Mbatata from Malawi are easy to make Sweet Potato cookies that are soft and cakey, making them the perfect healthy cookie recipe to fill your cookie craving!
Mbatata Cookies from Malawi
Malawi is a small country in southeastern Africa that is bordered by Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. It is one of the smallest countries in Africa, and the lake from which the country gets its name, Lake Malawi, takes up nearly a third of the country’s area!
Malawi is a very poor country, but the people are know for their hospitality and friendliness. So much so, in fact, that it is known as the “Warm Heart of Africa”.
Because of this, it is traditional to cut these Mbatata (pronounced MM-ba-TA-ta) cookies into the shape of a heart, making them a true tribute to the people and character of Malawi.
Healthy Sweet Potato Cookies
Malawi’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture. The sweet potato, with it’s high nutrient content, is an important nutritional element in the diet of Malawi’s people.
Sweet potatoes are one of the best sources of the vitamin A, a serious antioxidant. They are also a good source of vitamins C, B6, and D, among other nutrients. And, as you can tell by their orange color, they are high in carotenoids, like beta carotene, which help with your eyesight and immune system.
I think it’s pretty safe to say that since these cookies are packed with all the nutrients sweet potatoes have to offer, these can qualify as HEALTHY COOKIES!
Making Our Mbatata Recipe
The consistency of the dough for these cookies will depend on how soft your sweet potatoes are cooked before they are mashed. If your sweet potatoes are very soft and moist, then your dough might be a little on the soft side.
If you find your dough to be too soft, just add a little more flour as you knead it out. Add flour until you have a dough that is soft, but able to be easily rolled and cut.
Tasty Sweet Potato Cookies
The texture of these cookies is quite surprising. They are not crisp or chewy like other cookies may be. Instead, they are pleasantly soft and almost cakey.
Also, these cookies are not overly sweet. Rather, the sweet potato and raisins lend their natural sweetness to the cookies, giving them a beautiful flavor that is complemented by the cinnamon and touch of brown sugar.
Really, they are the perfect fall cookie, full of warm cinnamon and raisins accented by that robust sweet potato flavor. They’re a cookie that you can feel good about eating while you survey the changing leaves or snuggle in front of a fire with a glass of milk.
Serious comfort and lots of happiness!
Mbatata (Malawian Sweet Potato Cookies)
Ingredients
- ½ cup mashed sweet potatoes *
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 c unbleached all purpose flour
- ¼ c brown sugar, loosely packed
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ c raisins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, mix mashed sweet potatoes and melted butter.
- Add flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix well until a soft dough forms.**
- Add the raisins and mix until incorporated.
- Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and knead it a few times until the dough is solid enough to roll out.
- Roll the dough 1/2 inch thick and cut the cookies with a cookie cutter (heart shaped is traditional). Place the cut cookies onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Re-roll and cut any remaining dough, until all the dough has been used.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, until firm and slightly springy when touched.
- Remove the cookies from oven and let them cool on the pan for 5 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the baking sheet to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Notes
If you liked this recipe, here are some similar dishes you may enjoy!
Sarah is one of Curious Cuisiniere’s founding duo. Her love for cultural cuisines was instilled early by her French Canadian Grandmother. Her experience in the kitchen and in recipe development comes from years working in professional kitchens. She has traveled extensively and enjoys bringing the flavors of her travels back to create easy-to-make recipes.
Thomas
Sunday 19th of February 2023
I baked my sweet potatoes—foil wrapped—for 90 minutes @ 350 F the day before…before I knew what I would do with them. Found your recipe and commenced baking. The baked sweet potatoes slip right out of the skin and need no extra mashing, plus you have potato skins to eat. I cut the cinnamon in half to no ill effect. One added tablespoon of water provided the dough consistency I liked to work with. Out of sheer laziness, I scooped the dough onto the parchment and flattened the cookies to the suggested 1/2 inch thickness with a moistened palm. Twelve minutes in my 375 F convection oven yielded cookies with the slightest browning on the bottom. These cookies are wonderful. Thank you for the recipe, Sarah.
Sarah - Curious Cuisiniere
Monday 20th of February 2023
Hi Thomas. Thank you for sharing what you did. We're so glad you enjoyed the cookies!
Washington Johnson
Tuesday 13th of December 2022
I made these for Thanksgiving. I added Horseradish, Smoked Paprika and Cumin. Got mixed reviews, but I loved the taste.
Sarah - Curious Cuisiniere
Thursday 15th of December 2022
What an interesting twist. Thanks for sharing!
Debbie
Sunday 20th of December 2020
Really easy and tasty. The dough was quite sticky but, as suggested, I added more flour. I didn’t have a heart shaped cookie cutter so I just used a knife to cut the shape. My next batch I’m going to experiment with almond flour and coconut oil. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Sarah Ozimek
Monday 21st of December 2020
So glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing!
Julie
Friday 20th of November 2020
These tasted really good. Is used canned sweet potato purée (not baby food) because that is what I had. They came out great, although they were more like a scone to me. They were a super easy recipe to do with kids.
Sarah Ozimek
Saturday 21st of November 2020
So glad you enjoyed them!
Amy
Sunday 5th of July 2020
I’m loving these cookies but I feel like something is missing from the recipe - there’s no liquid! I’ve made them 3 times but I always need to add in some liquid as the dough is super dry and crumbly - I’ve been using a small amount of the water from boiling the sweet potatoes and it’s been working great. I make them with Japanese sweet potatoes, cassava flour and coconut sugar and they are such a treat.
Amy
Wednesday 1st of December 2021
@Sarah Ozimek, I think I've figured it out! It's because I use white sweet potatoes to make these, and I just noticed that you mention orange sweet potatoes. The white ones are much starchier, while the orange get soft and mushy easily. I always have enough white sweet potatoes on hand to feed an army and rarely get the orange ones, so I will continue to just add some of the water I used to boil them.
Sarah Ozimek
Sunday 5th of July 2020
Hi Amy. You make a good point, and we will make a note in the recipe. The need for liquid comes down to how much liquid is in your mashed sweet potatoes, if they are on the drier side, then yes, a bit of water may be necessary. It is also possible that your cassava flour is absorbing more liquid than a standard all-purpose flour would. Thank you for your note!