If you’ve clicked onto this page, chances are fall has arrived and the holidays are fast approaching. That also means it’s the time of year when people enjoy a huge variety of desserts specific to the season. That said, there’s often a huge (I would say even cultural) divide as far as which desserts are best. Perhaps the two desserts that cause the most heated debate are Pumpkin Pie and Sweet Potato Pie. That’s a debate that may never be settled. But what I’ll do in this post, to compliment my Pumpkin Pie recipe, is share my Sweet Potato Pie recipe that I’m sure will only stir up more debate between the two camps that prefer one over the other.
Key Ingredients for Sweet Potato Pie
Homemade Sweet Potato Pie is made from your standard ingredients: Sweet Potato Puree, Sugar, and Eggs. That said, what makes this recipe stand out from the rest is the use of Dark Brown Sugar, Half-and-Half and Allspice.
- Half-and-Half: Most recipes call for using whole milk. The thing with whole milk is that it has water content upwards of 85% to 90%. This poses a couple differences in the Sweet Potato Pie. One, half & half is essentially a combination of whole milk plus cream, and the cream helps to give the filling a more velvety texture. In addition, the relative lack of water in the half & half helps to give the filling a richer flavor with even a slight caramelized undertone, giving the filling a somewhat more complex taste. For these reasons, I find using half & half vs. whole milk makes for a better filling, which is what my recipe calls for.
- Light vs. Dark Brown Sugar: There are two types of brown sugar that you can purchase (Light Brown Sugar and Dark Brown Sugar). The only real difference between the two is that Dark Brown Sugar has twice as much molasses. After testing both, I settled on using dark brown sugar with this recipe for a couple reasons. One, the higher molasses in the dark brown sugar content gives the Sweet Potato Pie a distinct, darker color tone. Also, the dark brown sugar gives the pie a deeper molasses flavor, adding a more pronounced smoky and caramelized undertone. It really makes for a richer, yet more complex pie that you won’t get with white granulated or even light brown sugar.
- Allspice: It has been a popular misconception for centuries that Allspice is made from a blend of many different spices (including Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves), and this is because of how complex its flavor profile is, which is where the name comes from. In reality, Allspice is its own unique spice and it originates from the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America. The nice part about it is that it gives the Sweet Potato Pie a peppery note that helps to balance out the richness of the Sugars and Half-and-Half in this recipe. For this same reason, it’s also an excellent substitute for Ginger (known for its pungent & spicy taste), which is what many other recipes call for.
And that’s all there is to it! While Sweet Potato Pie is traditionally enjoyed during the Fall season and specifically for the Thanksgiving holiday, in large part because that’s when Sweet Potatoes are in season, it’s a treat that really can be enjoyed any time of the year as both a snack and a dessert. By the time you finish reading this post, you will also be a pro at making this dish yourself and you’ll have your family & friends begging you to make these all the time!
Tips for Making this Recipe
Prep the filling ahead. This step is optional, and I usually skip this step as well. However, if you really want to enhance the flavor of your Sweet Potato Pie filling, prepare it the night before and then allow it to rest in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow time for the spices to meld and mellow out, giving the filling a more balanced profile. You can rest the filling in the refrigerator, as long as it’s covered, for up to 2 days. After 2 days, if you’re still not ready to use it, you can freeze it for as long as 3 months in an airtight container. Just don’t place it in the pie shell when you chill it.
For the best results, use a glass pie pan. There are many different kinds of pans you can use for baking pies, . For this Sweet Potato Pie recipe, I recommend using a glass pie pan. The reason why is because you will have an easier time gauging the doneness of the crust as a glass pie pan will allow you the ability to see the bottom and sides of the crust as it bakes. The problem with metal pie pans is you can’t really see the crust to determine whether or not it’s done. Meanwhile, the problem with ceramic pie pans is that they tend to be poor conductors of heat, which can lead to a pie that cooks unevenly.
Do not overmix the filling. The reason I advise against this is because too much mixing or mixing that is vigorous can incorporate a ton of air into the Sweet Potato Pie filling. Once you place it in the oven to bake, the heat from the oven will cause those air pockets to expand, similar to a souffle or even a cheesecake. The problem is, once you remove the pie from the oven and it begins to cool, that air will contract which will cause the pie to deflate. When this happens, the pie is prone to cracking. Thus, it’s best that you only gently mix the filling when combining the ingredients, ideally by hand with a whisk or spoon.
Do not overbake the pie. You want to be very careful to not overbake the Sweet Potato pie. Sweet Potato filling is similar to custard, in that the eggs will tend to tighten as they bake. When this happens, the over-coagulation of the eggs to squeeze out too much moisture from the filling. This can not only lead to cracks on the surface, which are not aesthetically pleasing, but it can potentially leave you with a pie that has an overly eggy taste. If the cooking time in the instructions has passed and you’re still unsure if the pie is done, you can test it with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the pie is finished.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a store-bought pie crust?
Absolutely! You would just follow the package instructions for preparation prior to making and adding the filling. Just be aware that a store-bought pie crust would still require par-baking to ensure you don’t end up with a Pumpkin Pie that has a soggy bottom.
Can I substitute the fresh sweet potato puree for canned sweet potatoes?
