Sweet Potato Muffins Paleo Recipe {Gluten-Free, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free}

This Paleo Sweet Potato Muffins Recipe is nice and easy to make especially if you have leftover sweet potatoes from Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. There’s so much to love about these Paleo sweet potato muffins. They’re easy to make, versatile, made with healthy ingredients and absolutely delicious. They taste so good I’d never guess they’re healthy!

Other Paleo sweet potato muffin recipes I’ve used call for fresh sweet potato. That means peeling, chopping and boiling, and I don’t always have time for all those extra steps. So I decided to do a little experimenting and came up with a recipe which works just as well with canned sweet potatoes. It’s a lot faster, and I actually like the muffins even better.

It’s important to buy the right canned sweet potatoes. Many are packed in syrup, so you’ll need to look for the ones packed in water. They often have Splenda added, but that’s not a problem. I just drain the can into a colander, and then rinse the potatoes under a gentle stream of tap water for a minute or two. When I’m done, there’s no sweet taste left and the potatoes are ready to use.

Sweet potatoes usually come in large, 1 lb. 13 oz. cans. I’ve found that after they’re drained and rinsed, cans that size yield two cups of mashed sweet potato. That’s enough for two batches of muffins, so I store half the potato in a plastic zipper bag and freeze it until I’m ready to make more. To thaw the frozen potatoes I either leave them on the counter overnight or defrost them for a minute or two in the microwave.

I’ve also tried this recipe with fresh cooked sweet potato, and it works just as well. If you decide to use fresh, be sure to boil the potatoes until they’re very tender and split easily when cutting with a fork.

Most of the Paleo sweet potato muffin recipes I’ve tried yield muffins that are very soft on the inside, and somewhat delicate to handle. I’d never pack those in a lunch because I honestly don’t know if they’d make it without smooshing. One of the things I really like about this recipe is the muffins come out firm and sturdy, just like “regular” muffins would. I can pack them in lunches or grab one to go as I’m rushing out the door, and they hold up beautifully.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is it uses very little coconut oil. I find that two tablespoons is all I need to make the muffins moist and satisfying because the sweet potato itself acts as an oil substitute. Cutting down the oil saves fat and calories, and helps the muffins have a firm, yummy texture. 

I tried these muffins with several paleo flours. Far and away, I got the best results with Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Flour. It’s easy to find in most grocery stores, and I’ve also purchased it from Amazon.

The Paleo streusel topping makes them look a little fancier and adds a bit of texture and sweetness. I make them with the topping when I want something extra special, but I often skip that step. Trust me, they’re just as delicious without it! Here’s a picture without the streusel topping:

I’m not sure if our favorite way to enjoy these muffins is for breakfast, as a snack, or as a slightly sweet bite after lunch or dinner. We love them anytime! The only problem is keeping them on hand because around here they disappear fast. I usually store them in an airtight plastic container in the fridge, but I’ve also found that they freeze well. I like to wrap them individually in plastic or foil and seal them in a zipper bag for freezing. It keeps them fresher, and they’re handy to grab for lunches and snacks on the go.

If you like these Paleo Sweet Potato Muffins, you may also like these recipes:

9 of the Best Ever Paleo Breakfast On the Go Recipes

9 Paleo Muffins for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

Paleo Breakfast Recipes Index for a Great Day

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