Sweet Potato Cobbler

You’ve probably heard of sweet potato pie, but have you ever sat down to a bowl of its delicious cousin, sweet potato cobbler? This dessert is perfectly sweet with just a touch of savory, combining softened and spiced sweet potatoes with a fluffy cobbler topping. Garnish it with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, and you’ve got a dessert as classy as any of the more familiar cobbler recipes.

Since you’d be hard-pressed to find this many places outside of your own kitchen, learn how to make a sweet potato cobbler recipe at home! Our cobbler is a fun and easy bake—easy enough that you could even make a project of it with the kiddos in the house.

Cobbler vs. Crisp vs. Crumble

Cobblers, crisps and crumbles are all very similar but also distinctly different. A cobbler has a layer of fruit filling topped with dollops of a biscuit-like layer. Crumbles also have a layer of fruit but are topped by a mixture of flour, sugar, butter and sometimes nuts. Crisps are similar to crumbles, but they generally include oats and nuts, making their topping the crispiest of all.

They’re all so delicious that it’s hard to pick a favorite and, thankfully, no one’s asking you to!

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Sweet Potato Cobbler Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes: When it comes to yams vs. sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes are creamier, are slightly sweeter and have an orange flesh. Make sure to pass on the yams and get sweet potatoes for this dish, as they have the right texture and sweetness for this special dessert.
• Water: Some of the cooking water from the sweet potatoes is used to loosen them up in the filling and make the perfect cobbler filling texture.
• Sugar: There’s sugar in both the filling and the cobbler topping. Use granulated cane sugar for both, or go for a deeper flavor in the filling by using brown sugar. It will give the filling more caramelization.
• Flour: Use all-purpose flour to help thicken the filling and for the pastry base of the cobbler topping.
• Spices: Warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg bring a lovely flavor to the sweet potato filling, reminiscent of holidays and pumpkin spice lattes.
• Butter: Using cold butter to dot the filling helps thicken the sauce and also gives it a creamy flavor.
• Shortening: Instead of butter, shortening is used as the fat in the pastry dough, making a light and tasty cobbler topping. If you don’t have shortening, you can substitute cold butter.
• Whipped cream: Don’t skip out on the whipped cream, as it brings the sweet potato cobbler recipe ingredients together perfectly. Use a store-bought can or homemade if you have time to make it.

Directions

Step 1: Parcook the sweet potatoes

Heat up water in a medium saucepan until it’s boiling. Add the sliced sweet potatoes and reduce heat to a simmer, cooking for about 10 minutes until crisp-tender. Reserve 1-1/2 cups cooking liquid and set it aside, then drain the sweet potatoes well.

Layer the potatoes in a greased 13×9-inch baking dish. Add the reserved cooking liquid from the sweet potatoes. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and sprinkle it over the potatoes. Dot with cold butter.

Step 2: Bake the cobbler

Preheat the oven to 400°F. To make the pastry, combine the flour and salt, then cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. On a floured surface, roll the pastry into a 13×9-inch rectangle.

Place the cobbler topping over the filling. Use a paring knife to cut slits into the topping. Brush the cobbler with butter, then sprinkle with sugar. Bake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.

Spoon the cobbler into dishes and, if desired, top with whipped cream.

Editor’s Tip: Use a pastry cutter to easily cut the shortening into the flour, or you can use the pulse mode on a food processor to quickly bring the dough together.

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Sweet Potato Cobbler Variations

• Try a biscuit topping: Instead of putting a whole sheet of cobbler topping over the filling, try punching out biscuits and topping the cobbler with those instead. Use the pastry recipe given here, or make some buttermilk biscuits.
• Use the cobbler topping on the bottom: Some cobbler recipes call for starting with the cobbler dough at the bottom of the greased pan and placing the fruit (or sweet potato) on top of it. The cobbler will puff up as it cooks, swelling up and over the filling to create a spongy bottom and a light, crispy topping.
• Dollop with flavored whipped cream: Instead of regular whipped cream, try bourbon whipped cream for an adult spin or hazelnut whipped cream for a sweet, nutty version.

How to Store Sweet Potato Cobbler

Store your sweet potato cobbler in the fridge for up to five days. It will be best on days one and two, but it will still be delicious throughout the week! You can enjoy it cold or reheat it in the oven.

Sweet Potato Cobbler Tips

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How do you serve sweet potato cobbler?

This sweet potato cobbler recipe can be served for dessert or as an afternoon sweet treat. Enjoy it with whipped cream or some vanilla ice cream. You can always reheat it in the oven, but it can be just as tasty straight from the fridge.

Can you overcook your sweet potatoes?

Yes, you can absolutely overcook your sweet potatoes. When you’re parcooking them, make sure they only get to fork tender so that they don’t completely fall apart once you bake them.