Kwanzaa

Mbatata (Sweet Potato Cookies)

by:
November 23, 2015
4
2 Ratings
Mbatata (Sweet Potato Cookies)
Photo by Linda Xiao
  • Prep time 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Cook time 15 minutes
  • Makes 40 cookies
Author Notes

"Malawi is known as the 'warm heart of Africa' due to the friendliness of Malawian people. These cookies can be cut in the shape of hearts to commemorate the Malawian people."

This recipe is adapted slightly from Genius Kitchen. —Food52

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 cup mashed sweet potatoes, from steamed or roasted peeled sweet potatoes
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 4 tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups sifted flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 dash cinnamon sugar, for sprinking
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Mix sweet potatoes, milk, egg, and melted butter and beat well. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then add it to the wet mixture along with the sugar, salt, cinnamon, and raisins.
  2. At this point, you have two options: You can either drop the batter by the spoonful onto greased cookie sheet or you can chill for 1 to 2 hours and then turn onto a floured board, knead lightly, and roll out 1/2-inch thick and cut with a cookie cutter. [Editors' Note: We used the drop method.]
  3. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the cookies, then bake for 15 minutes.
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3 Reviews

SophieL
SophieL September 16, 2020
I got 24 cookies, drop method. Dough was very moist so I chilled for 20 minutes. Did not spread at all during baking. Results were soft cakey cookies that were slightly sweet. Pleasant flavor, nice for fall.
 
Hippolyta
Hippolyta December 15, 2015
Can you give a weight measurement for the flour?
Or if not, is it 1 1/4 cups flour, sifted or sift then measure 1 1/4 cups?
Thanks!
 
Emily L.
Emily L. January 12, 2016
Useually in baking you spoon the flour into your dry measuring cups then level off with a flat edge like a knife or metal spatula. Then you would put all of the flour through a sifter into your bowl. Hope that helps.