How to make an authentic southern Sweet Potato Cobbler just like Grandma used to make!
Hey Ya’ll! I’ve been getting a ton of request for a true southern sweet potato cobbler for quite some time now. You know – the kind with a homemade buttery crust, and lots of sweet potatoes smothered in a candied cobbler filling. For many of us, sweet potato cobbler is/was that one dessert that your grandma, mom, or favorite aunt used to make every holiday. Well in this post I’m going to show you how to make your very own homemade sweet potato cobbler!
First things first. A true southern sweet potato cobbler starts off with a homemade crust! I know, I know. Some of you were hoping that I’d say ” go ahead and buy you some store bought crust”… Nah – not this time around! I seriously doubt that your grandma or mother used a store bought crust, for her sweet potato cobbler- so we won’t use it either ( I know a few of you are going to ignore this, and go buy the store bought crust anyway! LMAO!)
Making the crust for your sweet potato cobbler is really easy to do. You can use a stand mixer, a hand mixer with dough hooks, or you can do it by hand.
Again, I strongly suggest making your own crust for this cobbler, because you want it as close to grandma’s as possible. If you really want a nice flaky & buttery crust. You gotta make it! Remember, homemade is the best boo!
Now as far as sweet potatoes, I use garnet yams. Garnet Yams are sweet potatoes that have a reddish orange flesh. They are nice and sweet, and they look & taste amazing!
I start off by cleaning, and peeling the sweet potatoes, then I cut the yams into small squares. The sweet potatoes are then boiled until tender, then I drain the sweet potatoes. However I do reserve a couple cups of the water for later use! The sweets are then spiced up with cinnamon, nutmeg, and more.
To thicken my cobbler filling I use all purpose flour. If you’ve been following me for a while you know that I do this with most of my cobblers, and they always come out amazing. If you find that the cobbler filling is a little thinner than you’d like, feel free to add more flour!
Before I get straight to the video & directions for this homemade sweet potato cobbler I just want to tell you a few more things.
#1 : I did a lattice crust for this cobbler. You DON’T have to do this! You can leave the crust into whole.
#2 : I use bourbon vanilla extract in my cobbler. You can substitute it with regular vanilla extract if you choose. I love bourbon vanilla, and I think it tastes better, but regular vanilla will work fine. Be sure to use real vanilla extract, skip out on the imitation stuff!
Watch the video tutorial
Sweet Potato Cobbler
Ingredients
- FILLING
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes I use garnet yams
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground clove
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 12 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp bourbon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup half & half
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3 cups water reserved from yams
- Crust
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup of ice water
Instructions
- Wash and clean the sweet potatoes, then peel them.
- Cut the sweet potatoes into small squares, then toss them into a large pot.
- Pour in enough water to cover the sweet potatoes ( probably about 6 cups)
- Bring the water to a boil, and boil the sweet potatoes for about 10 minutes.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done, reserve 3 cups of the water, then drain.
- Add 3/4 cups of all purpose flour into the reserved water then mix until well incorporated.
- In a large bowl, add in 12 tbsp of salted butter.
- Pour the hot water/flour mixture over the butter, and stir until all the butter is melted.
- Next toss in the both sugars, half & half cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and vanilla into the mixing bowl.
- Stir until everything is well combined.
- Place the sweet potatoes back into the large pot, then pour in the liquid mixture.
- Bring to a boil. The filling will thicken, but If need you can add more flour to thicken it to your preference.
- Once the cobbler is thickened to your preference. remove from the heat, and let it cool down.
- Crust
- Combine the all purpose flour, sugar, butter flavored shortening, egg, and ice water.
- Mix until it forms into dough.
- Flatten the dough on a well flour surface, then divid into two.
- With one half, cut the dough into small squares.
- Place the small square on to a cookie sheet, and bake on 350 F until they brown.
- With the other half of dough, you can cut it into strips OR leave it in whole.
- Place the small squares(dumplings) into a 9×13 bake dish, then pour all of the cobbler filling into the dish.
- Stir the ingredients, then top the cobbler off with the crust.
- Bake in a preheated oven on 350 F, for 35 – 40 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Hi Rosie, I really love your website and recipes but this one I was not particularly happy with the outcome. My filling was really soupy and chalky tasting. I slowly added extra flour but the flavor did not cook out during the boiling process. What did I do wrong? Thanks for all the great recipe ideas that you share.
Hi Jennifer,
So I’m looking at the time that you posted this comment, and it’s only 30 minutes after the recipe was posted. So I am kind of confused on how you were able to make it. The baking process alone takes 35-40 minutes. Not to mention the prep, and everything else. So to answer your question honestly. I’m sure that you did not follow the directions hun. I suggest following the direction next time around for the best outcome. Thanks!
This looks so amazing. I’ve never had sweet potato cobbler so I’m looking forward to making this! Pinned for future. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for coming by Mary!
Wow! I think for the first time in my cooking life I won’t be making candied yams with marshmallows! My mouth is watering reading your recipe and this is what I’ll be making instead! Can’t stop pinning your recipes since I found you today! You have great recipes good luck and keep em coming!
Hi Aviva! I hope you give this recipe a try! XOXO
This looks amazing. I can’t wait to make one. I’ve never heard of sweet potato cobbler! Thanks Rosie!
It’s really easy to make. Please give it a try!
Love this cobbler been a long time since I had a really good cobbler. I was 8 years old when my mother passed and I am 61 years now. Very very excellent. Thanks for the memories.
Thanks Constance! Glad that you liked the recipe!
Hi Rosie, I’ve been looking for a recipe that seems to be like my mom made and I think yours nailed it. I’ve been invited out to dinner tonight with friends from church and I am going to try my hand at this recipe to take over. I have a feeling the cobbler will be a hit with everyone. Thank you.
Thank you for trying my recipe!
A lady with flour up to her elbow is . This a verrry good recipe
Simply the best Sweet Cobbler recipe I have ever tried, as all your recipes are! Thank u so much.
Thank you for trying!
My mama and her mama both made sweet potato cobblers that were so good! I’m going to try to make one so I’m so glad I found your recipe. Thank you!
I’m glad that you found my recipe as well! XOXO
Can you use store brought pie crust instead of making it for this recipe to save time?TYIA. You have the best recipes and I sincerely enjoy them.
Absolutely! Thanks so much!
Hello Rosie,
I am waiting for a response from you. I want to make the sweet potato cobbler for a Sunday potluck on December 22, 2019. My question can I double the crust recipe?
Thank you
Yes you can!
Hi, can you put in the pie crust pieces in raw for the dumplings like you do with your peach cobbler recipe?
Hello! Yes, you can do that.