If you are looking for the ultimate comfort of fall in every bite, you have found it! This Sweet Potato Pie is a delicious, classic fall pie recipe that is incredibly easy to make from scratch.
While it has a warm flavor profile similar to pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie boasts a heartier, richer texture that is perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Whether you are baking for a holiday gathering or just craving a cozy weekend treat, this foolproof recipe will quickly become a family favorite.
*This recipe was originally published on October 27, 2020, and was updated for improved tips & tricks.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect Texture: Using freshly steamed Jewel sweet potatoes gives this pie a rich, hearty, and authentic filling.
- Easy Prep: With a refrigerated pie crust and straightforward instructions, you skip the hassle of making dough from scratch.
- Cozy Fall Flavors: The blend of brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg makes your whole house smell amazing while it bakes.
What does sweet potato pie taste like?
Years ago, a neighbor would always bring her famous sweet potato pie to functions. At first thought, I was a bit weirded out by this pie until I tasted it. I mean, I am sure we can all agree sweet potatoes + pie don’t seem as if they go hand in hand.
However, Sweet Potato Pie really does taste extremely similar to a fresh-baked pumpkin pie made from scratch. It has a super thick, hearty texture, but the flavor of the potatoes truly does remind me of freshly spiced pumpkin which is also slightly fibrous.
If you love candied sweet potatoes, this really does taste very similar, but in a neat pie form.
Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie
You will need some easy to find ingredients to make this harvest pie. Perfect for Thanksgiving, this pie can double as a side or a dessert.
1 1/2 (3 medium sized potatoes) pounds of sweet potatoes, refrigerated pie crust, salted butter, evaporated milk, light brown sugar, eggs, spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger) kosher salt, vanilla extract.
Best Sweet Potatoes for Pie
For this particular pie, we used Jewel Sweet Potatoes. These have a copper colored skin, and peachy flesh. These are what are most commonly used in sweet potato casseroles, and baked sweet potato dishes.
How to prepare potatoes for pie
Some people prefer to bake their sweet potatoes with the skin-on until they are fork-tender. Then, they remove the skin and mash the flesh. This method takes a good hour at when baking potatoes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
We peeled these potatoes, and carefully sliced them into 1″ discs. These potatoes are really thick and tough to cut so be careful when using your knife. Make sure you are using a safe area with a cutting board, and sharpened knife.
However, I decided to steam our potatoes which took merely 12 minutes to get them fork tender. I used a steamer basket like this in my 6-quart stockpot.
Best Size Pie Dish for Store-Bought Crust
For this potato pie, I used a 9-inch ceramic stoneware pie dish. This dish can hold 36 ounces, and is considered a deep dish pie dish. You want to use a deep dish pie dish because this pie has a lot of filling and would not work out well with a shallow pie dish.
I also prefer to use a 9-inch pie dish or plate with store-bought crust because when you unroll refrigerated pie crust dough the disc size is relatively smaller these days. When using a larger sized 11-inch pie dish the crust tends to get lost.
A quick egg white wash will ensure a crisp, nicely browned crust.
Best Pie Shield to Protect Pie Crust
When baking this sweet potato pie, you do not want the crust to burn or overbrown before the filling is thoroughly cooked. While you can use foil strips to protect your pie, I love this silicone pie crust shield. This is the exact protector I use. It is super helpful that it can be adjusted to fit a small or large pie crust diameter.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pie
Find everything you need to make this pie in the printable recipe card below. Here is a brief summary of the steps to make the BEST sweet potato pie possible.
Peel, slice, and steam your sweet potatoes. You will steam them for 12-15 minutes. To steam potatoes, add a steam basket to your 16-quart stockpot. Add about 2 cups of water, and place sliced potato discs on the steamer basket. Cover the pan, and turn the stovetop heat up to high.
When checking potatoes to test for doneness, wear an oven mitt to prevent any steam burns. Check potatoes with a fork to make sure they are tender and ready to be cooled before mashing. You want them to cool before adding the eggs so they do not “cook” them.
