Homemade Sweet Potato Pie
Grandma’s old fashioned Sweet Potato Pie is your new favorite Thanksgiving dessert! A smooth, creamy blend of roasted sweet potatoes, evaporated milk and warm spices fill a flaky homemade crust, all baked to golden perfection. This is a classic recipe to make during the holidays, and this version is absolutely incredible! Top with whipped cream for the ultimate sweet treat!
This sweet potato pie turned out absolutely perfect! It was full of flavor and had a great consistency. I’ll definitely be making this every Thanksgiving holiday!
— Sarah
When Thanksgiving rolls around, there’s a couple of classic desserts that must be on the menu! I always serve my pumpkin dessert squares, pumpkin cupcakes, and irresistible sweet potato pies. Believe it or not, I actually prefer it to a traditional pumpkin pie!
Put this and a pumpkin pie head-to-head in a taste test and this sweet potato pie comes out the winner every time! It’s lusciously creamy, perfectly sweet and full of warm, cozy spices. This treat is sure to impress and earn you rave reviews from family and friends!
Why we love this recipe
- So easy! This simple recipe uses 9 basic ingredients, plus spices and is very quick to whip up.
- The textures are so luxurious. You will adore the creamy filling paired with the soft, flaky bite of the crust.
- Perfect for Thanksgiving. With warm spices and sweet potato puree, it’s the epitome of Fall flavors. This one will be the crowd favorite!
- Make ahead. Prepare this in advance and free up precious oven and counter space on Thanksgiving! Make the pie up to one day before serving and store, covered, in the refrigerator.
Ingredients needed
This sweet potato pie recipe includes some secret ingredients that really make it special! Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Sweet potatoes. This recipe uses almost 2 cups mashed sweet potato (2 medium sweet potatoes). If you decided to use canned sweet potato, use that same amount and be sure to drain any liquid from the can.
- Butter. Use unsalted butter, so you control the salt
- Brown sugar. You can use light or dark, but we typically use dark because it has an extra rich flavor.
- Evaporated milk. Adds more of a creamy consistency than regular whole milk.
- Eggs. You’ll need 2 eggs to give the filling the perfect texture.
- Flour. A small amount of flour acts as a thickening agent in the filling.
- Vanilla. One teaspoon vanilla extract is a must for a boost of flavor!
- Lemon extract. Sounds a little strange for a fall-flavored pie, but a small amount actually enhances the flavors of the sweet potato.
- Spices. The perfect blend of warm spices give this pie that cozy, fall flavor. We use cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.
- Salt. Really brings out the sweet potato flavor!
Foolproof oil pie crust recipe
For this pie recipe, use any favorite pie dough recipe or store-bought pie dough. We love an oil pie crust that comes from a VERY old Pillsbury cookbook. It’s the pie crust my grandma most often used and now my mom uses. It’s made with oil, instead of butter or shortening, yet it is the flakiest pie crust ever. My husband actually mentioned that he liked it better than most pie crusts because it is soft and flaky, not as hard as a normal pie crust. It is so tender that it almost just melts in your mouth when you eat it.
My favorite thing about using an all-oil pie crust is how super simple it is to make. It’s only 5 ingredients, you don’t need a food processor or pastry cutter, and there is no chilling required. You just mix the ingredients and pat the dough into the pie plate. In less than 5 minutes, it’s ready to be filled and baked.
How to make this recipe
Sweet potato pie is made very similarly to a pumpkin pie and is one of the easiest pie recipes! Here’s the simple method:
For full, printable recipe, see the recipe card.
- Roast sweet potatoes. Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake them for about an hour at 400ºF. Once they’re cooked and cooled enough to handle, the peel comes off very easily.
- Make the crust. While the sweet potatoes are roasting, you can prepare the very simple homemade crust recipe. You do NOT need to par-bake the crust before adding the filling.
- Combine filling ingredients. Use an electric mixer (hand or stand mixer) to beat together all filling ingredients until smooth. Pour and spread the sweet potato pie filling into the unbaked pie crust in a pie pan.
- Bake. Place in the oven and bake for about one hour and until a knife comes out clean. Allow the pie to cool at least one to two hours on wire rack before serving.
Expert tips
Even though this dessert recipe is very straightforward, here are a few tips, so it’s perfect every time you make it.
