Velvet Sweet Potato Dream Pie

Sweet Potato Pie is a rich, creamy custard pie crafted from cooked and mashed sweet potatoes. The velvety sweet potato puree is lovingly combined with a medley of sugars, luscious heavy cream, and aromatic warm spices before being baked to perfection in a single, flaky pie crust. Its texture and comforting spice profile are remarkably similar to its pumpkin cousin, yet it offers a distinct, earthy sweetness that sets it apart as a true Southern delicacy.

Absolutely! While a store-bought refrigerated pie crust offers convenience, making your own pie crust from scratch can add an extra layer of homemade goodness and flavor. If you prefer to bake with a homemade crust, feel free to use your favorite recipe. We even have a fantastic single pie crust recipe on our site, affectionately known as our Wham Bam Pie Crust, perfect for this pie.

We strongly advise against using canned yams for this particular sweet potato pie recipe. Canned yams, even when thoroughly drained, tend to retain excessive moisture, which can significantly alter the consistency of the pie filling. For the ideal texture and proper setting of your pie, fresh sweet potatoes are indispensable. They provide the perfect balance of moisture and starch crucial for achieving that wonderfully smooth and firm custard.

For this recipe, we highly recommend microwaving your sweet potatoes. It’s by far the quickest, cleanest, and most hassle-free method. Simply pierce the sweet potatoes a few times, then microwave them until they are tender. Alternatively, you can bake them in the oven until soft or boil them. If boiling, peel and cut the potatoes into chunks before simmering in water until fork-tender. Whichever method you choose, ensure they are thoroughly cooked and soft for easy mashing.

While technically possible, we encourage you to use the specific spice blend detailed in our recipe below. This recipe has undergone extensive testing to perfect the balance of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, creating a unique warmth that enhances the sweet potato flavor beautifully. Many store-bought pumpkin pie spice blends can be overly heavy on the ginger, which might overpower the delicate nuances of this pie. If you must use a pre-made blend, consider a homemade version where you can customize the proportions to your liking, ensuring a perfect spice harmony.

The best way to determine if your sweet potato pie is done is when its internal temperature reaches 175°F (around 80°C). Another reliable indicator is when the top of the pie appears set and no longer looks liquid. There should be only a slight, gentle jiggle in the very center when you carefully move the pie, but not a sloshing liquid motion. Remove it from the oven at this point, as it will continue to set and firm up as it cools to room temperature.

Yes, sweet potato pie freezes wonderfully! To do so, allow the pie to cool completely to room temperature after baking. Then, carefully wrap the entire pie in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. For extra protection against freezer burn, you can place it in a large freezer-safe bag. It will maintain its quality in the freezer for up to two months. To defrost, simply transfer the frozen pie to your refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.

Yes, sweet potato pie is a custard-based pie, meaning its filling is made with eggs and cream. These ingredients necessitate refrigeration to ensure food safety and maintain freshness. Once the pie has cooled completely after baking, cover it loosely with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. It will remain fresh and delicious for 2-3 days.

Sweet Potato Pie (with Video)

Looking for an alternative to pumpkin pie this holiday season? This Sweet Potato Pie is a super easy, tasty, must-have dessert that will have folks coming back for seconds!

This recipe is highly rated by 24 reviewers with an average of 5 out of 5 stars.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet potatoes (approximately 2 large or 3 medium-sized)
• ½ cup salted butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare the sweet potatoes by poking holes all over them and placing them on a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 5 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through for even cooking.
2. Check the potatoes for doneness by inserting a knife. If there’s no resistance, they are ready. If not, continue microwaving in 30-second intervals until fully soft.
3. Allow the cooked sweet potatoes to cool to room temperature. Once cool, remove the peels (they should slide off easily) and place the potatoes in a large bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to whip them until smooth.
4. Add the room-temperature butter to the whipped sweet potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Next, add both the light brown sugar and granulated sugar. Mix until the mixture is smooth and the sugars are fully incorporated.
6. Crack in the eggs and continue mixing until the eggs are smoothly blended into the sweet potato mixture.
7. Finally, add the heavy cream, all-purpose flour, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Mix until the filling is completely smooth and all ingredients are combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is incorporated.
8. Carefully place the refrigerated pie crust into a deep 9-inch pie plate. Crimp or flute the edges decoratively.
9. Pour the prepared sweet potato filling into the pie crust and gently smooth out the top with a spatula. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the pie is set. A slight jiggle in the center is normal. The pie is done when a butter knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, or when the internal temperature reaches 175°F (80°C).
10. Let the pie cool completely to room temperature before slicing and serving. For a firmer custard, you may chill it in the refrigerator prior to serving.

Video

Notes

• You can prepare your sweet potatoes using any method you prefer (baking or boiling), but microwaving is generally the quickest and easiest way.
• Please note that our pie dish is slightly deeper than a standard pie dish. If you are using a shallower dish, you might have a small amount of leftover filling. This can be used to make a few “personal” mini pies in a muffin tin with any extra pie crust.
• Feel free to make your own homemade pie crust for an added personal touch.
• This pie can be frozen; refer to the FAQ section above for detailed freezing and defrosting instructions.
• While heavy cream is highly recommended for the richest flavor and creamiest texture, milk or evaporated milk can be substituted if absolutely necessary. However, for the best results, stick with heavy cream.
• One pound of sweet potatoes typically yields about 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes. It’s helpful to weigh your sweet potatoes in the produce section to ensure you have enough.

Nutrition

Nutritional Disclaimer

“The Country Cook” is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information provided here is an estimate. If precise calorie counts and other nutritional values are important to your dietary needs, we recommend inputting the ingredients into your preferred online nutritional calculator. Nutritional values can vary considerably depending on the specific brands of ingredients used.