Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cookies with ginger are fluffy and flavorful! A soft and chewy cookie recipe perfect for fall and winter, particularly the holiday season.
These soft and chewy Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cookies are all spiced up with cinnamon, nutmeg, and fresh ginger for an otherworldly treat!
Plus, they include oats, so you know they’re good!
If you love soft cookies, these are for you! They remind me of pillowy muffin tops. 😉
The way I see it, these lovely sweet potato cookies are perfect for sharing with friends and family during the holiday season, or all fall and winter long! They are just so cozy and inviting!
Plus, no one will tattle if you eat them for breakfast.
Let’s dive right into the details!
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Cookies:
Gluten-Free Flour: In keeping these cookies gluten-free, I use Bob’s Red Mill’s Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. If you have a favorite gluten-free flour blend, feel free to use it! You’re looking for a blend that can easily replace regular all-purpose flour. King Arthur and Pamela’s GF blends will work great too.
Old Fashioned Oats: Adding texture and that remarkable oat flavor, oats always add an amazing essence to cookies! You can also use rolled oats or quick oats, but my favorite is old fashioned. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats to keep the cookies gluten-free.
Ground Cinnamon, Ground Nutmeg, Fresh Ginger, Pure Vanilla Extract: Flavor makers! The combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla extract generates a remarkable warmly-spiced flavor, making you feel like you’re enjoying the true essence of the holidays 😉
If you don’t have fresh ginger on hand or if you prefer using dried, you can replace the fresh ginger with 1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger.
Unsalted Butter: The fat portion of these cookies! While I haven’t tested the cookies using coconut oil, I believe it will work well for a non-dairy option. You can also use vegan butter spread or ghee.
Cooked Sweet Potato: Cook up a sweet potato using your preferred method. I either bake or boil mine. You’ll need 1 cup of mashed sweet potato. You can cook the potato up to 5 days ahead of time and store it in a container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
Brown Sugar and Granulated Cane Sugar: A combination of brown and granulate sugar makes for lovely flavor and consistency. If you prefer using unrefined sweeteners, you can replace the cane sugars with coconut sugar or maple sugar.
Egg: One egg helps fluff up the cookies and keep them held together in cookie deliciousness.
Orange Zest: Optional but recommended! If you happen to have an orange on hand, zest it up and add the orange zest to the cookie dough! It adds a subtle bright citrus flair that I think adds to the cookies. You can easily leave out the orange zest and the cookies will still be amazing!
Baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt: Used for leavening, baking powder and baking soda ensure the cookies rise and hold together nicely. Sea salt brings out all the flavors! Be sure you don’t skip any of them.
Let’s bake a batch!
How to Make Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cookies:
Cook the sweet potato according to your personal preference. I like to bake or boil mine.
To boil, bring a pot of water to a full boil and add the sweet potato. Cook until the sweet potato is very tender when poked with a fork, about 15 to 20 minutes.
For baking: Wrap a medium-sized sweet potato in foil and roast at 400 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes (until the potato feels very soft).
When cool enough to handle, mash the sweet potato flesh (discard the peel) with a fork and set aside.
Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Beat the sugar and butter in a stand mixer (or mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer) until smooth and fluffy.
Add the sweet potato puree, ground ginger, orange zest, and vanilla and mix until combined.
Beat in the egg and mix just until incorporated.
Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet mixture until a thick dough forms.
Drop spoonfuls of dough on a parchment-lined or lightly oiled baking sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
If you’d like, you can sprinkle the cookies with powdered sugar for a little snowy effect 🙂
And that’s it! A soft and chewy cookie recipe that tastes like a sweet potato-ginger muffin top!
If you love the idea of a healthier sweet potato treats, check out my Coconut Sweet Potato Breakfast Cookies and my Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Muffins!
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes:
- Keto Cowboy Cookies
- Paleo Russian Tea Cakes
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Double Chocolate Vegan Black Bean Cookies
- Paleo Espresso Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Paleo White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
If you make these cookies, feel free to snap a photo and share it on Instagram, tagging @The.Roasted.Root!
Sweet Potato Ginger Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1 cup gluten-free old fashioned oats
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger peeled and grated
- Zest of 1 orange optional
- 1 stick 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed (see note)
- ½ cup granulated sugar see note
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 cup mashed sweet potato 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Wrap a medium-sized sweet potato in foil and roast at 400 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes (until the potato feels very soft). When cool enough to handle, mash the sweet potato flesh with a fork and set aside.
- Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a mixer, cream the sugar and butter until smooth.
- Add the sweet potato puree, ground ginger, orange zest, and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Add the egg and mix just until incorporated
- Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet mixture just until the dough forms.
- On a parchment-lined or lightly oiled baking sheet, drop spoonfuls of dough.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
Notes
Nutrition
Loved this recipe! I used 2 eggs instead of one and replaced the sugar with half the amount of maple syrup. I also adjust the spices to my preference. I baked them for almost double the time called for but some of my ingredients were a bit cold to start with. They were super moist and delicious. They got a bit sticky overnight and stayed super moist so I put them in the refrigerator. They are delicious and nutritious!
Thanks so much for reporting back, Sarah! Thrilled to hear the cookies worked out with changes – I appreciate you sharing! xoxo
Would it be possible to substitute canned pumpkin for the sweet potato? I have canned pumpkin I need to use up. Thanks!
Have a blessed Christmas!
Jeanette
Hi Jeanette!
I haven’t tested the recipe using canned pumpkin yet, so I’m not sure. Cooked sweet potato is much thicker than canned pumpkin, so it may not be the best conversion. If you like oatmeal cookies, you may want to check out my Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies instead 😉 Hope you enjoy! xoxoxo
Hi, do you know if this recipe would work with Bob Red Mill’s Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour? And what do you think would happen if I substitute the white sugar with some date paste and some of the butter with some applesauce? Too much substitutions?
These cookies sound like the perfect breakfast! (yes I eat cookies for breakfast)! I big old cup of coffee and one of these guys sound like the perfect start to a winter day!
Julia, oh these cookies. I cannot wait to give them a try, ginger in dessert is a secret weakness of mine. I’m definitely bookmarking your site, and can I just say that your photography is breathtaking. Really truly.
I love ginger too and it’s so great for you! I’m so happy you like the recipe and let me know once you try the cookies!!
Love these cookies! I love baking with pumpkin so I imagine sweet potato would give the cookies a similar soft texture!
Beautiful! Love these cookies. Will be linking back to this in my upcoming post 🙂
Yippy! Great to hear it and glad you like the cookies!!
Love the idea of the sweet potato in these cookies!
Thank you for inspiring me to (with a twist) to do! Thank you!
Yum! These look delicious! They could definitely add something to my winter layer. 🙂
Yooooou said it girl….just in time to make a new years resolution to never eat sugar again. Ever. 😉