Sweet Potato Pie
This Southern-style sweet potato pie bakes roasted sweet potatoes into a silky, custard-soft filling warmly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla under a flaky butter crust. Roasting instead of boiling drives off excess moisture, so the custard sets firm and tastes deeply of caramelized sweet potato rather than watered-down mash. It slices lighter than pumpkin pie and cuts clean once fully chilled.
Roast 900 g whole sweet potatoes at 200°C (400°F) for about an hour until collapsing-soft, then cool and scoop out roughly 450 g of flesh; while they roast, fit a single crust into a 9-inch dish and par-bake it at 190°C (375°F) for 12 minutes with weights. Mash the flesh smooth and whisk in 85 g melted butter, 110 g brown sugar, 50 g granulated sugar, 2 eggs, 180 ml evaporated milk, 2 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp ginger, and ½ tsp salt until pourable. Pour into the par-baked shell and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 50–60 minutes until the edges are set and the center jiggles just slightly, then cool at least 2 hours so the custard finishes setting before you slice.
- Roast the sweet potatoes whole instead of boiling them so the filling stays concentrated and firm rather than wet and loose.
- Pull the pie while the center still has a slight jiggle; carryover heat sets it, and overbaking causes cracks.
- Cool fully (2+ hours, or chill) before cutting so each slice holds its shape.
Equipment
- 9-inch pie dish
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Potato masher
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
วัตถุดิบ
Filling
- 900 g sweet potatoes, about 2 medium-large, whole; yields ~450 g / 2 cups mashed
- 85 g unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled
- 110 g light brown sugar
- 50 g granulated sugar
- large eggs, room temperature
- 180 ml evaporated milk, or whole milk
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground nutmeg, freshly grated if possible
- 0.5 g ground ginger
- 3 g fine salt
Crust
- single 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought, chilled
วิธีทำ
- ขั้น01
Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Prick the whole sweet potatoes all over with a fork and set them on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast until a knife slides in with no resistance and they start to collapse, 55–65 minutes. Let them cool until you can handle them, then peel and discard the skins.
- ขั้น02
Lower the oven to 190°C (375°F). Roll or fit the chilled crust into a 9-inch pie dish and crimp the edge. Line it with parchment, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake 12 minutes to set the bottom. Remove the weights and parchment; leave the shell on a baking sheet.
- ขั้น03
Scoop about 450 g (2 cups) of the warm sweet potato flesh into a bowl and mash until smooth, breaking up any lumps. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until the mixture is even and pourable.
- ขั้น04
Lower the oven to 175°C (350°F). Pour the filling into the par-baked shell and smooth the top. Bake 50–60 minutes, until the edges are set and puffed and the center still jiggles just slightly when nudged. Tent the crust edge with foil if it browns too fast.
- ขั้น05
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool undisturbed at least 2 hours. The custard firms up as it cools, so resist slicing early; for the cleanest cuts, chill the fully cooled pie for an hour or overnight.
- ขั้น06
Slice with a clean, warm knife and serve at room temperature or lightly chilled, topped with softly whipped cream if you like.
Make ahead
Bake the pie 1–2 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator; the flavor and set actually improve overnight. You can also roast and mash the sweet potatoes up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate the flesh until you're ready to mix the filling.
Storage
Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap the cooled pie tightly and freeze up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Variations
Bourbon-pecan top
Whisk 1 tbsp bourbon into the filling and scatter 60 g chopped toasted pecans over the surface before baking for a praline-like crunch.
Dairy-free / vegan
Use a vegan crust, swap the butter for melted coconut oil, the evaporated milk for full-fat coconut milk, and the 2 eggs for 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water, rested 10 minutes). Bake 5–10 minutes longer to set.
Gluten-free
Replace the wheat crust with a gluten-free pastry or a pressed pecan-oat crust; the naturally gluten-free filling stays exactly the same.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
คำถามพบบ่อย
What's the difference between sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie?
They look similar, but sweet potato pie has a slightly fluffier, less dense texture and a brighter, sweeter, more caramel-like flavor because the roasted sweet potato is naturally sweet. Pumpkin pie leans earthier and firmer. Most sweet potato pie recipes also use a little butter, which pumpkin versions usually skip.
Should I boil or roast the sweet potatoes?
Roasting is worth it. Boiling waterlogs the flesh, which can leave your sweet potato pie loose and prone to a weepy filling. Roasting whole sweet potatoes concentrates their sugars and drives off moisture, so the custard sets firm and tastes richer.
Why did my sweet potato pie crack on top?
Cracks usually mean it was overbaked. Pull the pie when the outer ring is set but the center still jiggles slightly; the residual heat finishes cooking it as it cools. Cooling it gradually on a rack rather than in a cold draft also helps.
Can I make sweet potato pie ahead of time?
Yes, and it's a great make-ahead dessert. Bake it a day or two before serving, cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Chilling gives the filling time to fully set, so slices come out clean and hold their shape.
How do I know when the pie is done?
The edges should look set and slightly puffed while the center still has a gentle wobble, like set gelatin. An instant-read thermometer in the middle should read about 79°C (175°F). It will not look completely firm in the oven, and that's exactly right.
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