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Soft Sweet Potato Cookies with Pecans

These soft sweet potato cookies with pecans are tender, lightly spiced, and full of cozy flavor, making them perfect for family gatherings and everyday snacking.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 6 minutes
Servings: 60 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 81
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Cookie Dough
  • 1 cup butter, softened Use unsalted butter for better flavor.
  • 1 cup sugar Granulated sugar works best.
  • 1 large egg, room temperature Ensure egg is at room temperature.
  • 1 cup mashed sweet potato Use freshly roasted sweet potato, not canned puree.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
Additions
  • 1 cup chopped pecans Can substitute with walnuts.
  • 1 cup raisins Can substitute with dried cranberries.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy.
  2. Mix in the egg, mashed sweet potato, and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl for even blending.
Mixing Dry Ingredients
  1. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and allspice.
  2. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet bowl on low speed, mixing only until combined.
  3. Fold in the chopped pecans and raisins gently to avoid crushing them.
Baking
  1. Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch apart.
  2. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove when centers remain soft.
Cooling
  1. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 1 minute before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Notes

For best results, use freshly roasted sweet potato. Avoid overmixing the dough once the flour is added, and watch the baking time closely to maintain softness.