Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
This Southern sweet potato pie has a buttery smooth, silky texture and is made with simple ingredients like fresh sweet potatoes, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It’s an easy soul food dessert recipe that uses store-bought pie crust to save time.
Servings: 8
Calories: 432kcal
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust preferably Marie Callender's Pastry Pie Shell Pie Crust
- 1.5 pounds sweet potatoes about 4-5 medium sweet potatoes
- ½ cup condensed milk sweetened
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt ⅛ teaspoon if using any other type of salt
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- whipped cream for serving
Instructions
- Follow baking instructions on package for store-bought pastry pie shell. Note that some pie shells may require pre-baking while others do not.
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Thoroughly wash sweet potatoes in cold water to remove any dirt or debris. Pat dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels.
- Use a fork to poke several holes all over each sweet potato.
- Place sweet potatoes directly on oven rack or on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil to catch any drips.
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of sweet potatoes. To check for doneness, insert a fork into the center; it should slide in easily when sweet potatoes are done.
- Once the sweet potatoes are cooked, remove them from oven and let them rest for a few minutes. This allows them to cool slightly and makes them easier to handle.
- Once cooled, carefully remove the skin of the sweet potato. The skin should easily peel away from the flesh. You can also slice the sweet potato lengthwise and use a spoon to separate the skin from the flesh.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350°F (175°C).
- Transfer cooled sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl.
- Add milk, sugars, eggs, butter, vanilla, spices, and salt to the mixing bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Pour the sweet potato pie filling into the prepared pie shell. Use a rubber spatula to evenly spread the filling within the shell.
- Place the pie in the preheated oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the edges are set, the top is golden brown, and the center is mostly firm and only slightly jiggly.
- Remove the baked pie from the oven and allow it to cool at room temperature for one hour.
- Once the pie has cooled, slice it into desired portions.
- Serve warm or at room temperature and top with a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
How to boil sweet potatoes for pie: Peel and chop the sweet potatoes into evenly sized chunks or cubes, about 1 to 1.5 pounds. In a medium-sized stockpot, place peeled and chopped sweet potatoes, covering them with about 6 to 8 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and cover the pot with a lid. Let the sweet potatoes simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they become tender. You can check for doneness by inserting a fork into a piece; it should go in easily when they're done. Once the sweet potatoes are tender, drain the water using a colander and allow the potatoes to cool completely. Prepare the filling according to recipe instructions (see step 4 above).
- Pie Crust: We used Marie Callender's Pastry Pie Shells Frozen Pie Crust (store-bought crusts) and pre-baked it (blind bake) per package instructions to guarantee a flaky crust. Note that some pie shells may require pre-baking while others do not. If pre-baking, pie weights are recommended to help prevent the crust from puffing up or shrinking as it bakes.
- Bake or boil sweet potatoes for pie: Many people agree that roasting sweet potatoes intensifies their natural sweetness and flavor. However, if you are short on time you can boil the sweet potatoes instead.
- Sugars: This recipe uses granulated white sugar in addition to light brown sugar. Some people prefer to use one or the other. We like adding brown sugar in addition to regular sugar for a deeper, molasses-like flavor. You can also use dark brown sugar.
- Dairy: We use condensed milk for a creamy pie texture. However, you can also use whole milk, evaporated milk, or half-and-half. The more fat in the dairy, you'll get a creamier texture and richer pie. We have not tried using full-fat canned coconut milk, but it may be an acceptable dairy-free alternative.
- Adjust to your taste: Sweet potatoes can vary in sweetness, so tasting the filling before baking is recommended. You may want to tweak the amount of sugar and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.) to your liking. Some people also like to add allspice or ground ginger for a subtle note of spice.
- Avoid overbaking: Sweet potato pie will firm up further as it cools, so don't cook it too long or else it will dry out.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 252mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 12532IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 1mg
