Sweet Potato Scones with Maple Cream Glaze
The very first time I had a scone, I fell madly in love… and I fell hard. What’s not to love about a wonderfully tender not-quite-biscuit creation that can be filled and topped with as many different ingredients as your imagination can muster? The blank canvas that a scone provides is a fantastic opportunity to unleash your kitchen creativity. The very first scones that I made were dark chocolate chip cream scones (still my mom’s most favorite recipe on this site), and since then I have played around with at least a dozen different types of scones, loving each and every one for their unique flavors and textures.
When I saw a recipe for sweet potato scones, I immediately wanted to taste them. While I’m usually drawn to recipes for sweet scones (or ones loaded with bacon and cheese), these sounded so different that I was completely intrigued. Not sure what to expect, I just dug right into the recipe, and was rewarded with some of the most fantastic scones I’ve made to date. Tender, a little flaky and not too terribly sweet, the sweet potato flavor is mild and fabulous.
By using the trifecta of butter, cream and buttermilk, you end up with scones that are almost a cross between scone and biscuit. They have those characteristic flaky layers of biscuits, while retaining the tender crumb of a traditional scone. These scones do take a little longer than usual to prepare due to baking and cooling the sweet potatoes, but the effort is well worth it, and could be done up to a day ahead of time.
These would be a wonderful addition to any fall or Thanksgiving breakfast or brunch that you have planned, and, cut into smaller rounds, could be a fantastic roll replacement at the Thanksgiving dinner table. You definitely don’t want to forget the maple cream icing – I could eat that stuff with a spoon! I also think these would be fabulous brushed with melted butter and sprinkled with sugared pecans before baking.
What is your favorite sweet potato dish?
One year ago: Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Two years ago: Sweet Potato Pie and Pumpkin Ice Cream
Three years ago: How To Make Perfect Pie Crust
Four years ago: Fallen Chocolate Cakes
Sweet Potato Scones with Maple Cream Glaze
Ingredients
For the Scones:
- ¾ pound (340.19 g) sweet potatoes, about 3 small
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- â…” cup (133.33 g) granulated sugar
- 4½ teaspoons (4.5 teaspoons) baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- 1 cup (227 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon-size pieces
- ½ cup (119 ml) heavy cream
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
For the Maple Cream Glaze:
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (0.02 ml) pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup (59.5 ml) heavy cream
- Pinch of kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the Scones: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prick the sweet potatoes all over with the tines of a fork and bake on the prepared pan until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.
- Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, scoop out the flesh into a medium bowl, and lightly mash with a fork. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until cool, at least 20 minutes.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Use your fingers or a pastry blender to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture until the dough is crumbly and contains lumps the size of small peas.
- Add the cooled sweet potatoes and ¼ cup of the heavy cream and lightly stir into the flour mixture. Add the remaining ¼ cup cream and the buttermilk and stir until just mixed. Do not overwork the dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a few times until it comes together into a cohesive mass. Lightly coat your hands with flour and gently pat the dough into ¾-inch-thick rectangle (mine was about 11x9 inches in size). Cut the dough into 6 squares, then cut each square on the diagonal to make triangle-shaped scones.
- Transfer the scones to the prepared baking sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the scones are a light golden brown. Immediately transfer the scones to a wire rack.
- Make the Glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, heavy cream and salt, until smooth. Add more cream a tablespoon at a time if needed to thin the icing to a drizzling consistency. Drizzle the icing over the warm scones. Serve the scones warm or at room temperature. The scones are best eaten the same day they are made, but can be stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
These are very good! We love them!
I used spelt flour instead and half cup cane sugar:)
Tomar la resolución de hacer dieta ya es un enorme paso para iniciar una vida saludable y alcanzar tu peso ideal.
We just had these for breakfast out on the deck. Wonderful!
sweet, moist and delicious! i used 1 and 1/2 regular sized sweet potatoes which was around 2 cups. it was not too much. :) also added a dash of strong vanilla flavoring to the glaze.
Yeah they are so delicious.I read it and try at my kitchen for my family and they really loved it.Atleast i done something productive.
I just made these and they are really delicious! I love scones and the sweet potato and maple glaze make these extra special:) Great recipe…thanks!
