Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (2024)

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Think a sweet potato pie is the same as pumpkin, so why bother trying it? Think again! This Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe is a Southern Favorite and staple at holiday supper tables all over the South with good reason.

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Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (1)

Tips for How to make this traditional sweet potato pie recipe

So, you're looking to rival Patti LaBelle's sweet potato pie? Check out these tips and tricks to make sure you're making the best version of this pie you can:

  • use fresh sweet potatoes if you can. They'll give you the best flavor with a lovely natural sweetness
  • Don't omit the flour! For some reason people always want to ... just don't!
  • Bake the pie in a pie dish sitting on a cookie sheet to help it bake more evenly.
  • If your crust starts to brown, tent it with foil until the rest of the pie catches up

What's the difference between sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie?

They're both orange. They both have crust. They both are comfort-food-ily delicious. But a sweet potato pie has a different texture than a pumpkin pie. Traditional pumpkin pie is closer to a custard - a little softer and creamier. Traditional sweet potato pie is a stiffer pie with a more firm, drier texture and generally less spiced than a pumpkin pie.

Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (2)

What is in sweet potato pie filling?

Ahhhh but what is in that pie filling?

  • sweet potatoes
  • flour ( this is the magic ingredient to give the pie a slightly drier texture - in a good way )
  • brown sugar
  • butter
  • eggs
  • lemon ( brings out the flavor of the sweet potato without adding a lemony flavor )
  • half and half ( really any full fat dairy will work! )
  • spices
  • vanilla or bourbon
Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (3)

Can I use canned sweet potatoes or yams?

Look, it's not my preference. BUT - I know things at the grocery store can get weird these days and sometimes it's hard to find exactly what you are looking for. Plus, I'm a big believer in flexibility and making do.

So can you use canned sweet potatoes or yams? YES. It won't be quite as delicious, but it will still be good! Just make sure you are draining them well and aren't using the kind that have already been sweetened. Or if you are using that kind, adjust the sugar down or leave it out entirely in the recipe.

Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (4)

What's the easiest way to make a sweet potato?

I have an entire post about this here: How to Microwave a Sweet Potato. TL;DR is that microwaving is the easiest and BEST way to cook a sweet potato for sweet potato pie. Boiling adds water and baking is really good but takes FOREVER.

Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (5)

If you like this Popular Southern Recipe, You Might Also Like:

  • Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Sweet Potato Marshmallow Appetizer Bites
Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (6)

Sweet Potato Pie

A classic Sweet Potato Pie recipe, with a very mildly sweet Bourbon Whipped Cream topping.

4.58 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Southern American

Keyword: sweet potato

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Servings: 8 people

Author: Marianne

Ingredients

  • 1 deep-dish pie crust
  • 8 Tablespoons butter softened ( 1 stick / ½ cup butter )
  • 2 cups cooked peeled, mashed sweet potato ( about 1 lb sweet potatoes )
  • 1 Tablespoon flour
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup half and half can sub whole milk, heavy cream, or evaporated milk if necessary
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract OR bourbon
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

For the bourbon whipped cream and topping:

  • 6 ounces heavy cream
  • 1 Tablespoon bourbon
  • 1 Tablespoon white granulated sugar or powdered sugar
  • ¼ cup toasted walnuts optional

Instructions

  • Cream together butter, sweet potato, and flour in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the remaining pie ingredients ( cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, half and half, and extract).

  • Pour into unbaked 9" deep-dish pie crust. Bake on a sheet pan at 350 for 1 hour 15 min.

  • Using a hand mixer, beat the heavy cream, bourbon, and sugar together until it starts to stiffen. Pile on top of the cooled sweet potato pie, and crumble walnuts on top.

Tried this recipe?Mention @basilandbubbly or tag #basilandbubbly!

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Comments

  1. Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (7)Romona Flowers says

    Hello: I am writing to you because I tried your recipe and noticed that you left the "lemon juice" out of the instructions. Is this an error, or should I assume that this ingredient goes into the mixture with the rest of the ingredients? If so, could you please redo the instructions and update it to include the "lemon juice"? It also does taste good without it, because I forgot to include it.

