Southern Sweet Potato Pie is creamy, lightly spiced with just a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg, and so easy to make! Similar to pumpkin but with a more delicate flavor, this one is a Southern family favorite!
Lots of people will claim to be either sweet potato pie lovers or pumpkin pie lovers. I love both! Along with pecan pie. And chocolate pie. Ok, just PIE.
Listen, I’m not biased when I tell you that my mother makes the best sweet potato pie. Better than the famous Patti LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie!
Of course, when I called Mama to ask for her recipe she said, “Well, I don’t really measure anything I just mix it up.” So I had to run through her estimates a couple of times to come up with an actual version of the recipe to share.
This Southern Sweet Potato Pie recipe hits everything you want—it’s not too sweet and not too custardy, but just the right mix of sweet potatoes, sugar, butter and egg to meld into a creamy, perfect blend for pie.
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How to make Southern sweet potato pie
- Start by peeling a large sweet potato, or two smaller ones, cut into pieces and boil about twenty minutes or until very tender.
- While the potatoes are boiling, pre-bake the pie crust just a bit so it’s slightly brown.
**Cook’s Tip: This keeps the crust from becoming soggy from the filling. My easy pie crust recipe is perfect for this pie! - When the potatoes are tender, drain and toss right back into the same pot you used for boiling. Then mash with a potato masher and add 1/2 stick of unsalted butter (1/4 cup).
- Mix the butter into the sweet potato until the butter is completely melted and incorporated. Then add the rest of the ingredients and mix until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.
- Pour into the pie shell and bake on a covered cookie sheet for 35-40 minutes at 350, or until center is set.
Tips
- Boil the sweet potatoes instead of baking for the brightest color.
- Use evaporated milk for a creamier texture.
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Southern Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato, (about 1 large or 2 small)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup half and half or milk or evaporated milk
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (run through sifter for lumps)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 F. Chill the pie crust in the pie plate for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Prick the pie crust lightly in multiple places with a fork. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the pie crust and fill with pie weights or a mixture of dried beans and rice.
- Place the pie plate with crust on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes (I usually do about 17 minutes.) Carefully remove the parchment paper with the weights and place the pie crust back in the oven for another three minutes. Remove the pie crust from the oven and allow to cool.
- Turn the oven down to 350 F.
- Peel and cube potatoes and place in a large pot. Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 20 minutes, until potatoes are very tender.
- Drain potatoes and add back to pot. Mash potatoes with a potato masher or fork. Add butter and blend with hand mixer until melted and incorporated into potatoes.
- Add eggs, sugars, milk, spices, flour, salt, and vanilla. Mix until creamy and well blended. Pour into cooled pie crust.
- Bake 30-40 minutes or until center is set and not jiggly. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
Video
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post for Southern Sweet Potato Pie was originally published November 20, 2013, and on March 17, 2021, was updated with one or more of the following: step-by-step photos, video, updated recipe, new tips.
Hello the recipe is very helpful. It was easy came out tasteful now waiting for it to come out the oven ,so I can
tear it up. Thank you for your help (your assistance)
This is very close to how l make my Sweet Potato Pie. Sometimes l play around with the amount of sugar, add a Tablespoon or two more to get the “crusty” top during baking. Yes, that’s one special pie. Yum.
Why do you add flour to the pie? Some folk add lemon juice. I have never added either of these ingredients to my sweet potato pies before. Just wondering. Thanks.
The flour just helps to thicken the pie a bit.
I’ve tried many sweet potato pies but this one is one of my favorites…thanks for sharing 😀
Thank you so much! It’s definitely my favorite!