↑

Will Cook For Smiles

The Best of Homecooking

  • Home
    • About Me
    • Work With Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Subscribe!
  • Recipes
    • Popular Posts
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Healthy Dishes
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Sandwich
    • Cauliflower
    • Drink
    • Cocktail
  • How To
  • Instant Pot
    • Instant Pot Main Dishes
    • Instant Pot Side Dishes
    • Instant Pot Soups
  • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Seafood
    • Pork
    • Chili
    • Pasta
    • Slow Cooker
    • Vegetarian
  • Dessert
    • Cheesecake
    • Cake
    • Cookies
    • Chocolate
  • Holidays
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Super Bowl Recipes
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Mother’s Day
    • Father’s Day
    • BBQ
    • 4th Of July
    • Fall Recipes
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas Dinner
    • Christmas Baking
    • Holiday Leftover Recipes
    • New Year’s
Home » Dessert » Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

Created: November 1, 2021 Updated: November 10, 2022 by lyuba Leave a Comment

376 shares
Jump to Recipe

Rich, silky, and oh so smooth Sweet Potato Pie is made flavorful with a beautiful bouquet of warm spices. This Southern classic dessert is a true fall staple and should certainly be the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving spread. Tried and true, this timeless pie always hits the spot!

side view of a slice of sweet potato pie

Sweet Potato Pie

There are a few pie recipes that were around before any of us were born and will live on long after we’re gone. That’s the beauty of generational recipes like this one – they’re the real definition of the phrase “tried and true.” As much as I love new and exciting dessert recipes, there’s something so comforting about enjoying a classic slice of perfectly baked sweet potato pie!

There’s always been a debate between sweet potato and Pumpkin Pie. While they do have their similarities, they’re certainly not quite the same… And to be honest, I don’t know if I could pick my favorite between the two! If it’s up to me, I’ll have a slice of both, please. Both fall favorite pies are similar in color and even a bit similar in flavor, but sweet potato pie is decidedly lighter and not as dense as pumpkin pie.

I know that it’s much easier to swing by the grocery store and buy a pie from the bakery rather than make a homemade one. However, I can guarantee that none of those pies in their plastic containers will be as fresh, flavorful, or satisfying as this homemade sweet potato pie recipe! It’s got the most incredible light, yet silky smooth consistency, while being spiced with the most mouthwatering medley of cinnamon, nutmeg, and more.

Ingredients For Sweet Potato Pie

For the pie filling, you’ll need:

  • Sweet Potatoes – Use fresh sweet potatoes, never canned.
  • Brown Sugar – All out? That’s okay! Just combine one tbsp of molasses with one cup of white granulated sugar.
  • Eggs – I like to use free range organic eggs.
  • Heavy Whipping Cream – For the creamiest consistency, don’t substitute this with anything else.
  • Butter – Unsalted only! Salted butter will add way too much sodium.
  • Molasses – This adds flavor and helps with the consistency.
  • Bourbon – My not-so-secret ingredient. Don’t worry, it’s not too noticeable once the pie is baked. It just helps to create a more in-depth flavor profile.
  • Vanilla – Use real pure vanilla extract, not imitation.
  • Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and just a tiny pinch of salt will create the best warm, cozy spiced flavor ever.

Ingredients for Cinnamon Whipped Cream

  • Heavy Whipping Cream
  • Cinnamon
  • Sugar – Granulated, not powdered.

What Kind of Potatoes to Use

First things first – always use fresh sweet potatoes, not canned!

There are two ways to cook sweet potatoes for the pie – one is faster, and one is more delicious. If you want to use the faster way, you can boil peeled and chopped sweet potatoes, but I highly recommend baking them! You can bake them ahead of time too and store them in the refrigerator for a day or two, then prepare the pie when ready.

Making Sweet Potato Pie

How To Bake Sweet Potatoes:

three sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with holes poked through
sweet potatoes tightly covered in foil
baked sweet potatoes in foil

Preheat the oven to 400°. Wash and scrub sweet potatoes and pat them dry. Poke a few holes in each potato with a fork, on top and bottom.

Wrap each sweet potato tightly in some aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake sweet potatoes for 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. Baked sweet potatoes need to be completely fork tender.

How To Pre-Bake Pie Crust:

pie crust fitted into the pie dish
beans inside the pie dish over the pie crust
parbaked pie crust in a pie dish

Grease the pie dish so the crust doesn’t stick to it.

