Classic Sweet Potato Pie

Move over pumpkin because Sweet Potato Pie is the favorite at our house. Whether you top it with sweetened whipped cream or a towering cloud of toasted marshmallow meringue, this rich, perfectly spiced fall dessert is a pie to be reckoned with.

My favorite Thanksgiving side dish every year is sweet potato casserole , so it is not surprising at all that sweet potato pie would be right up my alley.

When I first made this southern classic I was dubious about whether I would actually enjoy it. Mostly because it looks and smells so similar to pumpkin, which just isn’t my favorite. But I was hooked from the very first bite of the rich, perfectly sweet filling in the buttery, flaky shell.

It’s richer, smoother, and just so much more flavorful. It’s the superior Thanksgiving Day pie (I said what I said).

Why you won’t find a better sweet potato pie recipe.

• Roasting the sweet potatoes helps caramelize their natural sugars and really brings out the flavor best. Yes, you can use boiled or canned sweet potatoes, but the extra step of roasting them makes a huge difference.
• We’re using my tried-and-true flaky pie crust recipe that combines both butter and shortening for the best of both worlds in terms of texture and flavor.
• The spices are perfectly balanced to highlight and compliment the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes.

What You’ll Need

This is an overview of the main players in my sweet potato pie recipe. Keep scrolling to the printable recipe card below for the exact amounts of each.

• Sweet Potatoes: You need about 1 ½ pounds of sweet potatoes for this recipe. Look for the orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (often mislabeled as “yams” in U.S. grocery stores). True yams are rare in American stores, so stick with the orange sweet potatoes for the best flavor and texture.
• Evaporated Milk: This adds necessary moisture and a rich, silky texture to the pie filling.
• Sugar: I prefer a combination of brown and granulated sugar for this pie to get more depth of flavor.
• Salted Butter: If you only have unsalted butter on hand, just add an extra ¼ teaspoon of salt for each stick you use.
• Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves are the superstars of the fall baking world. I prefer measuring each to get the balance I like best over resorting to pumpkin pie spice.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and sweetness that pairs perfectly with the sweet potatoes and spices in the pie.
• Flour: A little all-purpose flour helps stabilize the filling, giving it just a little more body for perfect slices.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie

1. Roast the sweet potatoes. This simple step makes a big difference! Wash the sweet potatoes well to remove any dirt from the outside, then poke them all over with the tines of a fork. Roast them in a preheated 400°F oven for 45 to 60 minutes until tender, then pull them out and let them cool for a bit until they are cool enough to handle and peel off the tough outer skin.
2. Roll out the pie crust. While the sweet potatoes roast, roll out your pie crust on a floured surface until it is roughly 1-inch larger around than your pie plate (affiliate link) . Transfer it to the pie plate (affiliate link) and crimp the edges in a decorate pattern. Let the crust chill in the fridge while you make the filling.

1. Puree. Transfer the soft insides of the roasted sweet potatoes to a large food processor (affiliate link) and pulse until creamy and smooth. You should end up with about 2 cups of mashed sweet potato puree. You can also use a hand mixer to mix them until they are no longer lumpy.

1. Make the filling. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes, evaporated milk, melted butter, both types of sugar, flour, and spices until smooth. Add the eggs and whisk again until everything is completely combined.

1. Bake. Pour the filling into your prepared pie crust. You can parbake the crust for 15 minutes first by lining it with parchment paper and filling with pie weights (pictured below) if you want, but after testing this recipe a few times I ended up deciding it was easier and I got just as good of results by skipping the parbake altogether and just pouring the filling into the unbaked pie crust. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 350°F just until set around the edges and slightly jiggly in the center.
2. Cool. Let the pie cool completely at room temperature before transferring to the fridge for longer storage. It’s okay if you have some cracks since you can always cover them up with whipped cream or a meringue topping.

1. Make a meringue topping. This step is completely optional but after trying it I don’t think I will ever make sweet potato pie any other way again. My method involves cooking egg whites and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water while whisking until they reach 160°F when tested with a digital thermometer. Then you transfer the egg whites to a large mixer bowl along with the rest of the sugar and beat with a whisk attachment until thick, fluffy meringue forms and you have stiff peaks. Pile that high on top of your chilled pie and toast the swoops and swirls of meringue with a kitchen torch just before serving.

Cracks are most likely to happen when the pie is overbaked. Your pie should be taken out of the oven when the edges are set but the center still has a gentle wobble to it because it will finish setting as it cools.

This shouldn’t happen with my recipe but a runny sweet potato pie usually means it was undercooked or the filling was too wet. If you are using canned or boiled sweet potatoes instead of roasting them, make sure to drain them really well before using. If the pie is still loose after cooling completely, it simply needed more time in the oven.

More Holiday Pie Recipes

• Southern Pecan Pie
• Cranberry Apple Pie
• Banoffee Pie
• Southern Chess Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients123

• ▢ 1 homemade pie crust (½ of my recipe)
• ▢ 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 cups once roasted & mashed)
• ▢ 1/4 cup salted butter softened
• ▢ 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Prepare your pie crust and refrigerate until ready to use. 1 homemade pie crust
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then place them on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until soft. Larger sweet potatoes may take longer to cook. Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F. 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes
• Once the roasted sweet potatoes have cooled a bit, peel the skins away and transfer the roasted sweet potatoes to a large food processor (affiliate link) . Blend until very smooth.
• Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a large bowl and add the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Mix well using an electric mixer or whisk until smooth. ¼ cup salted butter, ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar, ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, ½ cup evaporated milk, 2 large eggs, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350°F or just until the center of the pie is just barely jiggly but still has a slight wobble.
• Remove from the oven and let the pie cool completely. Serve room temperature or chilled topped with homemade whipped cream or toasted marshmallow meringue topping (see note below).

Notes

• Storage: Leftover pie should be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: The fully baked pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
• Substitutions: You can use whole milk or heavy cream in place of the evaporated milk.
• Boiled Sweet Potatoes: To boil instead of roast, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into chunks, then boil them in a large pot with enough water to cover them for 10 minutes until fork tender rather than roasting them in the oven. Drain well then proceed as directed in the recipe. You can also used canned sweet potatoes.
• Meringue Topping: Whisk together 7 egg whites and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until they reach 160°F. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and add another 2/3 cup granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar. Whisk on medium-high speed for 7-10 minutes until thick and glossy stiff peaks form. You should be able to rub the meringue between your fingers and it will feel smooth instead of grainy. Pile on top of the pie and torch using a kitchen blow torch just before serving.

Nutrition

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

• 1 homemade pie crust (1/2 of my recipe)
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 cups once roasted & mashed)
• 1/4 cup salted butter softened
• 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Prepare your pie crust and refrigerate until ready to use. 1 homemade pie crust
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork, then place them on a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with cooking spray. Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until soft. Larger sweet potatoes may take longer to cook. Decrease the oven temperature to 350°F. 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• Once the roasted sweet potatoes have cooled a bit, peel the skins away and transfer the roasted sweet potatoes to a large food processor. Blend until very smooth.
• Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes to a large bowl and add the softened butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt. Mix well using an electric mixer or whisk until smooth. 1/4 cup salted butter, 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup evaporated milk, 2 large eggs, 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350°F or just until the center of the pie is just barely jiggly but still has a slight wobble.
• Remove from the oven and let the pie cool completely. Serve room temperature or chilled topped with homemade whipped cream or toasted marshmallow meringue topping (see note below).

Notes

• Storage: Leftover pie should be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Freezing: The fully baked pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
• Substitutions: You can use whole milk or heavy cream in place of the evaporated milk.
• Boiled Sweet Potatoes: To boil instead of roast, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into chunks, then boil them in a large pot with enough water to cover them for 10 minutes until fork tender rather than roasting them in the oven. Drain well then proceed as directed in the recipe. You can also used canned sweet potatoes.
• Meringue Topping: Whisk together 7 egg whites and 2/3 cup granulated sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until they reach 160°F. Transfer the mixture to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and add another 2/3 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar. Whisk on medium-high speed for 7-10 minutes until thick and glossy stiff peaks form. You should be able to rub the meringue between your fingers and it will feel smooth instead of grainy. Pile on top of the pie and torch using a kitchen blow torch just before serving.

Nutrition

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