These sweet potato pecan cookies with maple cream cheese frosting are soft and fluffy and flavored with cinnamon and vanilla.
Welcome to Christmas Cookies Week. I received sample products from some of our prize sponsors. All opinions are my own.
These cookies take the flavors of a sweet potato casserole and rolls them up into a soft fluffy cake-like cookie. It's a great way to get your vegetables.... in a cookie!
Everyone who tried these cookies simply fell in love, even the skeptics. It was probably the sweet and tangy maple cream cheese frosting that helped win them over.
These cookies are great for a holiday pot luck or for cookie tray gifts. This year I'll pair them alongside my melting snowman cookies, peppermint candy cane cookies, and spiced chocolate molasses cookies. I'm pretty sure the neighbors will love them.
For the sweet potato ingredient in these cookies, I baked a sweet potato in the oven and scooped out the pulp and mashed it in a bowl. I love the extra flavor that roasting brings to the potato.
If you are in a hurry, you can also microwave a sweet potato until it is soft. Just prick it with a fork all over, leaving the skin on, and microwave for 4 to 5 minutes. Another alternative is to use canned sweet potatoes.
You will need one cup of mashed sweet potatoes.
I topped each cookie with a gorgeous Millican Pecan half from one of our prize sponsors. These pecans are from a fifth-generation family-owned pecan farm in Texas, and they are amazing. They are giving away a Tower of Treats for one lucky winner. I can honestly say that I love their products. You can order them directly from the company. There are some great gift packages.
These cookies are really easy to make. They take about 40 minutes to make, plus cooling time before icing. They are so worth it!
To scoop this dough, I used a #16 portion scoop which will give you the scant 1/4 cup of dough you will need for each cookie.
This recipe makes about 25 cookies. You could also divide the dough into 25 pieces and then use the scoop to shape the dough into rounds.
These cookies are like little frosted cakes with a bonus pecan half on top. For even more flavor, be sure to lightly toast the pecan halves before topping the cookies.
I told some of my taste testers (mostly grandchildren) that they were pumpkin cookies because I knew they would turn their noses up at sweet potatoes. They loved these cookies.
If you're looking for a resource for Christmas Cookies, be sure to check out all of the recipes from everyone who is participating. We will be posting new recipes all week.Wednesday Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Almond Shortbread Bites by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Oatmeal Cookie by Lemon Blossoms
- Chocolate Pecan Cookie Crisps by Eat Move Make
- Christmas Checkerboard Cookies by Jolene's Recipe Journal
- Christmas Chippity Chip Cookies by Daily Dish Recipes
- Christmas Tree Cookies by Swirls of Flavor
- Cinnamon Snowball Cookies by Jersey Girl Cooks
- French Toast Cookies by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
- Frosty Ginger Cookies by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
- Italian Christmas Cookies by Blogghetti
- Meringue Christmas Trees Two Ways by Art of Natural Living
- New York-Style Black & Whites by Kate's Recipe Box
- Pecan Crescent Cookies by Palatable Pastime
- Pepparkakor by That Recipe
- Peppermint Cream Cheese Crushed Oreo Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
- Reindeer Haystacks by Leftovers Then Breakfast
- Soft Italian Wedding Cookies by Making Miracles
- Sweet Potato Pecan Cookies by Karen's Kitchen Stories
- Turtle Cookies by An Affair from the Heart
- Vegan Italian Wine Cookies by Frugal & Fit
- Zimstern - German Cinnamon Stars by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Sweet Potato Pecan Cookies

Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato
- 6 ounces softened cream cheese
- 1 /2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 25 pecan halves
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter for 30 seconds. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in the sweet potato.
- Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Drop a scant 1/4 cup of the batter onto the baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies, 1 sheet at a time, for 12 to 14 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
- Frost with the Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and top with a pecan half.
- Beat the cream cheese with a mixer on medium until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar, maple sugar, and vanilla and beat until fluffy.
