Sweet Potato Pie

By Becky Hardin

Published Nov 12, 2023

With each bite of this Sweet Potato Pie , you’ll taste notes of vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg! The sweet filling is rich and creamy, giving you the classic flavor of this holiday favorite.

overhead view of a partially sliced sweet potato pie in a white pie pan with handles. - 5

Why We Love This Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Sweet Potato Pie is a Thanksgiving and Christmas staple at our house. Here are a few reasons we love this easy recipe.

Simple. A foolproof butter and shortening crust and filling made from simple ingredients will have your pie on the table in under 2 hours.
Flavorful. This Southern-style sweet potato pie is so full of flavor and super soft and creamy! The vanilla, cinnamon, brown sugar, and nutmeg bring forward a classic fall flavor perfect for Thanksgiving.
Beautiful. The gorgeous orange color and creamy texture are sure to wow your guests.

Variations on Southern Sweet Potato Pie

While I highly recommend making your own pie crust, you can use a store-bought crust in a pinch. Similarly, while fresh baked sweet potatoes lend the best flavor, you can use canned in a pinch Or, for a funky color, try using purple sweet potatoes!

In place of the cinnamon and nutmeg, you can use pumpkin pie spice . Or try adding a few tablespoons of bourbon or rum for an interesting depth of flavor.

overhead view of an orange pie in a white pie pan with handles. - 6

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover sweet potato pie tightly wrapped in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving and/or reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes to crisp up the crust.

How to Freeze

Freeze leftover pie whole or in individual slices tightly wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of aluminum foil for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this tasty holiday pie with a dollop of whipped cream (or pumpkin spice whipped cream !) and a scoop of pumpkin ice cream ! Wash it down with a pumpkin spice latte , apple cider hot toddy , or apple butter old fashioned !

Sweet potato pie is relatively healthy when compared to other pies, but it is about the same when compared to pumpkin pie . Sweet potatoes are chock full of fiber, iron, and vitamins B, C, and D. However, this pie still contains quite a bit of sugar and should be enjoyed in moderation!

While pumpkin and sweet potato pie have a somewhat similar taste, they differ in texture. Pumpkin pie is more custardy, dense, and spice-forward; while sweet potato pie has a lighter, airier texture, is milder in flavor, and is more naturally sweet.

If you notice your sweet potatoes are particularly stringy, you can beat them with a hand mixer or in a blender or food processor for a few minutes to break up the strings.

If your pie is runny, it is probably underbaked. Place it back into the oven for 5 minutes, then check for doneness, repeating until the filling is firm and the center is slightly puffed.

While I haven’t found it to be necessary with this recipe, you can blind bake the crust before filling it to keep it from getting soggy.

This pie will keep fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days!

a partially eaten slice of pie on a white plate with a fork and a dollop of whipped cream. - 7

More Holiday Pie Recipes To Try

Pecan Pie
Easy Pumpkin Pie
Chess Pie
Buttermilk Pie
Butterscotch Pie
Chocolate Cream Pie
Homemade Apple Pie

Ingredients1x2x3x

For the Crust

▢ 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 150 grams
▢ 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 4 grams
▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ¼ cup unsalted butter 57 grams, COLD and cut into small cubes (½ stick)
▢ ¼ cup vegetable shortening 46 grams, COLD and cut into cubes (¼ stick – can be larger than the butter)
▢ ¼ cup ice water 57 grams

For the Filling

▢ 1¼ pounds sweet potatoes 567 grams (about 3 medium potatoes – you’ll need 2 cups mashed)
▢ 2 large eggs 100 grams
▢ ½ cup brown sugar 107 grams
▢ ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
▢ 12 ounces evaporated milk 340 grams (1 can)
▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
▢ ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Video

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together. 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Add in the butter and shortening, and a pastry cutter or two forks to combine the ingredients until the butter and shortening are pea-sized pieces or smaller. ¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup vegetable shortening
Add in 2 tablespoons of the water and stir until combined. Add the remaining tablespoons, one at a time, until the dough is crumbly, but begins to come together. ¼ cup ice water
Use your hands to gently knead the dough a few times until it comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
While the dough chills, preheat oven to 425°F. Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and prick the skin all over. Place them cut-side-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender all the way through, about 45 minutes. 1¼ pounds sweet potatoes
Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray.
On a floured work surface, roll the chilled pie crust into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to the pie plate and trim off any excess. Fold the edge of the crust under and use your finger and thumb to shape the crust. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.
Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to touch, scoop out the flesh and add it to a large bowl. Mash it until it is smooth.
Whisk in the eggs until combined. 2 large eggs
Whisk in the brown sugar, sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until smooth. ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 12 ounces evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 15 minutes at 425°F.
Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is golden, the edges of the pie are set, and the center is only slightly jiggly.
Let cool completely at room temperature then cover and chill for 2-3 hours before serving.

