If you’re a fan of fall flavors, this sweet potato pie recipe will be your new favorite! Incredibly creamy and infused with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, all wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust. This decadent pie is perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday gatherings, or any time you want to indulge in the season’s best flavors!
As summer winds down and the days grow shorter, it’s time to embrace cozy sweaters, warm beverages, and comforting autumn recipes. One of the season’s highlights is baking—and there’s nothing better than the sweet aromas of pies and spices filling your kitchen.
My sweet potato pie is a staple for our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners and everyone loves it!
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Sweet potato pie is similar to pumpkin pie but with a richer, sweet potato flavor. If you love sweet potatoes, this pie will be your new favorite. It’s a simple recipe that uses pantry staples, and the result is a flavorful, smooth pie that’s perfect for any festive occasion.
Sweet Potato Pie Recipe Ingredients
Spices: A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cardamom (or use pumpkin spice) brings warmth to the pie.
Sweet Potatoes: The star of the show! Boil fresh sweet potatoes until tender, then puree them for a smooth filling.
Unsalted Butter: Adds richness to the pie. Ensure it’s soft or slightly melted for the best results.
Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness to the filling.
Dark Brown Sugar: Deepens the flavor with a touch of molasses.
Eggs: They provide structure and help stabilize the filling.
Milk: Use whole or 2% milk for a creamy texture.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor.
Bourbon: Optional, but adds depth and richness.
Tips for Making the Best Sweet Potato Pie
Always use fresh, organic ingredients when possible for the best flavor.
A 10.5-inch pie dish works well for this recipe—be sure your crust fits a deep dish pan.
Make sure your butter is super soft, or even melted and cooled slightly, to avoid butter clumps.
Puree the sweet potatoes until they’re as smooth as canned pumpkin for the best consistency.
Let the pie cool to room temperature before serving.
If the pie crust edges brown too quickly during baking, cover them with tin foil.
Topping Ideas for Sweet Potato Pie
Elevate your sweet potato pie with these tasty toppings:
- Whipped cream (piped on for a decorative touch)
- Caramelized pecans or walnuts
- Cinnamon streusel
- Marshmallow fluff
- Maple whipped cream
- Pecan streusel
- Almond crumble
Storing Sweet Potato Pie
Since sweet potato pie contains eggs and milk, it’s important to store it in the fridge. Allow the pie to cool completely (this can take up to 3 hours), then cover it with foil and refrigerate. It will keep for up to three days.
Freezing Sweet Potato Pie
For longer storage, freeze your sweet potato pie. After it cools, wrap it in several layers of plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to one month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight when ready to serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it better to boil or bake sweet potatoes for pie?
Both methods work; boiling is more accessible and doesn’t impact flavor much. Baking is good, too, but you will need to scrape the inside of the potato out.
Why is my sweet potato pie runny?
The filling might have too much liquid or need more time to bake. If it looks too watery before baking, add a small amount of flour. If it’s runny while baking, leave it in the oven until the center sets.
Should sweet potato pie be refrigerated?
Yes, due to its milk and egg content, sweet potato pie should always be stored in the refrigerator.
Can I use canned sweet potatoes?
While canned sweet potatoes might save time, fresh ones provide the best flavor and texture for this recipe.
More Recipes You’ll Love
I’ve curated the best sweet potato pie recipe for your next holiday meal or when you are hankering for something sweet.
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Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Pie Filling
- 1 3/4 cup pureed sweet potatoes
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, cooled
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup milk, whole or 2%
- 1 tbsp bourbon
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare 1 pie crust and save a little to make cutouts to deocrate the pie.
- Peel and cube the sweet potatoes.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then add in the sweet potatoes and boil for about 15 minutes until soft. You’ll be able to stick a fork all the way through.
- Then strain, saving 1 tbsp water to puree them with.
- Add the sweet potatoes into a blender with 1 tbsp of the water they were boiled.
- Blend until they are perfectly pureed, similar to a can of pureed pumpkin.
- In an electric mixer, combine the sweet potatoes, soft butter, both sugars and eggs and blend.
- Add in the milk, bourbon, vanilla, spices and salt and blend.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and continue mixing.
- Pour into a prepared pie crust and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 50 minutes until the center of the pie does not wiggle.
- Let the pie cool for 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
- I used a ceramic 10 1/2″ diam., 2 1/2″ high pie dish for this recipe. You can buy it here.
- Make sure the butter is super soft. You can melt it and let it cool before adding it to the pie. If it’s not, it will leave tiny little flakes of butter throughout the pie. This is OKAY for flavor but looks better without butter flakes.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature before serving.
- Puree the potatoes to the same consistency as canned pumpkin.
- Save some dough to make pie cutouts to decorate once it’s cooled. Bake the cutouts separately on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- When boiled, sweet potatoes take about 15-20 minutes to cook. Poke them with a fork to see if they’re tender. They’ll take less time to cook if you chop them into smaller pieces.
- When you’re learning how to make sweet potato pie, it’s important to note that the pie will be done when the center is set. You can insert a knife into the center, and if it comes back clean, your pie is done. The center also won’t jiggle if it’s cooked all through.
If I use homemade bourbon vanilla do I just use 2 T instead of 1 T of bourbon and 1 T vanilla?
Hi Lorraine! You can definitely do that!
Sweet Potato Pie is far superior to pumpkin pie, in my opinion. I think nutmeg has a really strong flavor, so I cut the amount in half and it was perfect.
I love the addition of the small leaves for toppings. My family is going to devour this and I’m so excited to make this for our Thanksgiving dinner too! Beyond excited to try this!
Heavenly!! It just melts in your mouth!! This is on our holiday menu!