How many cups do you think the cooked sweet potatoes are? I’d like to try this recipe with canned pumpkin…
Hi Monica, I’d estimate about 1-1.5 cups. However, if you’re looking for a pumpkin scone, you might just want to check these out: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/02/19/pumpkin-scones-spiced-glaze/
Love this recipe- looks so good. I’ve been craving scones lately too, think I might eat my screen!
I am so excited to try these – sweet potatoes and maple syrup are awesome together! Gorgeous color too, they scream fall!
I really need to do more baking with sweet potatoes! Love the sound of these!
Thank you for the recipe and the great pictures that enticed me to make these yesterday. They were fairly easy to make and the grand kids and I loved them. This recipe is a keeper!
I love that these scones have sweet potato in them. They’re often overlooked and I think they’re every bit as great as pumpkin!
they look yummy!
These look amazing! Thanks for sharing :)
Yum !! I love the glaze.. beautiful clicks.. I am definitely trying this :)
Hope you consider a sweet potato cornbread recipe in the future. Down in Charleston, SC at the Dixie Supply Bakery and Cafe they serve the most delicious sweet potato cornbread alongside of their tomato pie. Southern Living has published a great tomato pie recipe, but it is not the same without the cornbread?
Gorgeous scones, I love the maple glaze!
These look so good! I love a nice flaky, buttery scone! I love the idea of sprinkling them with candied pecans – that would taste amazing with the sweet potato
My favorite sweet potato recipe is sweet potato pudding. I had it at a BBQ restaurant as a side, and decided I had to make it. It’s mashed sp with eggs and milk (and butter of course) baked with a pecan, coconut, and brown-sugar streusel on the top. It’s become one of our standard TG dishes.
I have never had sweet potato in a baked good or made scones! This is definitely something I need to try!!
Hi! I really enjoy reading your blog, and I think it’s wonderful! But could you please get rid of those video commercials in the sidebar? They start playing automatically, and are really hard to find and mute, it’s very annoying if you’re listening to loud music in the background. I didn’t mean to sound so grumpy, it’s just that I’m lazy, haha! Thanks for all of the recipes, you’re fab :)
Go to Adblock.com and download the ap. Problem solved. No more ads on any website.
I love scones and your recipe sounds delicious! I have some canned organic sweet potatoes–can you tell me how much I can substitute? Thanks!
Hi Natalie, I would use 12 ounces, as that is the amount of sweet potatoes originally called for (¾ pound).
oh, now I feel silly! I see that the recipe calls for 12oz…but, apparently, I thought 12oz of already mashed sweet potatoes didn’t measure the same as 12oz of sweet potatoes! duh! anyway, sometimes I’m just too tired to think straight, I guess. I appreciate your reply. I think I’m going to make your recipe this week. Thanks again!
These are super good! Tender, flaky, slightly sweet (even without the glaze) and spiced up just right. I added a few small raisins the kind advertised to use in baking. Great recipe!!
Oh… My… Gosh these look good! I swear you always are on the same wavelength as me when it comes to recipes. I was just looking at squash scones on Pinterest to use my farm share Kobocha squash (not a clue what to do with it!). Fortunately, I got sweet potatoes this week too! Totally making these this weekend – along with your blueberry muffins, sausage and cheddar biscuits, and pumpkin blondies! What can I say? It snowed. I officially have to bake all waking hours. The end.
Sweet scones are so much better than savoury ones in my opinion. But then again I will take sweet over savoury any day of the week. I love the maple too!
These will make my dad a very happy guy come Thanksgiving morning. I was wondering if you have any idea how much the sweet potatoes are by weight or volume after scooping them out? Thinking that subbing baby food sweet potatoes might be an option for the holiday express of baking.
Michelle,
I am going to have to try these soon! Thanks for posting! Yumm!
Yum!
This is a sure way to get my Husband to ea sweet potatoes! Love the scones!!
Mmm these sound lovely! Gotta love a scone like this :)
I love sweet potatoes! I bet they are great baked in a scone :)
These sound really good! I have yet to incorporate sweet potatoes into a non-savoury dish and this could be my starting point!
The trifecta of butter, cream and buttermilk AND the sweet potatoes have got to make them the softest, moistest and best scones out there! Normally I am not a scone fan b/c they’re a bit too dry for me but these are game-changers! Great job on this recipe, Michelle!
I’ve never made scones before, but I always get pulled in when there is maple involved with a recipe :)
These look fabulous! I absolutely love the flavor combination!