Calories
190.60Fat (grams)
8.25Sat. Fat (grams)
4.38Carbs (grams)
27.52Fiber (grams)
0.50Net carbs
27.01Sugar (grams)
18.09Protein (grams)
2.17Sodium (milligrams)
194.62Cholesterol (grams)
26.57Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens 100 Best Cookies, 2015.
Welcome to #ChristmasCookies week where more than 25 bloggers are sharing cookie recipes perfect for your holiday celebrations. Hosted by Ellen from Family Around the Table, Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures and Heather from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks, we invite you to not only check out the recipes but enter the amazing giveaway.
Don’t miss one delicious cookie recipe! Follow along on Pinterest.
Prize 1: Tower of Treats from Millican Pecan Company
Originally founded as the West Texas Pecan Nursery in the late 1800's, Millican Pecan is now in 5th generation ownership. Located in San Saba, TX, the family continues the tradition of pecan farming while also branching the business into the online world. The family also enjoys educating people about pecans. One winner will receive The Tower of Treats Gift Tins. The tower includes 3 decorative gift tins stacked on top of each other. The bottom tin includes our 2 lb. Chocolate Pecan Sampler, the middle tin is our Flavored Pecan Sampler and the top tin is an 8 oz. tin of Milk Chocolate Caramillicans (similar to Turtles). An $80 value.
Prize 2: An Assortment of Flavored Extracts from Adams Extract and Spices
In January 2013, Adams, one of the oldest continuously operated companies in Texas and one of oldest spice and extract companies in the United States, celebrated its 125th birthday and was awarded the Texas Treasure Business Award, an award sponsored by State Bill 920 that recognizes the accomplishments of Texas businesses that have provided employment opportunities and support to the state’s economy for at least 50 years and pays tribute to the state’s well-established businesses and their exceptional historical contributions toward the state’s economic growth and prosperity.
Today, Adams proudly manufactures and markets under several Adams Brand banners, including Adams Best®, Adams Extract®, Adams® Seasoning & Spice, Adams Reserve®, Flavor King™, Pantry Basics™, Sear-n-Crust®, ClearVan™, Carniceria®, Cocina del Rey®, Naturals™, and Urban Canner™ along with the Adams Frozen Skillet Desserts and Adams Premium Ice Cream lines. In addition, Adams is proud to manufacture for some of the nations most respected Private Label Brands as well as other legacy Regional Seasoning Brands and is used to flavor many commercially produced food products around the nation.
Prize 3: A Set of Baking Pans from Anolon
Established in the 1950's, Meyer Manufacturing started by making and selling flashlights. In 1971 they started their journey into selling cookware. By 1986 they released the world’s first hard-anodized nonstick cookware which revolutionized the world of home cooking. Their nonstick surface didn’t flake or scratch easily.
Today they sell bakeware with nonstick interior and exterior made with a special sapphire-reinforced blend that is triple coated. NOTE: Color may vary from the photo above.
Prize 4: An Assorted Baking Box from Sweets & Treats
Make Sweets & Treats your one-stop shop for all your holiday
sprinkle needs. In addition to fun, festive and colorful sprinkles, Sweets
& Treats offers cupcake liners, edible glitters, sugars, and more.
Founded in 2010 by Shannon Harvey out of an industry need for bold, bright cupcake liners and baking supplies that are the life of the party! Based in Louisiana, Sweets & Treats is a designer cupcake liner manufacturer and party supply company that creates exclusive greaseproof cupcake liners, sprinkles, sprinkle mixes, paper straws, and other baking supplies.
Four (4) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #ChristmasCookies bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway. Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Giveaway open to US Residents only who are 18 years of age or older to enter giveaway. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #ChristmasCookies posts or entry.
These look absolutely fabulous. I love sweet potato treats of all kinds and can't wait to make these yummy cookies!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Carlee!
DeleteOh yeah...so very happy to have a few sweet potatoes on hand right now after seeing this. Sounds amazing!
ReplyDelete