Sweet Potato Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies October 30
Pumpkin isn’t the only vegetable that becomes a popular inclusion in desserts and baked goods during the fall. Sweet potato is also very popular. And for good reason, since sweet potatoes have a naturally sweet flavor and a beautiful color to them. They also take to other flavors very well because the sweet potato itself is quite mild. Sweet potato pie is a classic, but sweet potato can be used in other desserts, as well. These oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have some mashed (cooked) swet potato incorporated into them, giving them a bit of extra sweetness and a hint of orangey, fall warmth.
The cookies are fairly standard, as far as oatmeal chocolate chip cookies go. Adding some sweet potato to them makes the cookies very moist and tender. They start out fairly chewy, but will become slightly more cake-like (although still moist) after a couple of days. The biggest change in these from a plainer cookie is the spicing. Some oatmeal chocolate chip cookies rely only on cinnamon, while these use cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. The cardamom in particularly seems to go very well with the sweet potato.
I used regular semisweet chocolate chips and toasted pecans in these. I think they’d be very good with milk chocolate and with walnuts, as well. I think that dark chocolate might take away a bit from the natural flavor of the sweet potato, but will still work if that’s what you prefer to use.
Sweet Potato Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup sweet potato puree
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and the sugars until light. Beat in the egg, followed by the sweet potato puree and vanilla extract. Working by hand, stir in the flour mixture, then mix in the oats. Stir only until everything is just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.
Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for 12-15 min, until cookies are set.
Let cool on sheet for 3 or 4 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Nutmeg Nanny Oct 30
What a great use for sweet potatoes! Does this make it healthier
cal orey Oct 30
On the same wave length. Wish I would have used sweet potato, though. I went for golden raisins, hazelnuts, dark chocolate chips 72% cacao with my oatmeal muffins (dollops of cream cheese frosting on top). Wonder why we food bloggers crave the same foods at the same time? Must be the season of the witch…Happy Halloween.
MollyCookie Oct 30
You always have such interesting recipes! These look great.
Valerie Oct 30
I’ve never baked with sweet potato before, but copied this recipe. It looks so good!
Deborah Mele Oct 31
What a great recipe to sneak a bit of extra goodness into snacks for kids!
I just found your blog through Tartelette. How did I not have it in my reader already? I do now and will be back to browse through your long list of recipes.
Congratulations on the cookbook! That is on my “To Do List” as well but I just need to work out the details. I’ll place an order for yours as soon as I return stateside in December.
Tou Tou’s Little Creation Oct 31
Hi Nicole
I was searching for some scone recipe and your previous baking sheet blog link me here. What a big surprise
I can’t help reading a lot more baking recipes besides that scone one:) I really like you blog!!!
I love baking too, and now yours just give me some really great inspirations!!!
Hope to read more from you,
Vanilla Swirl Oct 31
Hi!
Do you think pumpkin will work instead of sweet potato?
You’re an amazing baker, do you create all the recipes yourself??
Nicole Oct 31
Vanilla Swirl,
Thanks and, yes I do! (unless noted that it’s adapted from a book, which happens on occasion)
This will work with pumpkin, but I would expect the cookies to be a bit more cake-like with pumpkin than sweet potato.
D. @ Outside Oslo Oct 31
What a fun idea! Those look like they would be delicious just out of the oven, while still warm and gooey!
Katrina Nov 1
These look great, Nicole. I have less than 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree in the fridge that I need to use up. I think I’ll try these with the pumpkin. I love that these are a totally cakey cookie like the popular pumpkin cookies are!
nithya at hungrydesi Nov 2
I love the addition of the sweet potato to make these nice and moist and the spices. A great winter cookie!
Carol Nov 2
I’m excited by the option of using sweet potato in oatmeal cookies. I’m currently recovering from a Halloween sugar overdose. Do you think there’s any harm in taking a 1/4 of white sugar off your recipe? Thanks!
Kate Nov 3
wow, those look so good. thanks for the recipe.
Andrea Nov 7
Great recipe. We tried these last night. I plan to make them again but without the chocolate chips (only ’cause we’re out
Thanks for sharing!
sara Nov 10
Just wanted to let you know I tried these with pumpkin because I had just a bit of pureed pumpkin left over from some pumpkin cupcakes. Very yummy! Love the mix of spices - you’re right, it’s definitely unusual in a good way.
I was also surprised how well you can taste the pumpkin even though there’s not too much of it! Awesome recipe, as always! 
stilly Nov 18
Eww.
These look good and the folks at work will never see this coming their way from me. I only wonder if you can buy sweet potato puree. I have NEVER heard of it before. I will look today on the way home.
I like the look of these and the uniqueness of the recipe. They will be one of the next two things I bake for work. Thanks for posting this.