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Sweet Potato Pie is one of those desserts that brings a little bit of comfort and a whole lot of flavor to your table.
With its creamy, spiced filling and buttery, flaky pie crust, this sweet potato pie is a classic southern treat that you just can’t pass up.
It’s rich, smooth, and not overly sweet, making it the perfect end to any meal, especially during the fall season!
This pie is made with simple ingredients that you can easily find at the grocery store, and it’s straightforward enough for even beginners to bake.
The key to making the best sweet potato pie is starting with fresh sweet potatoes.
When baked or microwaved, sweet potatoes develop a natural sweetness that pairs perfectly with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
If you’ve never made a traditional sweet potato pie before, don’t worry—this recipe is easy to follow and will have your kitchen smelling amazing in no time.
Whether you’re serving it for a holiday meal or just because you’re in the mood for a comforting dessert, this sweet potato pie is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
Some of our other favorite PIE RECIPES we have on our site include: Simple Air Fryer Blueberry Hand Pies Recipe, No Bake Peanut Butter Pie Recipe, and Easy Mini No Bake Key Lime Pie Recipe.
Jump to:
- WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO PIE:
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
- HOW DOES THIS DIFFER FROM A PUMPKIN PIE?
- DO I HAVE TO MICROWAVE THE SWEET POTATOES?
- ANY ADDITIONS?
- ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
- HOW TO STORE:
- DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Easy Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
- Creamy Texture: The combination of sweet potatoes, butter, and heavy cream creates a smooth and rich filling that’s just the right amount of creamy.
- Warm Spices: A blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves gives this pie a warm, cozy flavor that’s perfect for fall or any time of the year.
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and clear instructions, this pie is easy to whip up, even if you’re new to baking.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED (SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST FOR THE FULL RECIPE CARD):
- Sweet potatoes
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs
- Heavy cream
- All-purpose flour
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Sea salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Refrigerated pie crust
HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO PIE:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Poke holes all over the sweet potatoes and place them on a microwave-safe place. Microwave for 5 minutes flipping the potatoes over halfway through. Poke a knife through the potato, if there is no resistance they are ready, if not place them back in the microwave in 30-second intervals until soft. Let the potatoes cool to room temperature.
- Take the peel off the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Whip them with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- Add in the butter and mix until combined.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, mix until smooth.
- Add the eggs and mix until smooth.
- Add the heavy cream, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, mix until smooth and combined, scrape the sides if needed.
- Place the buttery crust into a pie plate and crimp the edge.
- Add the filling and smooth out the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes until set. It might be the slightest bit jiggly, it is ready when a butter knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Or, an internal temperature reaches 175°F.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing to serve, or chill first.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS RECIPE:
HOW DOES THIS DIFFER FROM A PUMPKIN PIE?
While both sweet potato and pumpkin pie are custard-based pies, sweet potatoes have a natural sweetness and creamier texture.
It’s often lighter in flavor than the spiced pumpkin pie recipe, making it a unique Southern favorite.
DO I HAVE TO MICROWAVE THE SWEET POTATOES?
Microwaving is the quickest method, but you don’t have to.
You can also boil or bake the sweet potatoes.
Baking the sweet potatoes in the oven brings out more natural sweetness, while boiling works just as well if you’re short on time.
It’s really about personal preference.
ANY ADDITIONS?
The best sweet potato pie recipe is the one you make your own!
This is so much better than any frozen pie from the store.
- Maple syrup: Drizzle some maple syrup into the sweet potato mixture for extra sweetness.
- Pecans: Add chopped pecans to the filling or sprinkle them on top for added crunch.
- Whipped cream: Serve each slice with a dollop of homemade whipped cream for a classic finish.
- Marshmallows: For a fun twist, add mini marshmallows to the top during the last few minutes of baking, like in a sweet potato casserole.
- Dark brown sugar: Use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar for a deeper molasses flavor.
- Orange zest: Stir in some orange zest for a bright, citrusy note.
- Coconut flakes: Mix in shredded coconut to give the pie a tropical twist.
