Southern Sweet Potato Pie
This southern sweet potato pie is a true Southern classic — silky, warmly spiced sweet potato filling baked into a flaky crust until the top is set and lightly burnished. It tastes like the holidays: brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of vanilla, with a texture somewhere between custard and velvet.
It has earned its place next to the pumpkin pie on many Thanksgiving tables, and for good reason. It is less fussy than pumpkin pie to make from scratch, it slices cleanly, and it is wonderful served warm, at room temperature, or chilled with a dollop of whipped cream.
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 60 minutes Servings: 8
What You’ll Need
- 9-inch pie dish
- Large pot or baking sheet (for cooking the sweet potatoes)
- Potato masher or food processor
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rolling pin (if using a homemade crust)
- Aluminum foil or a pie shield
For a pie dish that goes from oven to table, see our best pie dish for apple pie guide.
Ingredients
For the crust
- 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought), fitted into a 9-inch pie dish
For the filling
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
For serving (optional)
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream
- A pinch of cinnamon, for dusting
Instructions
1. Cook the sweet potatoes. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Boil in salted water for 20–25 minutes until very tender, then drain well. Alternatively, roast whole sweet potatoes at 400°F (200°C) for 45–60 minutes until soft — roasting gives a deeper flavor. Let cool slightly.
2. Preheat the oven and prepare the crust. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch pie dish, crimp the edges, and set aside. No blind baking is needed for this recipe.
3. Mash the sweet potatoes. Mash the cooked sweet potatoes until completely smooth — a food processor or potato ricer gives the silkiest texture, but a hand masher works if you mash thoroughly. Measure out 2 cups of mashed sweet potato for the filling.
4. Mix the filling. In a large bowl, beat the mashed sweet potatoes with the softened butter until smooth. Add the brown sugar, granulated sugar, beaten eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Whisk until fully combined and silky, with no streaks of butter or sugar.
5. Fill and bake. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and smooth the top. Bake for 55–65 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles only slightly when the dish is gently shaken. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil or a pie shield for the last 20 minutes.
6. Cool before slicing. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. The filling sets as it cools — slicing warm pie will give you a soft, runny center. Serve at room temperature or chilled, with whipped cream if you like.
Tips for the Best Southern Sweet Potato Pie
- Drain the sweet potatoes well. Extra water is the enemy of a clean slice. After boiling, let the potatoes drain for a few minutes and mash while still warm so any remaining steam escapes.
- Mash until truly smooth. Lumps in the filling stay lumps in the finished pie. A food processor or ricer is worth it here — the goal is a custard-smooth filling, not a rustic mash.
- Do not overbake. The center should still have a slight jiggle when you take it out; it will firm up as it cools. A fully firm center in the oven means a dry, cracked pie on the table.
Silky, spiced, and steeped in tradition — this southern sweet potato pie is the Thanksgiving dessert your guests will ask for again next year.
