My creamy, decadent, and insanely delicious sweet potato pie is the perfect finish to any meal. This traditional Southern masterpiece is featured on special occasions, and real sweet potatoes deliver an indulgent homemade pie for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. This is next-level comfort food.

 

“Sweet potato pie!” is more than a Southern expression of surprise. This classic black folks’ sweet potato pie recipe is a true-blue Southern dish. You can count on plenty of warmly spiced sweetness for a decadent and filling dessert.

Another great thing is that you likely already have the ingredients. Even the sweet potatoes are easy to find at your local grocery store!

Is Sweet Potato Pie a Black Thing?

Sweet potato pie originated in the Southern U.S., where the main ingredient is abundant and easy to grow. African-American communities within the South have long used sweet potatoes, so in a way, it is. That said, people from all backgrounds and ethnicities love a big slice.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie

1. Blind bake the pie crust for 5-6 minutes in a preheated oven, remove from the oven, and let it cool. (Photo 1)
2. Rinse, peel, and cut the sweet potatoes into chunks. Then, add them to a medium saucepan and cover them with water. (Photo 2)
3. Boil them until tender, about 12 minutes. You may need more time depending on the size of the potatoes.
4. Drain water and simmer the potatoes for about 1 minute or until water has evaporated. (Photo 3)
5. Mash the sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer or potato masher. (Photo 4)

1. Add the remaining ingredients: softened butter, sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, egg yolk, nutmeg, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until smooth. Pour the filling into the pie crust. (Photos 5-7)
2. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is nice and browned, or when a tester (skewer, toothpick, etc.) inserted in the middle comes out clean. (Photo 8)
3. Serve – Let it cool for at least 30 minutes, then top it with whipped cream, candied pecans, and/or caramel sauce.

Recipe Variations and Tips

• Add a bit of grated ginger to your filling for more holiday spice vibes.
• Make miniature sweet potato pies for bite-sized fun if you have leftover pie filling.
• Cover the sweet potatoes with at least an inch of water so they cook evenly.
• Your pie should jiggle, not ripple, in the middle when it’s ready.
• Let the pie cool to room temperature before cutting and serving so it can firm up.

Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions

Feel free to make this sweet potato pie ahead of time. It will stay fresh for 3-5 days in the refrigerator or 2-3 months in the freezer when stored well. Cool completely, cover it well with plastic wrap (2-3 layers). Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then take it out 30 minutes to an hour before serving.

Store leftovers in the fridge. This pie has eggs and milk, so it shouldn’t stay on the counter for more than two hours. You can also freeze sweet potato pie for three months in an airtight container.

FAQs

Why is my sweet potato pie filling runny?

Too much liquid or not baking it quite long enough can affect firmness. You can thicken it with a small amount of flour or an extra egg, or it may need a little longer in the oven so the filling sets.

Should I peel sweet potatoes before boiling them?

I like to peel sweet potatoes ahead, so I don’t have to wait for them to cool. But leftover baked sweet potatoes with the skin on work great. Peel and mash, done!

How do you keep pie crust from getting soggy on the bottom?

Blind baking (a fancy word for baking your pie crust for five minutes before adding the filling) should give you a flaky pie crust. But you can also brush a slightly beaten egg white on the inside of the pie crust before adding the filling. That creates an extra barrier, preventing the dreaded “soggy bottom.”

What Goes With Sweet Potato Pie

For an upgrade on a classic holiday dinner, try turkey tenderloin, mashed potatoes, and cornbread stuffing. For a fancier sweet potato pie, top it with whipped cream!

More Favorite Pie Recipes to Try

By Imma

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”Vk5mAFkI” upload-date=”2020-11-25T11:17:50.000Z” name=”Sweet Potato Pie” description=”Creamy, tasty, and insanely delicious SWEET POTATO PIE makes the holidays a lot better. This traditional southern masterpiece made from real sweet potatoes and an indulgent homemade pie crust takes “desserts” to another level. Truly a crowd-pleasing comfort food you can easily make at home.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]

This blog post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.

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Prep: 25 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Southern

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180℃). 

• Line the bottom of the pie crust with parchment paper, then add dried beans on top. The beans will ensure that the bottom of the crust does not rise.  

• Bake for 5-6 minutes in the preheated oven, remove from the oven, and let it cool.

• Rinse, peel, and cut the sweet potatoes into chunks, then add to a medium saucepan. Cover them with water by at least an inch.

• Bring it to a boil over high heat and then reduce heat. Cook until tender and the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork – about 12 minutes or more, depending on the size of the potatoes. 

• Drain water and simmer for about a minute or until the water has evaporated. 

• Put the sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl, and mash them using a handheld mixer. Next, add the remaining ingredients: softened butter, white sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, egg yolk, nutmeg, ground ginger, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract. 

• Continue mixing until all the ingredients have been fully incorporated.

• Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for about 40 minutes or until the top is nice and thoroughly browned or when a skewer inserted in the middle of the pie comes out clean. 

• Remove and top with whipped cream, pecan, or caramel sauce for a decadent treat. Enjoy!

• If you have any leftover pie filling, use it to make miniature sweet potato pies for some bite-sized fun.
• When boiling the sweet potatoes, make sure you have them covered by at least an inch of water to help them cook evenly.
• Another way to tell if your pie is done is by looking at how set it is. It should just jiggle in the middle when it’s ready. It might take a few tries to be able to tell if your pie is done by sight only, but you’ll get the hang of it.
• Please remember that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used.

Serving: 1slice| Calories: 422kcal (21%)| Carbohydrates: 56g (19%)| Protein: 6g (12%)| Fat: 20g (31%)| Saturated Fat: 10g (63%)| Cholesterol: 100mg (33%)| Sodium: 319mg (14%)| Potassium: 389mg (11%)| Fiber: 3g (13%)| Sugar: 31g (34%)| Vitamin A: 12550IU (251%)| Vitamin C: 2mg (2%)| Calcium: 102mg (10%)| Iron: 2mg (11%)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Southern