This delectable Sweet Potato Pie is a welcome fall tradition with a tender, flaky crust, a rich, creamy texture, and a perfect balance of autumn spices. I like to serve it with fresh whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon. This sweet, flavorful southern pie is a friend and family favorite and is always a hot commodity at holidays, family gatherings, and potlucks. If you like pumpkin pie, then you will love sweet potato pies with a similar taste and texture.
Sweet potatoes are so incredibly delicious. Have you ever tried salsa on a baked sweet potato? It is amazing! My family loves sweet potatoes. Have you tried any of my sweet potato recipes? This recipe, Sweet Potato Casserole, Sweet Potato Salad, and Sweet Potato Fries are just a few of our favorite recipes.
This pie is made with an easy four-ingredient buttery, flaky crust and filled with sweet potatoes, butter, cream, brown sugar, and a few pantry spices. It is then baked to golden perfection. Get your forks ready for a tasty treat, and it is not just for Thanksgiving.
How to make Sweet Potato Pie
Start by cutting your chilled butter into small cubes. Then combine it with the flour and salt using a pastry blender to cut in the butter until crumbly. Now add the chilled water a few tablespoons at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough pulls together. Finally, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
While the pie dough is chilling, boil the sweet potatoes until soft. Then, gently peel their skins with your fingers. Next, in a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer on medium speed, mix the sweet potatoes with butter, brown sugar, eggs, cream, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Now, gently roll the pie crust out to a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Then, fold the piecrust or roll it around your rolling pin to move it to the pie plate. Next, gently tuck it into the pie pan, trim the edge about an inch over the side, tuck it in along the edge, and flute it.
Pour the sweet potato mixture into the prepared pie crust. Beat the egg and water together. Now brush the edges of the crust with the egg wash. Then bake for about 1 hour or until set. Finally, cool for a couple of hours on a wire rack before slicing.
Recipe notes and helpful tips
- The pie dough can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store disk-shaped mounds in the fridge covered thoroughly with plastic wrap.
- There is no need to peel the sweet potatoes prior to boiling. Once boiled, the skins will easily peel right off.
- Always in a hurry? Use a frozen, ready-made pie crust or even a Graham Cracker Crust.
- Evaporated milk can be subbed for the heavy cream.
- This delicious pie is even better the second day after all the flavors have co-mingled for a while. So feel free to make it 1-2 days in advance.
- Just like pumpkin pie, this pie needs to chill for several hours to cut well.
- Top with homemade whipped cream and a very light dusting of cinnamon.
- Store leftovers covered with wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, first, cool the pie completely. Then, double-wrap it in plastic wrap and then wrap it in a single layer of aluminum foil. You can also use a large freezer-safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Perfect pie crust hints
- Add just enough water until you form a dough ball that doesn’t crumble when pulled apart. Too much water will make the dough sticky, resulting in a tough chewy crust. Too little water will make the dough fall apart and crack while you are working with it.
- Form it into a disk and wrap it with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour, but even longer is better.
- Be gentle when rolling out the crust working from the middle out and turning the dough as you go.
- When moving the piecrust, gently fold it or roll it around the rolling pin. Stretching it could cause it to contract when baked, resulting in shrinking and sinking edges.
- After rolling out your pie dough, let it rest in the refrigerator for about 20-25 minutes.
More pie recipes to enjoy!
Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1/2 cup chilled butter cut in small cubes
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5-6 tablespoons chilled water
Sweet Potato Filling
- 1 1/4 lbs. sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Combine butter, flour, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until very crumbly. Add chilled water a few tablespoons at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough pulls together. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Boil the sweet potatoes until soft. Allow them to cool, and gently peel their skins with your fingers. Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat sweet potatoes with butter, brown sugar, eggs, cream, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until blended and creamy.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Gently roll the piecrust out to a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Fold the piecrust or roll it around your rolling pin to move it to the pie plate. Gently tuck the crust into the pie pan, trim the edge about an inch over the side, tuck the excess dough in along the edge, and flute it.
- Pour the pie filling into the prepared pie crust. Beat the egg and water together. Brush the edges of the crust with the egg wash. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until set. Cool for at least 2 hours on a wire rack before slicing.
Video
Notes
- The pie dough can be made up to 3 days in advance. Store disk shaped mounds in the fridge covered thoroughly with plastic wrap.
- There is no need to peel the sweet potatoes prior to boiling. Once boiled the skins will easily peel right off.
- Always in a hurry? Use a frozen ready made pie crust or even a graham cracker crust.
- This delicious pie is even better the second day after all the flavors have co-mingled for a while. So feel free to make it 1-2 days in advance.
- Just like pumpkin pie this pie needs to chill for several hours to cut well.
- Top with homemade whipped cream and very light dusting of cinnamon.
- Store leftovers covered with wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze, first cool the pie completely. Then double wrap it in plastic wrap and then wrap it a single layer of aluminum foil. You can also use a large freezer safe airtight container. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Nutrition
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Kimberly
In your recipe you called for 2 1/2 tbs flour, yet it doesn’t state in the instructions that you are to mix it in.
Just wanted clarification, i have never added flour to the pie before. Thank you
Beth Pierce
Sorry Kimberly. I do not know why no one has called me out on that. The flour is mixed in with the pie filling. I am fixing it now. Thanks for the heads up.
Jennifer L
I need to try making this instead of pumpkin pie this year. I really love sweet potatoes!
Nikki
This sweet potato pie is the best. It reminds me of my grandmothers.
Ed
Delcious! The whole family loved this sweet potato pie recipe. We topped ours with a little chopped pecans and homemade whipped cream. I wish I had a piece for my breakfast this morning but sadly it is gone.
Kay
Wow, my family really loved this sweet potato pie. I think I like sweet potato pie better than pumpkin pie or pecan pie. I did not know it was this easy to make.
Jack
This was so yummy, the best sweet potato pie I have had in ages. Brought me back to may aunt and uncles farm.
Lori
Always a delicious dish to eat and I love how easy it is to make at home! Homemade is always so much better than store bought.
Beth Pierce
So true, Lori!