Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Silky smooth and perfectly spiced, this Southern Sweet Potato Pie recipe is made with simple ingredients. A delicious, Southern favorite perfect for fall and Thanksgiving!

this recipe!

The BEST Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

• Baking the sweet potatoes deepens and intensifies their sweet flavor
• Browning the butter adds a rich, caramely flavor (optional, but so good!)
• Mixing the filling in a food processor gives the pie a silky smooth, velvety texture
• Prebaking the flaky, buttery crust keeps it crisp, never soggy
• Perfect for holidays! Easy to make ahead of time.

Sweet Potato Pie vs. Pumpkin Pie

Think of Sweet Potato Pie as Pumpkin Pie’s Southern cousin. While Sweet Potato Pie and Pumpkin Pie are usually made the same way – puree, eggs, sugar, evaporated milk, and warm spices – sweet potato pie has a more creamy, luscious texture and, in my opinion, a better taste.

Imagine eating a spoonful of canned pumpkin puree and comparing it to eating a spoonful of mashed sweet potatoes. Yup. It’s easy to see why Sweet Potato Pie is superior. It tastes better.

I prefer the texture of Sweet Potato Pie as well. It’s creamier, lighter in texture, and silky smooth, while pumpkin pie can feel damp and watery.

Ingredients in Sweet Potato Pie

• 9-inch pie crust – Homemade or store-bought
• Sweet Potatoes – baking the sweet potatoes deepens their sweet flavor, plus the potatoes don’t get water-logged
• Evaporated Milk – adds more of a rich, caramelized flavor than milk or cream
• Light brown sugar
• Butter – for rich buttery flavor. As an optional step and for more flavor you can opt to brown the butter first
• Eggs – binds the mixture and gives it its custard texture
• Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger
• Vanilla

How to make Sweet Potato Pie

How to prepare the sweet potatoes:

• You’ll need 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes. The best way to cook the potatoes is to prick them with a fork, wrap them in aluminum foil, and bake for about an hour until they’re very tender.
• You can also microwave them. Prick with a fork, then place on a dish and microwave until soft. When the middle is squeezed, it should be very soft. Smaller sweet potatoes take about 8 minutes, large sweet potatoes will take a little longer.
• When the potatoes are tender, remove from the oven, open the foil, and let cool. Peel the skins off, mash with a fork, and measure out 2 cups. Or just measure out 480 grams and no need to mash.  

Pie crust for sweet potato pie:

• You can use a homemade or store-bought pie crust. Baked or unbaked. (A graham cracker crust, although not traditional, would also be delicious.)  
• For a homemade crust, check out my all-butter, flaky pie crust with step-by-step photos.
• Place the unbaked pie crust in the freezer while you prepare the filling, it will help to hold its shape better.
• As an optional step, you can prebake the crust to prevent sogginess. Follow the directions in my Flaky Pie Crust post.

Make the sweet potato filling:

• It’s totally optional, but for more caramely flavor, you can brown the butter for more caramely flavor. It’s an added step but it only takes a few minutes. Check out how to do it here.
• Combine the sweet potato filling ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and puree until very smooth.
• Tap the bowl on the counter a few times and stir with a spoon to release any air bubbles trapped in the filling.

Assemble and bake the pie:

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and set on a baking sheet.

Bake the pie for 10 minutes at 375 degrees F, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees F and continue baking until cooked through; about 50 minutes. The center should jiggle slightly when you shake it.

Check the pie during baking. If the crust is browning too quickly, place a pie crust shield on the edges and continue baking as directed. When the pie is ready, remove, and let cool completely.

DIY Pie Crust Shield

To make your own DIY pie crust shield:

1. take a square of aluminum foil
2. fold it into fourths
3. cut a round shape from the bottom right corner to the upper left corner
4. cut another round shape in the bottom left corner
5. unfold into a ring shape
6. fold up the outer edges
7. place over the pie crust

Gluten Free Sweet Potato Pie

Since the sweet potato filling is naturally gluten free, all you need to worry about is the crust. You have several options:

• Make the crust with gluten-free flour such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour
• A pre-made gluten free crust,
• a cookie crumb crust made with gluten-free cookie crumbs

How to Refrigerate Sweet Potato Pie

Because Sweet potato pie contains milk and eggs, it should be stored in the refrigerator. After baking your pie, let it cool completely, about 2 hours. Cover the pie with plastic wrap or aluminum foil before refrigerating for up to 3 days.

How to Freeze Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet potato pie can be frozen for up to three months, however, the texture may change slightly. Once the pie has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in a few layers of plastic wrap, then wrap again in aluminum foil or place in a plastic freezer bag.

How to Reheat Sweet Potato Pie

Thaw the pie in the refrigerator overnight. Place on a baking sheet, and warm in a 300°F oven until warmed through, about 30 minutes. Keep the crust covered so it doesn’t over brown.

To reheat straight from the freezer, heat for about 50 minutes.

Sweet Potato Pie FAQs

How long does Sweet Potato Pie last?

• Sweet Potato Pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Do I have to prebake the pie crust?

Prebaking the pie crust is optional, but it does make for a crispier, less soggy pie crust.

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