- Use baked sweet potatoes instead of boiled sweet potatoes for a richer, more concentrated flavor.
- Evaporated milk has a slightly caramelized flavor that is much preferred to using regular milk or heavy cream.
- Cover crust edges with a pie crust shield or with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Check the baking pie after 30 minutes in the oven to ensure the crust is not getting too brown, and if it is, cover it.
- If you prefer a cold sweet potato pie (I do!), allow the pie to cool completely and store (covered) in the fridge for about 2-4 hours or overnight. The flavors are even better the next day!
- Frozen pie shell or another favorite homemade pie crust may be used instead of the one listed in this recipe.
Frequently asked questions
Sweet potato pie should have a creamy texture like other custard pies. The ratio of ingredients will definitely affect the creaminess. It’s also important not to over or under-bake it. If it cooks too long, it can become overly dense; if you under-bake it, it will never set up to slice.
While the two pies are definitely similar and also use many of the same ingredients, the texture is slightly different. Pumpkin pie has a more custard-like texture and sweet potato pie is denser. In my opinion, sweet potato pie has more depth and is a little more hearty than pumpkin pie. They’re both totally delicious!
Traditional sweet potato pie has a custard filling made with eggs to bind the ingredients together.
You can serve sweet potato pie at room temperature or chilled. It is up to you and your preferences. We love it chilled and it tastes so good with a dollop of whipped cream on top.
Variations
Sweet potato pie is a classic pie recipe, but there are plenty of toppings you can add to your pie to customize it to your tastes. Here’s some options:
- Cool whip or whipped cream. My favorite! This is the most widely used topping. You can use freshly whipped cream, the aerosol can version, or even thawed whipped topping.
- Caramel sauce. Drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of caramel sauce over each slice.
- Marshmallow whipped cream. Marshmallow pairs perfectly with sweet potato! Mix equal parts marshmallow fluff with whipped cream, start with 1 cup, each.
- Ice cream. Not a traditional sweet potato pie topping, but SO delicious!
- Nuts. Add a sprinkle of chopped candied pecans or walnuts on top before serving.
Storing & freezing recommendations
Once your pie is completely cooled, cover it or place slices into airtight containers and store it in the fridge for up to about 3-4 days. Enjoy straight from the fridge!
You can freeze this before or after cooking it!
- To freeze before baking. Make according to recipe instructions, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before baking it.
- To freeze after baking. Bake as directed, cool completely, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Place in a freezer-safe zip-top bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to completely unfreeze before serving.
More Thanksgiving desserts
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
Homemade Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 2 tablespoons milk
For the pie filling:
- 1 lb sweet potatoes, (about 2 medium)*
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I typically use dark)
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk from a can**
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- optional: whipped cream or Cool Whip for topping
Instructions
- Wrap sweet potatoes in foil and bake for about 65 minutes at 400ºF. Alternatively, you can boil potatoes in skin for 40 to 50 minutes. Once cooked, allow potatoes to cool until you can easily handle them. Run the potatoes under very cold water. The skin should peel off easily.
- I like to make the crust while the sweet potatoes are cookng. For the crust, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add oil and milk; mix well and pat in 9-inch pie dish, fluting edges if desired. Or use a store-bought pie crust.
- Transfer sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl. Add butter, sugar, milk, eggs, flour, vanilla, lemon extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger and salt. Using an electric hand or stand mixer, beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour and spread filling into an unbaked pie crust.
- Bake at 350ºF for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out mostly clean. Pie will puff up like a soufflé, and then will sink down as it cools. After 30 minutes of cooking, you can place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from over-browning. If using the pie crust in this recipe, you shouldn't need to.
- Allow pie to cool on a cooling rack for at least 1 hour at room temperature before serving. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you prefer a chilled pie, allow pie to cool completely and store (covered) in the fridge for about 2-4 hours or overnight. The flavors are even better the next day!
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
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Very good pie. I had to use milk since I opened concentrated milk and did like the color. Is it supposed to be yellowish?
Glad you enjoyed! Evaporated milk should look creamy white, whereas condensed milk looks yellow. Maybe you bought condensed milk by mistake?
This pie turned out absolutely perfect! It was full of flavor and had a great consistency. I’ll definitely be making this every Thanksgiving holiday!
The whole family thoroughly enjoyed this pie! It was devoured in one sitting!