This classic southern sweet potato pie recipe turns fresh sweet potatoes and few simple ingredients into a delicious pie that’s sure to be a hit at any Thanksgiving dinner.
Sweet potato pie is a classic Thanksgiving dessert. This recipe makes a traditional sweet potato pie that is anything but boring!
For this recipe, you can use either a store-bought pie shell if you’re short on time or make your own homemade pie crust. The pie requires little hands-on time to make, and it can even be made ahead of time.
Give this sweet potato pie recipe a try, and you may find your family’s new favorite pie recipe!
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Pie crust: You’ll need an unbaked pastry pie crust that’s ready for filling. For crispier crust, blind bake the pie crust before filling.
- Brown sugar: Feel free to use dark brown sugar if you prefer.
- Evaporated milk: It’s important to use evaporated milk, not regular milk. You can use regular or 2% evaporated milk
- Butter: Or you can use salted butter and omit the salt.
- Vanilla extract: Feel free to use another flavoring, like bourbon, in place of the vanilla extract.
How to make sweet potato pie
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make this recipe. The full recipe, including ingredients, is given below.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2: Poke holes in all sides of the sweet potatoes. Wrap each potato in foil.
Step 3: Roast potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until fork tender.
Step 4: Remove skin from the sweet potatoes.
Step 5: Add sweet potato flesh to a large bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
Step 6: Add remaining ingredients to the bowl with the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir to combine.
Step 7: Pour the sweet potato pie filling into the prepared pie crust. (If making homemade pie dough, roll it out and form it into a lightly greased pie dish.)
Step 8: Bake sweet potato pie at 400 degrees F for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the center is set.
Step 9: Let the baked sweet potato pie cool completely before serving.
Recipe Tips!
- Spices: This pie is lightly spiced so that the sweet potato flavor still comes through. If you’d like stronger spice flavor, you can increase the amount of spices. You could also use pumpkin pie spice in this recipe.
- Crispier bottom crust: For a crispier bottom crust, blind bake the crust before filling.
- Browning: If the crust begins to brown too quickly, use aluminum foil to line the rim of the crust or use a pie crust shield to prevent overbrowning.
- Serving suggestion: The pie goes really well with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! You can make the pie and then cover and store the baked pie in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days before serving. You may want to set it out for about 30 minutes before serving to let it come up in temperature before serving.
You can! Make the pie as-directed. Let the pie cool to room temperature. Freeze the baked and cooled pie for up to 3 months. Let the pie thaw in the fridge for about 24 hours before serving. You can set the pie out for about 30 minutes before serving to let it come up to room temperature.
Storage
Store any leftover sweet potato pie in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The pie should keep for 3-4 days when properly stored in the fridge.
More Thanksgiving dessert recipes!
If you’ve tried this homemade sweet potato pie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
You can subscribe to receive my latest recipe newsletters or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for even more delicious food.
Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 9 inch pie crust homemade or store bought
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes about 2 cups mashed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Poke holes in all sides of the sweet potatoes. Wrap each potato in foil. Roast potatoes for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until fork tender.
- Remove skin from the sweet potatoes.
- Add flesh to a large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- Add remaining ingredients to the bowl with the mashed sweet potatoes. Stir to combine.
- Pour sweet potato mixture into the prepared pie crust. (If making homemade pie dough, roll it out and form it into a lightly greased pie pan.) Blind bake before filling for crispier crust.
- Bake sweet potato pie at 400 degrees F for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the center is set.
- Let cool completely before serving.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram @i_heart_eating and follow on Youtube @katedean and Pinterest @katedean for more!
Love this recipe?
Share your thoughts below and let’s chat! Make sure to connect with me on your favorite social platform below and show me what you made!