Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Learn how to make the best homemade Sweet Potato Pie with this easy baking recipe! Featuring real roasted sweet potatoes, warm spices, and a buttery homemade crust. The perfect balance of silky smooth texture with rich, caramelized flavor that outshines regular pumpkin pie every time.

Difficulty:

Intermediate

Prep Time:

45 mins

Cook Time:

1 hour 15 mins

Serves:

1 pie (8 slices)

Ingredients

<ul class="ingredients-main-list"><li class="ingredients-single-item">500g sweet potatoes (about 2 medium)</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">175g all-purpose flour</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">115g cold unsalted butter, cubed</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1/2 tsp salt</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">45ml ice-cold water</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">200g granulated sugar</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">120ml evaporated milk</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">60ml heavy cream</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 large eggs, room temperature</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">2 tsp vanilla extract</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1/2 tsp ground nutmeg</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1/4 tsp ground ginger</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1/4 tsp ground cloves</li><li class="ingredients-single-item">1/4 tsp salt</li></ul>

Equipment

<ul class="equipment-main-list"><li class="equipment-single-item">23cm (9-inch) pie dish</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Food processor (optional for crust)</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Electric mixer</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Baking sheet</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Aluminium foil</li><li class="equipment-single-item">Pie weights or dried beans</li></ul>

Directions

<ol class="no-list-style"><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 1</h4>Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, then pierce them several times with a fork. Place them on a baking sheet lined with foil and roast for 45-60 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Roasting (rather than boiling) concentrates the sweet potato flavor and reduces moisture for a more intense filling.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 2</h4>While the potatoes roast, prepare your pie crust. In a large bowl or food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and pulse or use your fingertips to work it in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining. The cold butter creates steam pockets during baking, resulting in flaky layers.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 3</h4>Gradually add the ice-cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. It should be slightly crumbly but hold together when pinched. Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This resting period allows the gluten to relax and prevents shrinkage during baking.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 4</h4>Once the sweet potatoes are fully roasted and cool enough to handle, peel away the skins and place the flesh in a large mixing bowl. You should have about 400g of sweet potato flesh. Mash thoroughly until completely smooth, ensuring no lumps remain for a silky-textured filling.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 5</h4>To the mashed sweet potatoes, add the sugar, evaporated milk, heavy cream, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and all the spices. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture is completely smooth and well incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. The combination of evaporated milk and cream creates a perfect balance of richness and stability.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 6</h4>Roll out your chilled pie dough on a lightly floured surface to a 30cm (12-inch) circle about 3mm (1/8 inch) thick. Carefully transfer to your pie dish, gently pressing into the bottom and sides without stretching the dough. Trim the excess, leaving a 2.5cm (1-inch) overhang, then fold under and crimp decoratively.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 7</h4>Reduce oven temperature to 180°C (350°F). Line your pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Blind bake for 12-15 minutes, then remove the weights and parchment and bake for another 5 minutes until the bottom is just beginning to set but not brown. This pre-baking ensures your crust won't become soggy from the wet filling.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 8</h4>Pour the sweet potato filling into the par-baked crust and smooth the top with a spatula. If the crust edges are browning too quickly, cover them with strips of aluminum foil. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the center is almost set but still has a slight jiggle in the very middle (similar to how you'd test a cheesecake). The filling will continue to set as it cools.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 9</h4>Allow the pie to cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This cooling period is crucial for the filling to fully set. For the best texture and flavor, refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, then bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. The pie's flavors will deepen and meld beautifully during this resting time.</li><li class="MethodStepper"><h4 class="step-title">Step 10</h4>Serve slices with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The cool creaminess provides the perfect contrast to the warm spices in your perfectly executed sweet potato pie. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.</li></ol>

FAQs

Find answers to your most pressing questions about this delicious recipe right here.

What ingredients are used in Sweet Potato Pie Recipe?

The key ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie include roasted sweet potatoes, all-purpose flour, butter, evaporated milk, heavy cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, all baked in a homemade buttery pie crust.

How to cook Sweet Potato Pie Recipe at home?

Learn how to cook Sweet Potato Pie by first roasting sweet potatoes until tender and making a buttery pie crust. Blend the sweet potato flesh with sugar, evaporated milk, cream, eggs, butter, vanilla and spices until silky smooth. Pour into a par-baked crust and bake until just set with a slight wobble in the centre. Cool completely before serving for the perfect texture.

Why is roasting sweet potatoes better than boiling them for pie filling?

Roasting sweet potatoes concentrates their flavour by caramelising their natural sugars and reducing moisture, resulting in a more intense, richer filling. Boiling can make them waterlogged, diluting the flavour and potentially creating a soggy pie filling that lacks the deep, caramelised notes.

What's the secret to a perfectly flaky pie crust that doesn't get soggy?

The secret is using very cold butter cut into the flour, minimal handling, proper resting time, and blind baking. Blind baking the crust for 15-20 minutes before adding the filling creates a barrier that prevents sogginess. Always chill your dough between steps to maintain those butter pockets that create flakiness.

Can I make this Southern dessert ahead of time for holiday gatherings?

Absolutely! This pie actually improves with time as the flavours meld together. You can make it 1-2 days before your gathering and store it in the refrigerator. For the best flavour and texture, remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before serving to take the chill off.

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