My mother made the best sweet potato pie, and in our house, sweet potato pie meant fall had officially arrived. Hers was light, airy, and incredibly fluffy, filled with all those warm spices I still associate with the season—cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger.

She was also amazing at making homemade Southern biscuits. That woman could bake. If you love a good Southern biscuit, be sure to try my no-lard version, Parmesan and Thyme Southern Style Biscuits. I think my mom would be proud.

This recipe came about during a time when I decided to eat only plant-based foods for a few months. Now, I have to confess: I have a serious sweet tooth. So, naturally, Sweet Potato Biscuits were born out of my need for something that felt a little like dessert.

These are not your traditional biscuits. They are more sweet potato than biscuit, which is exactly what I love about them. I have made them more times than I can count, and I never seem to get tired of them.

One day, I decided to add something a little different: harissa-maple candied pecans. That turned out to be a very good idea. The harissa gives the pecans a warm, smoky heat, while the maple syrup brings in just the right amount of rich sweetness. Together, they make the perfect topping for these soft, spiced sweet potato biscuits.

What I love most about this recipe is how much flavor is packed into every bite—and the fact that they are both vegan and gluten-free.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I do every single time I make them. And, as always, remember to Set the Table with Love.

SWEET POTATO BISCUITS

Yield: 10 to 12 biscuits

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 14 to 18 minutes

Oven Temperature: 400°F

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Biscuits

• 1 1/2 cups mashed cooked sweet potato, cooled
• 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or other neutral oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum, plus more as needed
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Harissa-Maple Candied Pecans

• 1 cup roughly chopped pecans
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon harissa seasoning, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
2. If preparing the sweet potato from scratch, peel and cut it into cubes. Place the cubes in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil until fork-tender. Drain very well, then mash until mostly smooth, leaving a few small pieces for texture. Measure 1 1/2 cups and allow to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the mashed sweet potato, grapeseed oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the sweet potato mixture. Gently fold with a fork or spatula just until a soft, thick dough forms. Do not overmix. If the dough feels excessively wet or sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
6. To make the candied pecans, combine the chopped pecans, melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, harissa, and salt in a small bowl.
7. Transfer the pecan mixture to a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the pecans are glossy and lightly caramelized. Remove from the heat.
8. Using a large spoon or approximately 1/4-cup scoop, portion the biscuit dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each biscuit. Gently flatten the tops.
9. Spoon a small amount of the harissa-maple pecans over each biscuit and gently press them into the dough.
10. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, or until the biscuits are lightly browned around the edges and firm in the center.
11. Allow the biscuits to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with Cinnamon Honey Butter.

⸻

Cinnamon Honey Butter

A little cinnamon honey butter makes these biscuits even more comforting. Spread it over the top or tuck a spoonful inside a warm, freshly split biscuit.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegan butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions

In a small bowl, stir together the butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt until smooth and creamy.

Serve at room temperature with warm Sweet Potato Biscuits.

Set the Table with Love Note

Food has a beautiful way of bringing sweetness, warmth, and a little surprise to the table. These biscuits do just that. The sweet potato gives them heart, the maple brings comfort, and the harissa adds just enough spice to wake everything up.

Break one open while it is still warm, spread a little Cinnamon Honey Butter inside, and share it with someone you love.

Cook’s Notes

Be sure to drain the sweet potatoes well before mashing. Too much moisture can make gluten-free biscuits dense or gummy.

Start with 1/2 teaspoon harissa if you prefer gentle heat. Use up to 1 teaspoon for a more noticeable sweet-and-spicy finish.

For extra-crisp pecans, bake the biscuits without the topping and spoon the candied pecans over them just before serving.

For a vegan version, use vegan butter and maple syrup in place of butter and honey.

1/4 cup vegetable oil ( I used grapeseed oil)

1/4 cup organic maple syrup

1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup Gluten Free flour with xanthin gum

1/4 tsp aluminum free baking powder

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp of cardamom

1/2 tsp of clove

1 tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Peel and cube sweet potatoes, boil in a pot of water, until tender. Drain and mash, but leave some bits of the sweet potato intact.
2. Combine sweet potatoes, oil, syrup, vinegar, and salt in a large.
3. Cut dry ingredients into sweet potato mixture with fork until mixture comes together.
4. Use a tbsp or melon scoop to drop the dough on prepared cookie sheet. NOTE: This is where you add the Harrisa Maple Candied Pecans on top of the biscuits and then place them in the over to bake for 12-15 minutes, or until tops are lightly browned and firm to the touch. You can also allow the biscuits to bake alone and add the pecans over then afterwards.