flavor thanks to the added molasses, but you can use light brown sugar instead.

Baking powder and baking soda – For leavening.

Eggs – Use standard large eggs.

Milk – I typically use 2% milk. Whole milk will give you a richer waffle. You can also swap in unflavored unsweetened almond milk.

Vegetable oil – To help add moisture to the waffles.

Vanilla – Use pure vanilla extract if you can. Vanilla paste is also a good 1:1 swap.

Spices – I love adding warming spices to breakfast goods, and they pair so well with sweet potatoes. Here we’re using cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. There’s also some salt added, which enhances all the flavors.

Two waffles with butter and syrup on a white plate.

How to make this recipe

First things first: You need to get out your waffle maker!

Make sure it is clean and no waffle debris is left from previous use. I wipe mine out with a paper towel, folding it so I can get into the grooves. Set it aside for now; we’ll preheat the waffle maker after the batter is mixed.

If you need to mash your sweet potatoes, peel and dice the potatoes, then add to a pot. Cover with water and place over high heat.

Bring to a boil, then reduce slightly to prevent overboiling. Cook potatoes for about 15 minutes. They should be easily pierced with a fork.

Drain well and let cool slightly, then mash to desired texture, or pureé in a food processor. Measure out 1 cup, saving any extra for another use.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices until uniformly mixed.

Grab another bowl and add the 1 cup sweet potatoes. Mix in the milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla, stirring until smooth.

Pour the sweet potato mixture into the dry ingredients and stir. Make sure everything is incorporated and no dry parts remain, and remember to scrape up from the bottom and sides.

The batter does not need to be completely smooth, so don’t overmix! Now, let the batter rest while you preheat your waffle iron.

Plug in the waffle iron and switch it on, keeping it closed. If you have a dial setting like on a Belgian waffle maker, I usually turn mine to just lower than midway. Most waffle makers have an indicator light that will let you know when it is fully heated.

Once heated, lightly spray the plates with nonstick spray, then add a scoop of batter (the amount will depend on the size of your waffle maker) and close the lid.

Cook according to manufacturer’s instructions. Once cooked, remove waffle and serve immediately, or place on a sheet pan set in a low oven to keep warm. Repeat until all the batter is used.

Serve with butter, maple syrup, and any of your other favorite waffle toppings!

Storage and reheating

Waffles are great for making ahead of time. I like to use my mini waffle maker to make toaster-size waffles that can be frozen and reheated quickly.

To reheat in the microwave, place waffles on a plate and cover with a paper towel. Heat for 30 seconds or until warmed through.

To freeze waffles, place in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Set the baking sheet in the freezer and chill the waffles until completely frozen 2-4 hours. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags, label, and use within 3 months.

You can warm frozen sweet potato waffles in the toaster just like storebought waffles! Use the same settings, adjusting up or down for desired results.

A plate with freshly baked waffles topped with a pat of butter, accompanied by a fork and knife on a napkin.

More waffle recipes

All out of sweet potatoes? Here’s a few of my other favorite waffle recipes:

Add this sweet potato waffle recipe to your weekend brunch plans!

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It means so much when you enjoy my recipes, so let me know how it goes and leave a comment if you have any questions.