Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet potato pie is a southern classic dessert that is popular both at the holiday table and any time you want a slice of sweet, lightly spiced pie. Here’s how to make it.
A classic southern dessert and staple of African American cuisine, sweet potato pie is a highlight of family gatherings, often made with a recipe that’s been handed down through generations. But it’s also served at many restaurants, cafes and bakeries everywhere, all year long.
Made with pureed sweet potatoes, sugar, eggs and spices, this classic custard pie is one of the easiest sweet potato recipes to make. And like its cousin pumpkin pie, the flavor and bright orange color reminds you of the holidays.
Sweet Potato vs. Pumpkin Pie
Sweet potato and pumpkin pie share similarities but also have some differences. They’re both custard pies made with a vegetable (or in pumpkin’s case, a fruit) puree, eggs, milk, sugar and spice.
Pumpkins, which are usually used for pie around Thanksgiving and Christmas, tend to make a denser and more heavily spiced pie. Sweet potatoes in general tend to be sweeter, fluffier and more flavorful than pumpkin, so they don’t require as much sugar and spice in a pie recipe. Both are equally delicious, but if you’re new sweet potato desserts, now’s your chance to try one.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie
- Sweet potatoes: This recipe calls for about 1-1/2 pounds of fresh sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed so you can easily boil them for the filling. You’ll want smooth sweet potatoes with reddish skin and bright orange flesh, which will give sweet potato pie its beautiful color. You can use canned sweet potatoes in a pinch, or roast them whole.
- Butter: Of course you need butter—it makes everything better! Make sure to let it come to room temperature so it’s easier to incorporate into the pie filling. Here are our picks for the best butter brands out there right now.
- Sugar: In addition to adding sweetness, granulated sugar helps keep the filling lofty and soft, and it locks in moisture. For a more caramelized flavor, swap in brown sugar (light or dark) for the granulated sugar. If you do use brown sugar, expect a darker color on your baked pie.
- Eggs: Like all classic custard pies, eggs are needed to bind everything together. It’s best to use room-temperature eggs, which incorporate into the mixture better than cold (and more viscous) eggs.
- Evaporated milk: Sweet potato and pumpkin pie recipes call for various dairy products from whole milk to heavy cream, but we prefer evaporated milk for this recipe. Much of the water has been removed in evaporated milk, so it helps create a thicker, creamier texture.
- Spices: Vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg are traditional spices for sweet potato pie. Vanilla adds flavor, and cinnamon and nutmeg add just enough spice to make it all nice.
- Pie dough: This pie calls for a traditional flaky pastry, whether homemade or premade frozen or refrigerated crust. Our classic butter pie pastry recipe works like a charm.