Once potatoes are cooled, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl mash sweet potatoes with room temperature butter. I used a hand mixer to ensure a creamy, even consistency.
Add in sugar, milk, eggs, spices, and extract, and combine until creamy. Pour filling into your egg washed, unbaked pie crust.
Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a butter knife inserted gently into the center of the pie comes out clean. At first touch the pie will have a stiff, slightly firm outer layer. The pie should not feel super jiggly.
Expert Tips for the Perfect Pie
To ensure your pie turns out beautifully every single time, keep these quick tips in mind:
- Avoid a Soggy Crust: Brushing the unbaked crust with an egg white wash creates a barrier that prevents the wet filling from making the bottom dough soggy.
- Embrace the Texture: Sweet potatoes are naturally fibrous. Your batter will be slightly lumpy, which gives this pie its signature, authentic texture! If you prefer a silky-smooth pie, you can run your cooled sweet potatoes through a food processor before mixing them with the other ingredients.
- Protect Your Edges: A pie crust shield is essential. Because this pie bakes for a full hour, the exposed edges of the crust can easily burn before the center is fully set. If you don’t have a silicone shield, you can easily mold strips of aluminum foil over the crust edges.
- Don’t Rush the Cooling: Slicing into a hot pie will result in a messy, runny slice. Let the pie cool completely at room temperature so the eggs and sugars can fully set up.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
This pie is a fantastic make-ahead dessert, making it perfect for busy holidays like Thanksgiving or Christmas!
- To Store in the Fridge: Once the pie has cooled completely, cover it loosely with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Sweet potato pie freezes beautifully! Bake and cool the pie completely. Wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To Thaw: Transfer the frozen pie to the refrigerator the night before you plan to serve it. Serve chilled, or let it come to room temperature on the counter before slicing.
Delicious Topping Ideas
While this pie is phenomenal entirely on its own, you can elevate your dessert table by offering a few fun garnishes:
A Drizzle of Caramel: A light drizzle of salted caramel sauce pairs perfectly with the brown sugar and cinnamon in the pie.
Fresh Whipped Cream: A generous dollop of lightly sweetened homemade whipped cream is the classic choice.
Toasted Pecans: Chop up some candied or toasted pecans and sprinkle them over the top for a satisfying crunch.
Marshmallow Fluff: Lean into the classic sweet potato casserole vibe by topping your slices with marshmallow fluff or lightly toasted mini marshmallows!
More Yummy Pie Recipes
The Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (Easy Fall Dessert)
Equipment
- 9" pie dish
- Hand Mixer
- 16-Quart stockpot
- Steamer basket
- Pie Crust Shield
- large mixing bowl
- Potato peeler
- knife
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes Jewel variety (cooper skin, peachy flesh)
- 1 unbaked refrigerated pie crust shell
- 1/2 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk *can also use evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg white *to brush pie crust
Instructions
- Peel sweet potatoes, and slice them into 1" discs. Add 2 cups of water to a 16-quart stockpot and add the steamer basket to the bottom of the pan. Place the sweet potato discs on top and cover the pan. Steam for 13-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Be sure to cool potatoes before preheating oven (about 30 mins).
- Preheat oven to 350°f.
- Line your pie dish with refrigerated pie crust dough. The crust should be centered in the middle of the dish. Carefully tuck over about 1/2" of crust and crimp by gently pinching dough with your fingers. Coat crust in an egg white wash.
- Add cooled potatoes to a large bowl and mix with softened butter, eggs, spices, milk, and extract. Batter will be thick and slightly lumpy from the potato fibers.
- Add pie crust shield and place pie on the center oven rack to bake for 55-60 minutes. A knife inserted into the center of the pie should come out clean when done. Pie top will also feel firm at first touch.
- Allow pie to cool before adding topping (optional).
Try using 1.5 – 2 tsp lemon juice to elevate the flavor. Happy earing 😊😋