If you’re using homemade crust, follow the instructions for your recipe. For refrigerated dough, you’ll want to roll the crust to about 12 inches in diameter. This ensures that there is enough crust to fold over the top or crimp the edges.

Refrigerate the crust while sweet potatoes bake.

When sweet potatoes are done, bake the pie crust. Fit a sheet of parchment paper into the baking dish, and gently press it all over the bottom and sides of the crust. Then, spread an even layer of pie weights or dried beans across the inside surface.

Pre-Bake the crust at 400°F for 15 minutes. Take it out of the oven and carefully lift by the four edges of the parchment paper to take out the beans.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie

mashing sweet potatoes with a potato masher
pouring sweet potato pie filling into a pie shell

Time for the pie itself! Lower the oven temperature to 350°.

Make sure sweet potatoes have cooled enough for you to peel them, peel them and place in a mixing bowl. Mash thoroughly with a potato masher and add the remaining ingredients for the filling and whisk until smooth.

Pour the filling into the pre-baked pie crust.

unbaked sweet potato pie on the wood board
baked sweet potato pie on a baking sheet

Place the pie onto a baking sheet, and bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes. Allow it to cool completely on a wire rack and then refrigerate for 2-4 hours before serving.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

For the whipped cream, you’ll need to pour the cold heavy cream into a cold mixing bowl. Starting at low speed, start whisking, gradually raise to speed to high.

Slowly pour cinnamon and sugar. Beat until stiff peaks appear (don’t walk away far). Keep refrigerated, in an air-tight container, until ready to use.

top view of the whole sweet potato pie

Tips for the Best Sweet Potato Pie

  • Use homemade or pre-made pie crust. I am all about the filling, so I usually get pre-made pie crust and then roll it out into the pie baking dish. You can always opt for homemade though!
  • Pre-bake (or blind bake) the pie crust first. This will give you crispy, flaky, baked through crust.
  • Use fresh sweet potatoes, never canned.
  • Bake the sweet potatoes! This will give you naturally sweeter potatoes with silkier texture. Boiled sweet potatoes loose a lot of natural sweetness and take on more water.
  • Use heavy whipping cream, not evaporated milk. Evaporated milk was widely used during and after World War II due to heavy cream shortages. You will get much better results with heavy whipping cream!
  • Don’t over bake the pie! The pie should be still slightly jiggly in the middle when you pull it out and set it on the counter while cooling. If you over bake it, it will crack from the heat.

Storing and Freezing

Store the pie in the refrigerator and make sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap. You can also get a pie storage container, those are really nifty if you make pies often!

If you plan to freeze the pie after baking, make it in a pie aluminum baking pan. The bake time will be altered slightly (by just a few minutes less). Bake the pie and make sure to cool it completely. Wrap cooled pie airtight first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. You can even place it into a large zip-top freezer bag for more protection. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.

fork going through a slice of sweet potato pie

More Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes:

Chocolate Pecan Pie – a twist on the classic pecan pie but loaded with chocolate flavors and a hint of bourbon.

Easy Apple Cake – wonderfully soft, moist, and topped with scrumptious caramelized apples and a touch of flaky sea salt.

Apple Pie Mini Cheesecakes – every bite of these individual cheesecakes features creamy filling, sweet apple pie topping, and a drizzle of caramel.

Sweet Potato Cheesecake – it has the same wonderful flavors of sweet potato casserole but made into a velvety, sweet dessert.

fork going through a slice of sweet potato pie

Sweet Potato Pie

Rich, silky, and oh so smooth Sweet Potato Pie is made flavorful with a beautiful bouquet of warm spices and homemade cinnamon whipped cream. 
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pie, sweet potato pie
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 567kcal
Author: lyuba

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet of pie crust or homemade pie crust or a deep dish pastry shell

Sweet Potato Pie Filling

  • 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes 2-3 sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp molasses
  • 2 tbsp bourbon
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • pinch salt

Cinnamon Whipped Cream (optional):

  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp white granulated sugar
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Crust:

  • Grease the pie dish and place the pie crust over it. Gently fit the crust into the pie dish and crimp the edges as you wish.
  • Refrigerate the pie crust while sweet potatoes are baking. (Or for an hour if you baked sweet potatoes ahead of time.)

To Bake Sweet Potatoes:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°.
  • Pierce the sweet potatoes with a fork a couple of times and wrap each one tightly with aluminum foil.
  • Place wrapped potatoes into a baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes until completely tender. Exact time will depend on the thickness of sweet potatoes.
  • Take them out of the oven and let them cool until you can handle them.

