Sweet Potato Cookies with Maple Cream Cheese Glaze

Sweet potato cookies are soft, pillowy, and full of the cozy flavor of sweet potato pie. Mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a little nutmeg go into the dough, and each cookie gets a swirl of maple cream cheese glaze and a sprinkle of chopped pecans.

They are a great way to use up leftover baked sweet potatoes after Thanksgiving, and they look beautiful on a holiday cookie tray.

If you love sweet potato desserts, do not miss my sweet potato pie and these sweet potato muffins. For another maple treat, try my chewy maple brown sugar cookies.

JUMP TO

• Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Cookies
• What Is Sweet Potato Cookies?
• Ingredients
• Kitchen Equipment
• Ingredient Tips
• How to Make Sweet Potato Cookies
• Expert Tips for Perfect Sweet Potato Cookies
• Delicious Variations
• What to Serve with Sweet Potato Cookies
• Storage Instructions
• Can You Make It Ahead?
• Common Mistakes to Avoid
• Estimated Nutrition
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Conclusion

Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Cookies

They taste like sweet potato pie in a soft, handheld cookie.

Soft and Cakey

Sweet potato keeps them moist and tender.

Maple Cream Cheese Glaze

Tangy, sweet, and cozy.

Uses Leftovers

Perfect for extra baked sweet potatoes.

Warm Spices

Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

Pretty on a Platter

Glaze swirls and pecans make them look special.

What Is Sweet Potato Cookies?

Sweet potato cookies are soft drop cookies made with mashed sweet potato, similar in texture to pumpkin cookies. They are lightly cakey rather than crisp.

The maple cream cheese glaze sets slightly so the cookies can be stacked once dry.

Ingredients

this Idea!

Sweet Potato Cookies

Ingredient	Amount	Purpose
Mashed cooked sweet potato, cooled	1 cup	Flavor and moisture
Unsalted butter, softened	½ cup	Richness
Light brown sugar, packed	1 cup	Sweetness
Large egg	1	Binding
Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon	Flavor
All-purpose flour	2¼ cups	Structure
Baking powder	1 teaspoon	Lift
Baking soda	½ teaspoon	Tender crumb
Salt	½ teaspoon	Balance
Ground cinnamon	1½ teaspoons	Warm spice
Ground nutmeg	¼ teaspoon	Spice
Ground ginger	¼ teaspoon	Spice

Maple Cream Cheese Glaze

Ingredient	Amount	Purpose
Cream cheese, softened	2 ounces	Tangy base
Powdered sugar	1¼ cups	Sweetness
Pure maple syrup	2 tablespoons	Maple flavor
Milk	1 to 2 tablespoons	Thins the glaze

Topping

Ingredient	Amount	Purpose
Pecans, toasted and chopped	½ cup	Crunch

Kitchen Equipment

• Stand or hand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Cookie scoop
• Baking sheets with parchment
• Wire rack
• Small bowl and spoon or piping bag for glaze

Ingredient Tips

Bake, Do Not Boil

Baked sweet potatoes are sweeter and less watery.

Mash Smooth

Lumps leave pockets in the cookies.

Pure Maple Syrup

Pancake syrup lacks real maple flavor.

Canned Works

Use drained, mashed canned sweet potatoes without syrup.

Toast the Pecans

For more flavor and crunch.

How to Make Sweet Potato Cookies

Step 1: Bake the Sweet Potatoes

Bake whole sweet potatoes at 400°F for 45 to 60 minutes until very soft. Cool, peel, and mash until smooth.

Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar

Beat the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and mashed sweet potato.

Step 3: Add the Dry Ingredients

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, then mix them in on low just until combined.

Step 4: Chill

Chill the soft dough for 30 minutes.

Step 5: Scoop and Bake

Heat the oven to 350°F. Scoop 2-tablespoon mounds onto lined sheets and bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the tops spring back.

Step 6: Make the Glaze

Beat the cream cheese until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and enough milk for a thick but spoonable glaze.

Step 7: Glaze and Top

Once the cookies are completely cool, swirl glaze on each and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Let set 20 minutes.

Expert Tips for Perfect Sweet Potato Cookies

Cool Completely Before Glazing

Warm cookies melt the glaze.

Blot Wet Potatoes

Watery mash makes flat cookies.

Do Not Overbake

They should stay soft and cakey.

Swirl With a Spoon

Use the back of a spoon for pretty swirls.

Chill for Neater Cookies

Cold dough holds its shape.

Delicious Variations

Marshmallow Topping

Top with a toasted mini marshmallow, like sweet potato casserole.

Chocolate Chip

Add 1 cup chocolate chips.

Brown Butter Glaze

Use brown butter instead of cream cheese.

Walnuts

Swap pecans for walnuts.

Spiced Glaze

Add a pinch of cinnamon to the glaze.

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Cookies

Serve them on a holiday dessert table or with coffee after Thanksgiving dinner.

They are lovely alongside a glass of cold milk or a pumpkin spice latte.

Storage Instructions

Storage Method	How Long	Best Practice
Refrigerator	5 days	Single layer or separated with parchment
Room Temperature	1 day	Glazed cookies
Freezer	2 months	Unglazed, then glaze after thawing

Because of the cream cheese glaze, store them in the fridge.

Let cookies sit out 15 minutes before serving.

Can You Make It Ahead?

Mash the sweet potatoes up to 3 days ahead.

Bake and freeze unglazed cookies, then glaze the day you serve them.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Flat Cookies

Watery sweet potato or warm dough.

Gummy Centers

Underbaked or too much sweet potato.

Runny Glaze

Too much milk; add more powdered sugar.

Lumpy Glaze

Cream cheese was cold.

Bland Flavor

Old spices or boiled sweet potatoes.

Estimated Nutrition

Nutrient	Amount Per Serving
Calories	165
Carbohydrates	26g
Protein	2g
Fat	6g
Saturated Fat	3g
Fiber	1g
Sugar	16g
Sodium	105mg
Cholesterol	20mg

Estimate per cookie, based on 24 cookies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Sweet potato cookies are soft, spiced, and topped with the dreamiest maple cream cheese glaze. They capture everything we love about sweet potato pie.

Bake a batch for your holiday tray and watch them disappear.

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