This old-fashioned sweet potato pie recipe will remind you of the one grandma used to make! A fantastic generational recipe, this Southern Sweet Potato pie deserves a place on the dessert table.
Of course, It might be tempting this year to buy a frozen sweet potato pie like Patti LaBelle’s version, but the season won’t feel right without a simple homemade Southern sweet potato pie.
A classic dessert for Christmas, you won’t believe how easy it is to make your from-scratch sweet potato pie masterpiece that you (and your taste buds) are proud of.
Why you will love an Easy Sweet Potato Recipe!
Sweet potatoes are a southern staple and eaten more often during the latter half of the year – during Thanksgiving and Christmas as side dishes.
There are about a thousand ways to enjoy the sweet potato, although my favorite way is most definitely in a pie like this recipe or a traditional sweet potato casserole with marshmallows.
While prepping for Southern Sweet Potato pie and purchasing a bag of sweet potatoes, you may have extras.
If so, try them out in a crock pot sweet potato casserole, candied sweet potatoes, or simple savory roasted sweet potatoes and onions.
Additionally, baking sweet potatoes or eating sweet potatoes Hasselback style is a great way to enjoy the last of the bag.
Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
This sweet potato baked pie is a Southern classic and often everyone’s favorite pie.
Mashed sweet potatoes, all baked with sweet sugar and butter, help bring a rich life of their own, and once this simple pie is prepped, it is topped with candied pecans, and a generous helping of whipped cream pulls it all together.
Most often enjoyed in Thanksgiving and fall months, just like a traditional pumpkin pie, the hearty sweet potato fills a significant part of the holiday table every winter season and special occasion.
Simple Ingredients
- refrigerated unbaked store-bought pie crust
- sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
- unsalted butter softened
- white granulated sugar
- evaporated milk
- eggs
- all purpose flour
- Flavor – ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, and vanilla extract.
- Whipped topping for serving
TIPS: Please see the bottom for a brown sugar substitute. This is the pie plate (9-inch pie dish).
How to make Southern Sweet Potato Pie
Preheat oven to 350 and place the pie crust into the pie plate. Flute the pie crust edges.
Note: If you have a favorite pie crust recipe, you are welcome to make homemade pie crust over a refrigerated pie crust – I just like the ease of using the ones already done from the store.
- You don’t need the pie crust to go over the edges since there’s no crusted top to worry about, like apple pie. The crust should fit in the pie plate, and you can flute the edges. Set flaky pie crust aside.
- In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together mashed sweet potatoes and butter.
- Add sugar and beat well.
- Add milk, eggs, and vanilla.
- Beat flour and all spices into the sweet potato filling.
- Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared pie dough crust and place the unbaked pie in the preheated oven. Bake in a hot oven for approximately 50-55 minutes.
- Edges should be cooked, and the center will be slightly jiggly as it continues to set after the pie is pulled from the oven.
- Remove from oven and cool completely before serving with whipped topping and a side of vanilla ice cream. Makes eight sweet potato pie slices.
How many sweet potatoes do you need for 2 cups smashed?
For this family recipe, you need 3-4 sweet potatoes to get 2 cups of mashed. Soften them in a pressure cooker like an instant pot or oven. Bake the potatoes.
Whatever method you use to soften your sweet potatoes is acceptable for this family favorite sweet potato pie, but traditionally baking them first provides the best potato flavor if you have time. Boiling is not recommended.
This is how I prep sweet potatoes in the Ninja Foodi.
Classic Sweet Potato Pie Recipe Tips
How do you know the sweet potato pie is cooked: Like most pies, the pie should be cooked, and a toothpick should come almost clean in most areas of the pie.
The center will still be SLIGHTLY jiggly and not fully set, but not soupy either. The pie may rise and then fall on cooling, which is normal.
Please note that ovens bake differently and at different temperatures, and it is impossible for me to know if your range needs more time.
Some ovens may need an extra 5-7 minutes to complete baking, but be careful not to overbake accidentally.
How to store sweet potato pie: The golden brown pie needs to be thoroughly cooled (which could take about 2 hours) at room temperature.
Then store leftover pie in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3-4 days.
How to serve sweet potato pie? We always serve with cool whip topping, which goes great with warm spice flavors.
You can also sprinkle with cinnamon and a bit of nutmeg or top with walnuts or pecans.
Can sweet potato pie be frozen? Sweet potato pie can be frozen. As with all frozen foods, make sure the pastry is well packaged. To defrost, place in fridge and let defrost naturally.
How to cut sweet potato pie: Pies can be difficult to cut without falling apart. Make sure the pie is completely cooled before cutting. Keeping a pie cold also helps with cutting.
Lastly, cleaning the sharp knife between cuts is the best way to cut pies, cakes, and fudge.
Can brown sugar be used?
Yes. If you prefer, substitute the 1 cup white sugar in the recipe above for 1/2 cup packed brown sugar combined with 1/2 cup white sugar.
Please note that this change makes a sweeter sweet potato pie.
Related Sweet Potato Dishes
- Sweet potatoes are often cooked in whole pieces, but until you try Sweet Potato Mashed Potatoes, you do not know what your side dish recipes have been missing!
- Baked and Diced Sweet Potatoes are marshmallow free and savory.
- Sweet potatoes are known for being incredibly smothered in brown sugar so check out this stovetop sweet potatoes recipe right in the skillet.
- Pressure cooker sweet potatoes help cut the cooking time! Plus, you can cook them whole. Just use a potato masher and enjoy!
- Accordion sliced Hasselback Sweet potatoes covered in pecans is one of my favorite recipes.
- Mix the sweet potatoes and russet potatoes for a perfect swirl of goodness. This one is a unique Thanksgiving side dish when looking for the unordinary.
- Lastly, the slow cooker crock pot sweet potato casserole is wow good! Huge positive reviews; this is one sweet potato recipe that won’t go wrong for your holiday meal.
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Southern Sweet Potato Pie (Like Grandma’s!)
Equipment
- Pie Plate
Ingredients
- 1 uncooked refrigerated pie crust
- 2 cups sweet potatoes cooked and mashed*
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 5 oz. evaporated milk
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- whipped topping for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and place uncooked refrigerated pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Flute the edges.
- Set pie plate with fluted crust aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together cooked and mashed sweet potatoes and unsalted softened butter.
- Pour on granulated white sugar and beat ingredients together well.
- Add evaporated milk, 2 eggs and vanilla extract.
- Beat in flour and spices.
- Pour uncooked sweet potato pie batter into the prepared crust and bake for 55 minutes.
- Edges of pie and crust should be cooked and center of pie will still be a little jiggly in middle but an inserted toothpick should come out mostly clean. Please note that some ovens take longer to cook than expected times. If the pie needs to cook more and the crust is becoming too dark, add foil to the edges of the pie to stop the cooking.
- Once the toothpick in the center is mostly clean, remove the sweet potato pie from the oven and cool it completely on the counter before serving.
- Sweet Potato Pie may take 2 hours to fully cool. When cutting, use a clean knife in between cuts.
- Serve dessert with whipped topping and candied pecans.
- Store baked and cooled pie in fridge, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 3-4 days.
Notes
- *Please note prior to the pie, sweet potatoes should be cooked and mashed. I recommend letting mashed sweet potatoes cool to prevent burns prior to prepping the pie. Typically 3-4 sweet potatoes make up 2 cups. See full article for more information.
- If preferred, substitute 1 cup of sugar for 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar and 1/2 cup of white sugar.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Sharing of this recipe is encouraged and appreciated. Copying of full recipe to any social media is prohibited.
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