Sometimes, an ingredient fascinates me so much that it becomes a staple in my meals – and sweet potato is definitely one of those. During one such phase, I decided to try using sweet potato in yeasted dough, and the result was perfect! Since then, it’s become a star in recipes like Pinca (traditional Croatian Easter bread), Buhtle (soft, jam-filled brioche-style buns), and even burger rolls.

Sweet potato enriches the dough with natural sugars, aiding fermentation and adding a subtle sweetness to the final flavour. Its natural emulsifiers evenly distribute fat, while pectin and fibres provide elasticity and softness, helping the dough maintain its shape and structure during baking.

All these qualities inspired me to create sweet, spiced buns – ideal for chilly days when you’re craving something warm and aromatic. Sweet potato pairs beautifully with spices, so I chose cardamom for the filling; its warm, floral, and citrusy notes make these buns a perfect treat for autumn and winter.

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 400 g steamed sweet potato (or baked in skin in the oven)

• 350 g all-purpose flour

• 6 g baking powder

• 1 packet of yeast

• 30 g vegan butter (like Naturli) 

• 50 g maple syrup

• Zest of 2/3 of an orange

• Zest of 1/2 a lemon

• Seeds of half a vanilla pod or 1 tsp extract

• A pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 60 g vegan butter

• 40 g brown sugar

• 1.5 tsp ground cardamom

• Zest of 1/3 of an orange

For the glaze:

• 40 g water

• 50 g maple syrup

• Piece of vanilla pod (1/3) or a little extract

For sprinkling:

• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

• 10 g brown sugar

• A handful of chopped, toasted pistachios (optional)

Instructions

Peel the sweet potato (around 700 g) and cut it into slices. Steam for 15-20 minutes on high heat until tender. Alternatively, you can bake the whole sweet potato (pierced with a knife) in the oven – it will take about 45 minutes to become soft. When ready, blend to a smooth puree.

Weigh out 400 g of puree and place it in a bowl. While the puree is still warm, add the cold butter and maple syrup and mix until butter is melted. Once cooled to lukewarm, add the yeast, orange and lemon zest, and vanilla, mixing well. Sift in the flour, salt, and baking powder, and combine with a spatula, then knead by hand for 5-6 minutes, adding flour as needed, until the dough is compact and smooth. Shape into a ball and let it rise in a covered container in a warm place.

After 45 minutes – 1 hour, the dough should double in size. Flour your work surface, transfer the dough, and roll it out into a neat rectangle (about 42 x 46 cm) with a thickness of 3-4 mm. Mix softened butter with sugar, orange zest, and cardamom. Spread the mixture over the bottom half of the rectangle, fold it over, and cut into strips 2.5–3 cm wide. Stretch each strip slightly, wrap around two fingers, and tuck the end into a knot. Place the buns on baking paper, cover, and let rise for another 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220 °C and bake for 13-14 minutes, until lightly golden. Simmer the glaze ingredients – water, maple syrup, and vanilla – for a few minutes until aromatic. Mix sugar with cardamom. Brush the hot buns with glaze and sprinkle with sugar and pistachios if using.