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
Baking Sheet
Pie Pan
Rolling Pin

Becky’s Tips

While I highly recommend making your own pie crust, you can use a store-bought crust in a pinch.
For a gluten-free sweet potato pie, swap the all-purpose flour for an equal amount of gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
While fresh baked sweet potatoes lend the best flavor, you can use canned in a pinch.
You can use half-and-half in place of the evaporated milk, but it won’t be as rich.
In place of the cinnamon and nutmeg, you can use pumpkin pie spice .
If you have leftover pie dough, cut out cute shapes and place them on top of the pie before baking.
For a lighter pie, leave your sweet potato mash a little bit chunky.
If the crust begins to brown, cover it with aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time to keep it from burning.
When the pie is finished baking, it should puff up a bit and jiggle slightly in the center. If it jiggles too much, it needs more time!
For the cleanest cuts, chill the pie completely in the refrigerator and wipe off the knife with a damp cloth between cuts.
The pie crust can be made, wrapped, and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days before baking, or roll it out into a pie pan and freeze it wrapped in 2 layers of plastic wrap and 1 layer of foil for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
You can bake the potatoes, make the filling, and store it tightly covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator up to 3 days before baking.

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie Step by Step

Start the Crust: In a large bowl, whisk 1¼ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar, and ½ teaspoon of kosher salt together. Add in ¼ cup of cold and cubed unsalted butter and ¼ cup of cold and cubed vegetable shortening, and use a pastry cutter or two forks to combine the ingredients until the butter and shortening are pea-sized pieces or smaller.

overhead view of dry ingredients for sweet potato pie crust in a glass bowl. - 8

Form the Crust: Add in 2 tablespoons of the ice water and stir until combined. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons tablespoons, one at a time, until the dough is crumbly, but begins to come together. Use your hands to gently knead the dough a few times until it comes together.

overhead view of sweet potato pie dough in a glass bowl. - 9

Chill the Crust: Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form it into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.

overhead view of sweet potato pie dough wrapped in plastic wrap. - 10

Bake the Potatoes: While the dough chills, preheat oven to 425°F. Cut 1¼ pounds of sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and prick the skin all over. Place them cut-side-down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the sweet potatoes are tender all the way through, about 45 minutes.

overhead view of 4 roasted sweet potato halves on a baking sheet. - 11

Roll the Crust: Spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick spray. On a floured work surface, roll the chilled pie crust into a 12-inch circle. Transfer it to the pie plate and trim off any excess. Fold the edge of the crust under and use your finger and thumb to shape the crust. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

overhead view of sweet potato pie crust pressed into a pie pan and crimped. - 12

Mash the Potatoes: Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to touch, scoop out the flesh and add it to a large bowl. Mash it until it is smooth.

overhead view of mashed sweet potato in a glass bowl. - 13

Add the Eggs: Whisk in 2 large eggs until combined.

overhead view of mashed sweet potato and egg in a glass bowl. - 14

Make the Filling: Whisk in the ½ cup of brown sugar, ½ cup of granulated sugar, 12 ounces (1 can) of evaporated milk, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon of ground nutmeg, and ⅛ teaspoon of kosher salt until smooth.

overhead view of sweet potato pie filling in a glass bowl. - 15

Fill the Pie: Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 15 minutes at 425°F.

overhead view of sweet potato pie filling poured into crust in a pie pan. - 16

Bake the Pie: Lower the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crust is golden, the edges of the pie are set, and the center is only slightly jiggly. Let cool completely at room temperature then cover and chill for 2-3 hours before serving.

overhead view of sweet potato pie in a white pie pan with handles. - 17

overhead view of a partially sliced sweet potato pie in a white pie pan with handles. - 18

Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Equipment

Kitchen Scale (optional)
Baking Sheet
Pie Pan
Rolling Pin