A unique Atlanta, GA, friend shared this sweet potato pie recipe with me. It has long been a favorite, and everyone who tastes it says it is the best they’ve ever had.
There’s nothing like a freshly baked sweet potato pie to usher in the holiday season. The autumnal dessert just tastes like home. This top-rated sweet potato pie recipe, subtly spiced with ingredients you probably already have on hand, has been beloved by the community for decades.
Learn how to make, store, freeze, and serve the best sweet potato pie with this favorite community recipe.
Sweet Potato Pie Ingredients
If you have fresh sweet potatoes and a few kitchen staples, you likely have everything you need to make this sweet potato pie.
Sweet Potato
This recipe calls for a pound of whole sweet potatoes. Fresh produce will give you the deepest, decadent flavor. If you’re in a rush, you can substitute canned sweet potatoes (just be sure to drain them first).
Butter
Like so many baked goods, butter is essential to sweet potato pie. It adds moisture, flavor, and texture to the custard filling.
Sugar
Granulated sugar adds sweetness. It also helps keep the pie filling soft by locking in moisture.
Milk
Whole milk is the liquid base for dissolving the dry ingredients and creating a cohesive filling. It also adds creamy flavor and texture.
Eggs
Traditional sweet potato pie has a custard filling, which relies on eggs (particularly the yolks) to bind the ingredients together. Make sure to allow the eggs to come to room temperature before incorporating them into the mixture.
Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Vanilla
Vanilla extract and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg are responsible for the cozy flavor you likely associate with sweet potato pie. For extra flavor, consider adding a touch of ginger or allspice.
Unbaked Pie Crust
Use our top-rated Butter Flaky Pie Crust for guaranteed delicious results. Of course, a frozen or refrigerated crust will work in a pinch.
Sweet Potato Pie vs. Pumpkin Pie
Sweet potato and pumpkin pies are autumnal desserts popular during the cooler months, particularly during the holiday season.
Pumpkin pie has a milder flavor that’s typically flavored with a lot of spices. Sweet potatoes are naturally a bit sweeter and more flavorful, so sweet potato pie doesn’t usually feature as many spices.
Pumpkin pie is also generally quite dense, while its sweet potato-based counterpart is slightly airier.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pie
It’s easier than you think to make a bakery-worthy sweet potato pie. You’ll find the full recipe below, but here’s a brief overview of what you can expect:
Boil and Peel the Sweet Potatoes
Boil the whole sweet potatoes until they’re tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Use a colander to drain the sweet potatoes, then run them under cool water. Remove and discard the skins (they should easily slip off at this point).
Mix the Ingredients
Use a hand mixer or blender to combine the sweet potato flesh with the other ingredients until the mixture is completely smooth.
Bake
Pour the mixture into your unbaked pie crust and bake it at 350 degrees F for about an hour or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool before serving.
Can You Make Sweet Potato Pie Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make sweet potato pie ahead of time! It’s a great idea if you’re prepping for a holiday and want to conserve oven space on the big day.
How to Store Sweet Potato Pie
Store sweet potato pie in the fridge, covered tightly in storage wrap or aluminum foil, for three to four days. You should refrigerate the pie as soon as it has cooled to room temperature.
Can You Freeze Sweet Potato Pie?
You can absolutely freeze sweet potato pie, and you should if you want to get a jump-start on holiday baking.
To freeze sweet potato pie, bake it in an aluminum pie plate (aluminum is thinner than ceramic alternatives, so it will help the pie freeze faster and prevent the development of ice crystals). Cover the cooled pie in several layers of storage wrap. Top the storage wrap with a layer of aluminum foil.
Ingredients
- 1 (1 pound) sweet potato with skin
- ½ cup softened butter
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
Directions
- Place whole sweet potato in a pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Boil until tender when pierced with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Remove the sweet potato from the pot and run it under cold water. Remove and discard skin.
- Break sweet potato flesh apart and place in a bowl. Add butter and mix with an electric mixer until well combined.
Place whole sweet potato in a pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Boil until tender when pierced with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes. - Add sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla; beat on medium speed until the mixture is smooth.
- Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
- The pie will be puffed up like a soufflé when you remove it from the oven but will deflate as it cools.