Prebake the crust:

  • Keep the oven at 400° to prebake the pie crust.
  • Take the pie crust out of the refrigerator and line it with a sheet of parchment paper (or aluminum foil). You can cut off the long edges of the parchment paper (if using foil, make sure to gently cover and fold over the edges.)
  • Spread pie baking weights or a pound bag of dried beans over the parchment paper in the pie dish. Gently press to fit the beans or weights evenly throughout. (This will prevent the pie crust from raising and puffing up. Yes it is important!)
  • Bake pie crust for 15 minutes and take it out. Let it cool until you can handle it and then bring up all four corners of the parchment paper and gently lift it with the beans (or weights) out of the pie crust.

Prepare sweet potato Pie:

  • Lower the oven temperature to 350°.
  • Take the skin off the potatoes and place the peeled sweet potatoes into a mixing bowl.
  • In a bowl, use a potato masher to mash sweet potatoes until completely smooth.
  • Add in remaining ingredients and use a hand-held blender to blend the filling until smooth.
  • Pour the pie filling into the prepared pie crust and place the pie dish into the baking sheet.
  • To keep the pie crust from getting too dark, you can cut 3-4 strips of aluminum foil that are about 2-3 inches wide and gently wrap them around the edge of the pie dish, covering the crust.
    OR
    Half way though the baking, cover the pie dish loosely with a sheet of aluminum foil.
  • Bake sweet potato pie for 45-50 minutes, until the edges are done but it's still slightly higgle in the center.
  • Take out and let it cool completely on a wire rack! Once cooled, refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

For Whipped Cream:

  • Add the cold heavy whipping cream into the cold mixing bowl. Starting at low speed, start whisking, gradually raise to speed to high.
  • Slowly pour in cinnamon and sugar. Beat until stiff peaks appear (don't walk away far).
  • Keep air-tights in the refrigerator until ready to use. (Don't make more than a day ahead.)

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 567kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 191mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 13177IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles
collage of close up of sweet potato pie slice and title

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

376 shares

Filed Under: Dessert, Fall Recipes, Pie, Seasonal, Thanksgiving

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

Soup Recipes

spooning some beef soup from a bowl

Instant Pot Vegetable Beef Soup

closeup of Italian wedding soup topped with shaved Parmesan

Italian Wedding Soup

closeup image of crab soup in a bowl centered in a photo

She Crab Soup

Broccoli Cheese Soup

Chicken Meatball Soup

closeup of top view of Cioppino in a bowl

Cioppino – Seafood Stew

A bowl of white bean soup is presented with a spoon on a countertop.

White Bean Soup

vegetable broth in two canning jars next to fresh carrots, garlic, and celery

Vegetable Stock

Our Popular Recipes

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pork Rub

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Potato Pancakes

Shrimp Scampi

New York Cheesecake

Apple Walnut Broccoli Salad

Top Rated Recipes

The Best French Toast

Cauliflower Parmesan Crisps

Christmas Cheesecake (Cranberry Jam White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake)

Avocado Salmon Rice Bowl

round decorative bowl filled with apple pie bread pudding topped with ice cream and a fork leaning on the side of the bowl viewed close up.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

Smores cheesecake on a wooden table

S'Mores Cheesecake Recipe

Sides

30 Min

Pasta

Salads

Breakfast

Drinks

Soups

Gluten Free

FEATURED ON:

featured on

[cp_popup display="inline" style_id="32674" step_id = "1"][/cp_popup]
Buffalo Chicken Wrap with Homemade Ranch

Buffalo Chicken Wrap with Homemade Ranch

January 30, 2023
Delicious,...
The Best Classic Tiramisu

The Best Classic Tiramisu

January 14, 2023
Tiramisu...
Baked Ham with Orange Honey Ham Glaze

Baked Ham with Orange Honey Ham Glaze

December 2, 2022
This...
Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata

August 11, 2022
Chicken...
Pad See Ew

Pad See Ew

August 10, 2022
Pad...
Chicken Meatballs

Chicken Meatballs

July 15, 2022
These...
Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush

July 1, 2022
Baba...
Painkiller

Painkiller

June 30, 2022
A...
Truffle Fries

Truffle Fries

June 28, 2022
Truffle...
Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

June 21, 2022
Thai...
Privacy Policy
©2023, Will Cook For Smiles. Design by Pixel Me Designs