While you can certainly use canned sweet potatoes, there will be some key differences that may negatively affect the final product. For starters, canned sweet potatoes include added sugars and sodium that you don’t get with fresh sweet potatoes. Also, the natural flavors of the sweet potatoes may not be as intense as they will be packed in sugary water. So if you were to proceed with this substitution, do so with *EXTREME* caution.
Can I substitute the Butter for Shortening in the pie crust?
I do understand that not everyone is able to eat dairy products and that butter is simply not an option for such individuals. In such cases, you *COULD* replace the butter with shortening, but with a couple of important caveats. For starters, while shortening and butter are both different type of fats that can be used in baked goods, their fat composition is not entirely equal. Shortening tend to have virtually no water in it (thus it’s 100% fat), whereas Butter typically has a water content of 20-25% (depending on the brand).
The other caveat is that the use of cooking oils will change the flavor profile of the pie crust. Seed oils (I.E. Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil, etc.), are known to be neutral-tasting, meaning they have no flavor. So you will be losing the subtle nuttiness / sweetness in your pie crust that Butter offer.
That said, the nice part about shortening is crusts that are made with it tend to do a better job with holding their shape, whereas crusts made with all butter have a tendency with shrink due to the higher water content.
Can you freeze the Sweet Potato Pie? And if so, for how long?
You can definitely freeze this Sweet Potato Pie! Once it has cooled completely, ensure it is wrapped tightly to prevent freezer burn and it should maintain their freshness for at least 1 month. While they may still be safe to eat for up to 12 months in the freezer, the pie will gradually lose their flavor and texture after 1 month has passed. Once you’re ready to eat it, it is best to allow the pie to thaw in the refrigerator overnight
How long can you store Sweet Potato Pie in the refrigerator?
Assuming the pie is covered or placed in an airtight container, it is safe to eat Sweet Potato Pie that is stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Do note, however, the pie crust will have a tendency to become soggy the longer it sits in the refrigerators due to condensation. After the 4th day, I recommend discarding the Sweet Potato Pie as it may no longer be safe to eat.
Try These Other Dessert Recipes
-
Best Chocolate Pudding From Scratch
-
Best Vanilla Pudding From Scratch
-
Best Brownies From Scratch
-
Best Banana Pudding From Scratch
Best Sweet Potato Pie
Equipment
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Cooking Spoon
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Small Mixing Bowl
- Food Processor (optional)
- 1 Baking Sheet
- Pie Weights (or substitute)
- 1 9" Pie Pan
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- 1 Knife
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Pastry Mat
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Potato Masher
- Hand Mixer
Ingredients
Pie Crust *(Skip to Filling if Using Store-Bought Pie Crust)*
- 1 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 Cup Frozen Unsalted Butter
- 2 TSP White Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 TSP Iodized Salt
- 1/4 Cup Cold Water
Filling
- 2 LB Sweet Potatoes
- 1/2 Cup Half and Half
- 1/2 Cup Dark Brown Sugar
- 1/2 Cup White Granulated Sugar
- 2 Extra Large Eggs
- 1 TSP Vanilla Extract
- 1 TSP Ground Cinnamon
- 1/2 TSP Ground Allspice
- 1/2 TSP Ground Nutmeg
- 1/4 TSP Ground Cloves
- 1/2 TSP Iodized Salt
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Cut up frozen butter into small cubes.
- Combine butter with dry ingredients (Flour, Sugar, Salt) in Food Processor for 15 Seconds.
- Place flour/butter blend in large bowl and add cold water.
- Mix cold water with flour/butter blend until it forms a dough with a shaggy but moist consistency.
- Place dough on pastry mat (or clean surface) and press together until just combined in the form of a disk.
- Tightly wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Remove chilled dough from refrigerator and use rolling pin to flatten into circle that is 10-11" in diameter, forming crust.
- Preheat Oven to 350*F.
- Place crust into 9" pie pan and cut off any excess edges exceeding 1" in length.
- Place sheet of parchment paper in pie crust and add pie weights (coffee beans, regular beans and rice are all also acceptable) on top of parchment paper.
- Place pie pan on baking sheet and par-bake pie crust in oven for 20 minutes.
- Once pie crust is done par-baking, remove from oven and transfer to refrigerator for chilling an additional 15-30 minutes
- Remove pie crust from refrigerator and remove pie weights from pie crust.
Filling
- Preheat oven to 425*F
- Wash dirt off Sweet Potatoes under cold water using brush
- Poke multiple holes into Sweet Potatoes using fork and place Sweet Potatoes on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil
- Place Sweet Potatoes in oven and bake uncovered for 60 minutes
- Remove Sweet Potatoes from oven and allow to cool slightly (10-20 minutes).
- Adjust oven temp to 350*F.
- Peel skin off Sweet Potatoes and place Sweet Potatoes in 3qt mixing bowl.
- Using cooking utensil and potato masher to mash potatoes.
- Using hand mixer, whip sweet potatoes for 1-2 minutes, then whip in additional 30 second intervals (scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl each time) until there are no visible strings on the mixer attachments. Use paper towel or bowl with water to remove strings.
- Using cooking spoon, add all ingredients into bowl with sweet potato puree and stir until well combined.
- Add filling to pie crust until it reaches the top, and cover edges of the crust with a pie shield.
- Place pie in oven and bake at 350*F for 45-50 minutes.
- Remove pie from oven and remove pie shields, then allow to cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours.