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This Southern Sweet Potato Pie has the creamiest, spiced brown sugar sweet potato filling in a buttery crust and topped with fresh whipped cream. This is the perfect Fall and Thanksgiving dessert.
I love visiting the South and whether I am in Savannah, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina, or any charming town in the South, I am ordering a slice of sweet potato pie.
A slice of sweet potato pie is one of the quintessential desserts of the South and a perfect dessert to serve on Thanksgiving.
There’s no better way to embrace the fall season than with a warm and delicious sweet potato pie. This classic dessert has been a staple at Thanksgiving holiday gatherings for generations, and with a few tips and tricks, you can elevate your sweet potato pie game. I am going to share all of my tips and tricks for making the best sweet potato pie.
Sweet Potato Pie is similar to Pumpkin Pie but there are some differences in flavors. Here is my Best Pumpkin Pie Recipe.
Sweet Potato Pie Ingredients:
This Sweet Potato Pie Recipe is made with simple ingredients and together they make up the creamiest sweet potato pie.
- Sweet Potatoes — see below for details on how you should choose sweet potatoes for your pie.
- Heavy Cream — this helps to make a silky smooth and creamy sweet potato filling for the pie.
- Brown Sugar — the molasses in the brown sugar pairs perfectly with the sweet potatoes.
- Butter — a touch of melted butter adds so much flavor to the pie.
- Vanilla Extract — use a high-quality pure vanilla extract for maximum flavor.
- Eggs — use large eggs in this recipe.
- Spices: Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Ginger, and Salt — these spices bring so much warmth and spice to the sweet potato pie. I like to keep it simple and use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Sometimes pumpkin pie spice can be too overpowering.
- Butter Pie Crust — I love to make a homemade flaky, all butter pie crust.
Selecting the Right Sweet Potatoes:
The foundation of a great sweet potato pie lies in choosing the right sweet potatoes. Opt for medium-sized, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. These sweet potatoes have a rich, vibrant color and a naturally sweet flavor that will enhance the overall taste of your pie.
Roast the sweet potatoes!
Baking the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them gives them a rich, caramelized flavor and is the perfect base for this sweet potato pie.
Roasting vs. Boiling Sweet Potatoes for Sweet Potato Pie:
- Roasting vs. Boiling: While boiling sweet potatoes is a common method, roasting them in the oven enhances their natural sweetness and depth of flavor. Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork, place them on a baking sheet, and roast at 385°F for about 45-60 minutes, or until they are fork-tender. Allow them to cool before peeling.
- Mashing to Perfection: Mash the roasted sweet potatoes thoroughly to ensure a smooth and creamy consistency. I prefer to use a blender or food processor to make the smoothest sweet potato pie filling.
How to make Sweet Potato Pie:
This is such an easy sweet potato recipe and I will share my tips and tricks for making the perfect sweet potato pie.
- Start by roasting the sweet potatoes. Heat the oven to 385 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork. Set aside cool.
- Pre-bake the pie crust using the blind bake method. You can find out more details here in my butter pie crust recipe.
- Once the sweet potatoes have slightly cooled, you can either peel them or you can cut into the center with a knife and remove the sweet potato flesh with a spoon. I suggest blending the sweet potato filling in a blender or food processor.
- Add the heavy cream, brown sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, and spices into the blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. If you see any strings in the sweet potato filling, just remove them.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Pour the sweet potato filling into the pre-baked crust. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the filling is firm around the edges and the center wobbles slightly if jiggled. Watch the crust carefully and place pie crust covers or foil on the pie halfway through baking to avoid a too-browned crust.
- Carefully remove it from the oven to make sure it doesn’t crack. Cool at room temperature. Once it has cooled to room temperature, you can cover it and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Serve with homemade whipped cream or top with meringue topping.
Protect the Crust: To prevent the crust from burning, cover it with a pie crust shield or aluminum foil halfway through the baking time.
Baking Tip!
When baking the sweet potato pie, watch the pie crust carefully. Halfway through baking, I suggest carefully placing a pie crust cover over the crust.
Can you make Sweet Potato Pie ahead of time?
Yes! You can make this sweet potato up to 3-4 days ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator. This homemade sweet potato pie does need time to set up for at least 1 hour after baking.
How to store Southern Sweet Potato Pie:
I suggest storing sweet potato pie covered in the refrigerator and removing about 20 minutes before you are ready to serve it. Pipe freshly whipped cream on the the pie when ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The key to a very smooth and silky sweet potato pie filling is to blend it in a blender or food processor. This helps to break down any strings from the sweet potato.
The sweet potato pie will slightly jiggle in the center of the pie. It needs to cool to room temperature and then be refrigerated. It needs time to cool at room temperature or it will sink in the middle if placed straight from the oven to the refrigerator. When it is chilled, it will set up and become firmer.
Sweet Potato Pie needs time to set up. Let it come to room temperature. You can serve it room temperature or chilled from the refrigerator. I prefer to serve it chilled with a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream.
There are many options for how to top a homemade sweet potato pie. You can make homemade whipped cream and pipe it around the edges or completely cover the pie with fresh whipped cream. You could also make a meringue and top with sweet potato pie with a billowy meringue.
More Fall Recipes:
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Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Sweet Potatoes
- 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tablespoons Butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon Ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- Butter Pie Crust
- Fresh Whipped Cream
Instructions
- Start by roasting the sweet potatoes. Heat the oven to 385 degrees. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and pierce holes in the sweet potatoes with a fork. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork. Set aside cool.
- Pre-bake the pie crust using the blind bake method. You can find out more details here in my butter pie crust recipe.
- Once the sweet potatoes have slightly cooled, you can either peel them or you can cut into the center with a knife and remove the sweet potato flesh with a spoon. I suggest blending the sweet potato filling in a blender or food processor.
- Add the heavy cream, brown sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla, and spices into the blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. If you see any strings in the sweet potato filling, just remove them.
- Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Pour the sweet potato filling into the pre-baked crust. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the filling is firm around the edges and the center wobbles slightly if jiggled. Watch the crust carefully and place pie crust covers or foil on the pie halfway through baking to avoid a too-browned crust.
- Carefully remove it from the oven to make sure it doesn't crack. Cool at room temperature. Once it has cooled to room temperature, you can cover it and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve
- Serve with homemade whipped cream or top with meringue topping.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Ok…forget pumpkin pie! This sweet potato pie was AMAZING and will now be our new favorite for every Thanksgiving. Thank you for all your wonderful pie recipes. Every one was a hit at our Thanksgiving meal.
The very first Pie I ever learned to make. My Gramma made them all the time. She would roast about 20 potatoes and make 3 pies and the kids would eat the extra sweet potatoes. Weloved them ad still do. Great Pie…
Yummy recipe!!