Vegan Sweet Potato Muffins

Jump To Recipe by Liz Thomson October 4, 2023 This post may contain affiliate links.

These vegan sweet potato muffins are lightly sweetened with just the right amount of cinnamon and spice. They’re easy to make and filled with good-for-you ingredients, making them the perfect breakfast or snack!

I have to admit, these vegan sweet potato muffins were the first time I started baking with mashed sweet potato. But I love the flavor of sweet potatoes and I’ve been trying to find new ways to sneak vegetables into my toddler’s meals. So these sweet potato muffins were the perfect solution! They’re easy to prepare and they’re made with oats instead of flour, giving them a little extra protein and fiber. These muffins are also nut-free, so they’re a great school snack!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Oat Flour: Oat flour serves as the base of these muffins, making them gluten-free. It adds a hearty texture and mild nutty flavor. If you have a gluten allergy, be sure to buy certified gluten-free oats.
Baking Powder: Baking powder acts as a leavening agent, helping the muffins rise and become light and fluffy.
Salt: Salt enhances the flavor of the muffins and balances the sweetness, creating a well-rounded taste.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: I like to use pumpkin pie spice to add cinnamon, nutmeg, and other fall flavors into these muffins. Feel free to substitute with 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.
Brown Sugar: The brown sugar provides sweetness and moisture to the muffins. It also contributes to a rich, caramel-like flavor. You can replace brown sugar with coconut sugar, if you like.
Sweet Potato: Mashed sweet potato is the star of these muffins, lending natural sweetness, moisture, and a vibrant orange color. It also adds a dose of vitamins and fiber.
Almond Milk: Almond milk adds moisture to the muffin batter, ensuring a tender texture. You can substitute it with soy milk or oat milk.
Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is the fat source, making the muffins moist and tender. Feel free to substitute with vegetable oil or avocado oil.

What is Oat Flour?

Oat flour is made from finely ground oats. You can buy oat flour at most grocery stores or even on Amazon. Bob’s Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills are two popular brands. It’s often sold near the gluten-free flour. But don’t worry about making a trip to the store. You can make it at home with rolled oats, quick-cooking oats, or steel-cut oats.

How to Make Oat Flour

If you don’t have oat flour, don’t worry. It’s easy to make your own using rolled oats or quick-cooking oats! Simply blend the oats in a blender or food processor until it creates a coarse flour. It doesn’t need to be as fine as all-purpose flour. One cup of old-fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats weighs 100 grams, and will make just over one cup of oat flour after it’s blended.

How to Steam a Sweet Potato on the Stovetop

Begin by washing the sweet potato and cutting it into cubes. Set up a pot with a steamer basket and a small amount of water, then place the sweet potato in the basket. Cover and steam for about 15-25 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the potato pieces. Test for doneness by poking with a fork; it should easily pierce through when ready. Once tender, remove the sweet potato, allow it to cool briefly, and continue with the recipe.

How to Steam a Sweet Potato in the Microwave

Begin by washing and pricking the sweet potato with a fork to allow steam to escape and prevent it from exploding. Cover it with a paper towel or microwave-safe lid to minimize splattering. Microwave on high power, starting with 5 minutes. It’s done when a fork easily pierces the thickest part. You may need to cook it for up to 10 minutes. Allow it to cool briefly, cut in half, scoop out the steamed sweet potato flesh, and discard the peel.

How to Steam a Sweet Potato in the Oven

Wash the sweet potato, then use a fork to prick it several times. This allows steam to escape and prevents the potato from exploding. Next, wrap the sweet potato in aluminum foil. Wrapping it in foil helps create a steamy environment inside the packet, cooking the sweet potato. Place the foil-wrapped sweet potato directly on the oven rack. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 45 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the sweet potato.

You’ll know it’s done when you can easily insert a fork or knife into the thickest part of the potato. Once it’s cooked through, carefully remove it from the oven, unwrap the foil, and let it cool for a few minutes. Then, you can slice it open, scoop out the steamed sweet potato flesh, and discard the peel.

Mix In Ideas

Feel free to get creative if you want to add mix-ins to these muffins! You could add chocolate chips, chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, or dried fruit such as cranberries. If you want to add more sweetness, add a little extra brown sugar on top of the muffins or sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips. Just be sure your mix-ins are gluten-free and vegan if you want to keep these allergy-friendly.

If you’re looking for more vegan muffin recipes, try my vegan blueberry muffins, vegan carrot cake muffins, or these vegan cranberry orange muffins! Add any of these muffins to this ultimate vegan brunch guide!