Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

A fall southern tradition at its best! Sweet potato pie is the classic dessert that’s a must during the fall and Christmas holidays.

Southern sweet potato pie slices topped with whipped cream on black plates.

Why You’ll Love This

A southern sweet potato pie is always on the table for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This easy pie is creamy roasted sweet potatoes combined with just the right fall spices, eggs, butter, and sugar.

Southern sweet potato pie uses the same basic pumpkin pie spices.

If you like pumpkin pie you will definitely enjoy a sweet potato pie. The texture and spices are similar in both pies. Sweet potato pies tend to be lighter in texture.

This sweet potato pie and our fabulous from-scratch Gingersnap Crust Pumpkin Pie recipe would be the perfect desserts for your Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

Whole southern sweet potato pie in a glass pie plate.

Ingredients

  • Sweet potatoes – For this sweet potato pie recipe, you will need about 3 medium size potatoes.
  • Unsalted butter
  • Dark brown sugar – Light brown sugar works just fine but the dark brown adds that little depth of molasses flavor that we love in this pie. We also find this pie is sweet enough without adding granulated sugar.
  • Evaporated milk – Half and half or heavy cream will work too.
  • Eggs
  • Ground nutmeg, Ginger, Cinnamon, and Kosher salt – The classic spices that give this pie its traditional flavor.
  • All-purpose flour – Only 1 tablespoon is used to help thicken the custard.
  • Vanilla extract
  • One 9-inch pie crust – Homemade or store-bought. See our Apple Pie for crust recipe.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Prick the potatoes in several places with the tip of a paring knife or the tines of a fork.

baked sweet potatoes on parchment lined baking sheet

Bake the sweet potatoes for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserts easily into the center. Remove and let cool just long enough to be easy to handle. Reduce the oven to 350 degrees F.

We also love the roasted sweet potato flavor for our Easy Sweet Potato Casserole.

Prepare the pie crust per the package instructions. Place the pie crust in the pie plate and crimp the edges. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle remove the skins. It should release easily. Place the sweet potato pulp in a large mixing bowl.

mashed sweet potatoes in a glass mixing bowl

Use an electric mixer to beat the sweet potatoes until smooth and creamy. Pull out any of those pesky long strings.

Add the butter to the mashed sweet potatoes and mix to combine.

unbaked sweet potato pie

Add the dark brown sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and flour. Beat until smooth. Pour into the prepared pie crust.

Bake the pie for 55 to 60 minutes or until the very center just barely jiggles. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until set. I usually chill my pies overnight.

sweet potato pie slices on black plates

Slice and serve at room temperature, warm, or cold. Top with a dollop of whipped cream if desired.

Tips

  • You will need 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes. That’s about 3 medium sweet potatoes.
  • You can also cube and boil the sweet potatoes but be sure to drain them well. You don’t want extra water in the pie filling. Roasted sweet potatoes have a lot more flavor!
  • We love a homemade pie crust but store-bought pie crust works as well.
  • The pie is baked fully when it just barely jiggles in the center. Don’t overbake the pie. Overbaking the pie will cause it to crack in the center as it cools and result in a dense filling.

FAQ

Can I use canned yams in this recipe?

I don’t recommend canned yams. Even when drained, they contain a lot of water and it would be too much liquid for the pie to set up properly.

Can I use store-bought pie crust?

Absolutely!

Can I boil or microwave the sweet potatoes?

Yes, you can but we prefer the roasted flavor of sweet potatoes. It adds such a depth of flavor to the pie. Boiling the potatoes will also add extra water that will make the filling not set up properly.

Do sweet potato pies need to be refrigerated?

Yes. This pie is made with eggs and milk (custard pie) so it does need to be kept in the refrigerator. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and it should keep for 3-4 days.

Can you freeze sweet potato pie?

Yes. Let the pie cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil. It should keep well in the freezer for up to two months.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. This pie can be served cold or brought to room temperature.

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Slices of sweet potato pie on black plates

Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

This easy pie is creamy roasted sweet potatoes combined with just the right fall spices, eggs, butter, and sugar.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Chilling Time: 3 hours
Servings: 8
Calories: 369kcal
Author: Leigh Harris

Ingredients
 

  • 1 9-inch Pie shell homemade or store-bought
  • 2 cups Sweet potatoes, mashed about 3 medium
  • 1/2 cup Unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup Dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup Evaporated milk
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prick the potatoes in several places with the tip of a paring knife or tines of a fork.
  • Bake the sweet potatoes for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserts easily into the center. Remove and let cool just long enough to be easy to handle.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
  • Prepare the pie crust per the package instructions. Place the pie crust in the pie plate and crimp the edges. Refrigerate until ready to fill.
  • When the potatoes are cool enough to handle remove the skins. It should remove easily. Place the sweet potato pulp in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to beat the sweet potatoes until smooth and creamy. Pull out any of those pesky long strings.
  • Add the butter and mix to combine. Add the dark brown sugar, evaporated milk, eggs, nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and flour. Beat until smooth. Pour into the prepared pie crust.
  • Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until the very center just barely jiggles.
  • Remove and let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. Then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or until set.

Notes

Storing – This pie is made with eggs and milk (custard pie) so it does need to be kept in the refrigerator. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and it should keep for 3-4 days.
Freezing – Let the pie cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil. It should keep well in the freezer for up to two months.
Defrost in the refrigerator overnight. 

Nutrition

Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 235mg | Potassium: 238mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 5178IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 1mg

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