    Reply

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Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my sweet potato pie not firm? ›

There could be a few reasons why your sweet potato pie isn't firm: you may have overcooked it, the filling may not be thick enough, or you may have used too much liquid. If your recipe doesn't call for eggs, try adding two eggs to the filling mixture to see if that helps thicken it up.

What tastes good in a sweet potato? ›

For a topping, stick to butter, Greek yogurt, or sour cream, or try adding a dollop of cilantro lime dressing, tzatziki, chipotle sauce, pesto, guacamole, or a drizzle of tahini sauce. If you have leftover baked sweet potatoes, save the soft flesh for another recipe.

What is pie filling made of? ›

Fruit, sugar, cornstarch, acid, extras. These are the only things you need to remember to turn out a perfect pie filling.

Why did my sweet potato pie turn green? ›

AVA said that sweet potatoes contain flavonoids (a type of anti-oxidant), and water-soluble pigments which may cause colour changes. "The greenish colour can be due to a natural occurrence, when the water soluble pigments in the cooked sweet potatoes are exposed to air," AVA said.

How do you thicken a sweet pie filling? ›

When thickening a fruit pie filling, there are several options to consider. Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency.

Who makes sweet potato pies for Walmart? ›

She leads a team of professionals to bring quality bakery products to over 4,500 store locations. A notable accomplishment is that Kinna is the person responsible for creating the Patti Labelle Sweet Potato Pie.

What is sweeter pumpkin pie or sweet potato pie? ›

Both sweet potato and pumpkin pies are American staples with a starchy custardlike filling. Pumpkin pie tends to be more heavy on spice, while sweet potato pie is typically sweeter and lighter. But the reasons why people choose one over the other often trace back to where they were raised and their race.

Why do pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie taste the same? ›

If you were to take a bite of both sweet potato and pumpkin pies, you'll notice that there are more similarities than differences. They're both made with eggs, vanilla, and milk (either whole or condensed), and they're both seasoned with warm spices including cinnamon and nutmeg.

Why do you soak sweet potatoes before baking? ›

The cold water bath helps rinse the starch off the sweet potatoes so they're a bit more crispy. That said, if you do not have the time, you can still get crispy baked sweet potato fries by using high heat and a little drizzle of olive oil.

Can I eat sweet potatoes every day? ›

If you enjoy sweet potatoes, you can absolutely enjoy them daily. However, eating multiple sweet potatoes every day could cause a harmless condition called carotenodermia, where your skin turns yellow-orange. You may also want to be cautious about your sweet potato intake if you have a history of kidney stones.

What happens if you don't soak sweet potatoes? ›

However, when it comes to using soaking as a means to prevent oxidation, it's unnecessary to soak sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes can be diced or peeled, and stored in the refrigerator for several days without changing color. White and yellow potatoes, on the other hand, will oxidize much easier.

What does a sweet potato consist of? ›

Sweet potatoes are mainly composed of carbs. Most of the carbs come from starch, followed by fiber. This root vegetable is also relatively low in protein but still an important protein source in many developing countries.

What is most pumpkin pie filling made of? ›

Store-bought pumpkin pie mix (sometimes labeled "pumpkin pie filling") is a shortcut for making homemade pumpkin pie. It contains puréed pumpkin plus added spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. It also contains sugar and other chemical additives.

What are the parts of a sweet potato? ›

Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable. The young shoots and leaves are sometimes eaten as greens. Cultivars of the sweet potato have been bred to bear tubers with flesh and skin of various colors.

What's the difference between sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole? ›

The difference is that sweet potato casserole can either have a toasted marshmallow top or a crunchy brown sugar/nut top and is made with brown sugar in the casserole. Sweet potato pie is made with white sugar, has nothing on top, but can be served with whipped topping.

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