- Nutmeg sprinkle: Add a light sprinkle of extra nutmeg on top before baking for more warm spice.
- Ginger: Add a bit more ground ginger for a spicier, more fragrant pie.
ANY SUBSTITUTIONS?
Though it won’t be a classic sweet potato pie, you can certainly make some swaps.
I know how it is! By the way, don’t forget the recipe card below!
- Evaporated milk for heavy cream: If you’re out of heavy cream, evaporated milk works just as well for a creamy texture.
- Coconut oil for butter: Use coconut oil instead of butter for a dairy-free option.
- Gluten-free pie crust: Substitute a gluten-free pie crust for the regular one if needed.
- Pumpkin puree for sweet potatoes: If you don’t have sweet potatoes, you can use pumpkin puree, though the flavor will be different.
- Whole milk for heavy cream: If you want a lighter pie, you can use whole milk instead of heavy cream.
- Honey for sugar: Substitute honey or maple syrup for granulated sugar for a different type of sweetness.
HOW TO STORE:
Refrigerator: Store leftover pie in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap.
It can stay in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Make sure the pie has cooled to room temperature before refrigerating to prevent moisture from building up.
Freezer: Custard pies freeze beautifully.
Wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil, and place it in the freezer.
It can last for up to 3 months.
To serve, let the pie thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm it slightly before slicing.
DANA’S TIPS AND TRICKS:
- Microwave for Speed: Microwaving the sweet potatoes is the fastest method to soften them. It keeps the pie-making process quick and easy.
- Use Fresh Sweet Potatoes: Fresh sweet potatoes offer the best flavor. Avoid canned sweet potatoes if you can, as they tend to be watery.
- Don’t Skip the Lemon Juice: The lemon juice adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness of the pie and enhances the overall flavor.
- Use an Electric Mixer: Using an electric mixer ensures the sweet potato filling is smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the butter, eggs, and cream are at room temperature before mixing to ensure everything blends smoothly.
- Test for Doneness: To check if your pie is done, insert a knife into the center of the pie. If it comes out mostly clean, the pie is ready.
Sweet Potato Pie is more than just a dessert—it’s a comforting, classic dish that’s full of flavor and perfect for any occasion.
This sweet potato pie recipe is a must-try, whether you’re making it for a holiday dinner or just because.
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If you’ve tried this SWEET POTATO PIE, let me know how it turned out in the comments! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!
Easy Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temp
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 9- inch refrigerated pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Poke holes all over the sweet potatoes and place them on a microwave-safe place. Microwave for 5 minutes flipping the potatoes over halfway through. Poke a knife through the potato, if there is no resistance they are ready, if not place them back in the microwave in 30-second intervals until soft. Let the potatoes cool to room temperature.1 pound sweet potatoes
- Take the peel off the potatoes and place them in a large bowl. Whip them with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- Add in the butter and mix until combined.½ cup unsalted butter
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar, mix until smooth.½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs and mix until smooth.2 large eggs
- Add the heavy cream, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, mix until smooth and combined, scrape the sides if needed.½ cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Place the pie crust into a pie plate and crimp the edge.9- inch refrigerated pie crust
- Add the filling and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until set. It might be the slightest bit jiggly, it is ready when a butter knife inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Or, an internal temperature reaches 175°F.
- Let the pie cool to room temperature on a wire rack before slicing to serve, or chill first.
Notes
- Microwave for Speed: Microwaving the sweet potatoes is the fastest method to soften them. It keeps the pie-making process quick and easy.
- Use Fresh Sweet Potatoes: Fresh sweet potatoes offer the best flavor. Avoid canned sweet potatoes if you can, as they tend to be watery.
- Don’t Skip the Lemon Juice: The lemon juice adds a slight tang that balances the sweetness of the pie and enhances the overall flavor.
- Use an Electric Mixer: Using an electric mixer ensures the sweet potato filling is smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure the butter, eggs, and cream are at room temperature before mixing to ensure everything blends smoothly.
- Test for Doneness: To check if your pie is done, insert a knife into the center of the pie. If it comes out mostly clean, the pie is ready.
Nutrition
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