Homemade Sweet Potato Pie
This Sweet Potato Pie recipe is made with fresh sweet potatoes, subtly spiced, has a layer of brown sugar baked onto the crust, and gets a little kick from bourbon. All you need is a dollop of whipped cream!
Growing up, there were always two pumpkin pies sitting on my aunt’s stove, ready to serve up after we had cleared the plates from Thanksgiving dinner. We were always a big group, but aside from my grandma’s legendary walnut pillow cookies, that was our go-to dessert. This (sadly) means that I had never tasted sweet potato pie until adulthood, and had no idea what to expect.
I was able to strip the mystique away and came away with this recipe I absolutely love. It’s definitely more of a pumpkin pie feel than a casserole structure, but with a slightly different flavor. A little more depth and a little more hearty than pumpkin, it is a great way to get pumpkin-lovers to try something new!
For a sweet potato dish that isn’t cloyingly sweet, is bursting with fresh flavor, warm spices, and a little kick, this sweet potato pie is the answer to Thanksgiving prayers. Whether you serve it in place of or alongside a pumpkin pie, guests will love that traditional, old-fashioned flavor. But no need to wait for a holiday; this beautiful pie needs no special occasion to grace your table!
How to make sweet potato pie
This pie comes together much like any other custard-based pie (fairly simple whisking of the ingredients), with the addition of cooking and mashing the sweet potatoes before making the custard. No canned, candied yams here!
- First, prepare the pie crust as describe in depth below, and partially bake it. You can easily start this process a couple of days ahead of time and keep the dough in the refrigerator.
- Next, we work on the filling! Cook the sweet potatoes, then mash them with the butter.
- Once the butter is incorporated, you’ll whisk together all of the other filling ingredients (eggs, sugar, nutmeg, salt, bourbon, molasses, vanilla extract, and milk), then gradually whisk that mixture into the mashed sweet potatoes. A beautiful orange custard is born!
- Sprinkle dark brown sugar over the bottom of the pie crust for an added depth of flavor (trust me!)
- Pour the custard into the pie shell and bake!
- Once it is cooled and ready to serve, you can offer it as-is, or with a dollop of homemade whipped cream on top (how could you not!?). I’ve become very partial to this whipped cream recipe; it’s really nicely sweetened and pipes exceptionally well. It’s become my go-to!
Baking notes and tips
- I use and recommend this pie plate. It’s versatile, easy to clean, and works year-round.
- You can substitute my all-butter pie crust or your favorite pie crust recipe (or store-bought!) for the one listed below.
- While cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave is quick, you can also cook them in the oven if you prefer (400 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes).
- You can decrease or omit the bourbon entirely.
- Before serving, sprinkle cinnamon or crushed pecans on top of the whipped cream if you’d like!
Sweet potato pie problems? Here are some simple fixes!
- Is your pie cracking? This is from the eggs in the custard overcooking. When you pull the pie out, that custard continues to do its thing. Baking it on the bottom rack, and following instructions completely will help avoid that. (Of course – adding extra whipped cream to hide the cracks works too!)
- Make sure your sweet potatoes are fully cooked to be sure the pie cooks evenly and well.
Storage, make-ahead & freezing tips
- Be sure to allow the pie to cool to room temperature before serving so that it sets up correctly. This is hard but it’s the main reason people’s pies fail!
- You can prepare this pie a day in advance and keep it out at room temperature. Once cooled completely, cover loosely with foil.
- If making more than a day in advance (or if you have leftovers), cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze the whole pie – allow to cool completely, then wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then serve cold, at room temperature, or place in a 300-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes to warm, if desired.
- To freeze leftover slices, simply wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 2 months. Follow the thawing/serving/reheating instructions for a whole pie, above.
Ready for more delicious recipes like this one? Check these out!
- Sweet Potato Scones with Maple Cream Glaze
- Mashed Sweet Potato Brulee
- Classic Apple Pie
- Classic Pumpkin Pie
- 19 Warm & Cozy Pumpkin Recipes
I would absolutely love it if you made this sweet potato pie for dessert (for the holidays or ANY day!); if you do, please stop back and leave a rating and let me know how you liked it! ENJOY! 😍
Sweet Potato Pie
This Sweet Potato Pie recipe is subtly spiced, has a layer of brown sugar baked onto the crust, and gets a little kick from bourbon.
Ingredients
For the Pie Crust
- 1¼ cups (156.25 g) all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch slices
- ¼ cup (51.25 g) chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 2 pieces
- 2 tablespoons vodka, cold
- 2 tablespoons ice water
For the Sweet Potato Filling
- 2 pounds (907.18 g) sweet potatoes
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 3 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- 3 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (162.67 ml) whole milk
- ¼ cup (55 g) packed dark brown sugar
Instructions
- Make the Pie Crust: Process ¾ cups of the flour, the sugar and salt together in a food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add the butter and shortening and process until a homogenous dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 7 to 10 seconds (the dough will resemble cottage cheese curds with some very small pieces of butter remaining, but there should be no uncoated flour). Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula and redistribute the dough evenly around the bowl. Add the remaining ½ cup flour and pulse until the mixture is evenly distributed around the bowl and the mass of dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses. Empty the mixture into a medium bowl.
- Sprinkle the vodka and water over the mixture. With a rubber spatula, use a folding motion to mix, pressing down on the dough until it is slightly tacky and sticks together. Flatten the dough into a 4-inch disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes, or up to 2 days.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a generously floured (up to ¼ cup) work surface to a 12-inch circle. Roll the dough loosely around a rolling pin and unroll into a 9-inch pie plate, leaving at least a 1-inch overhang on each side. Working around the circumference, ease the dough into the plate by gently lifting edge of the dough with one hand while pressing into the plate bottom with other hand. Leave the overhanging dough in place; refrigerate until the dough is firm, about 30 minutes.
- Trim the overhanging dough to ½ inch beyond the lip of the pie plate. Fold the overhang under itself; the folded edge should be flush with edge of pie plate. Flute the dough or press the tines of a fork against dough to flatten it against the rim of pie plate. Refrigerate the dough-lined plate until firm, about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove pie pan from refrigerator, line crust with aluminum foil and fold back edges of foil to shield the fluted edge, and fill with pie weights or dried beans, filling the whole way up to the rim of the pie plate. Bake, leaving foil and weights in place until dough dries and lightens in color, 17 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights, cover the edges of the pie crust with a ring of foil, and bake until light golden brown, about 9 minutes longer. Remove pie plate from oven (keep the pie crust shield on), and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
- Make the Sweet Potato Filling: Prick sweet potatoes several times with fork and microwave for 5 minutes; turn each potato over and continue to cook until tender, but not mushy, about 5 minutes longer. Cool 10 minutes.
- Halve each potato, and scoop the flesh into a medium bowl (discard skin); you should have about 2 cups of cooked sweet potato. While the potatoes are still hot, add butter and mash with fork or wooden spoon; small lumps of potato should remain.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, nutmeg, and salt; stir in bourbon, molasses, and vanilla, then whisk in milk. Gradually add egg mixture to sweet potatoes, whisking gently to combine.
- Heat partially baked pie shell in oven until warm, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle bottom of pie shell evenly with brown sugar. Pour sweet potato mixture into pie shell over brown sugar layer. Bake until filling is set around edges but center jiggles slightly when shaken, about 45 minutes. Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then serve.
Notes
- I use and recommend this pie plate.
- You can substitute your favorite pie crust recipe (or store-bought, if you must) for the one listed below.
- While cooking the sweet potatoes in the microwave is quick, you can also cook them in the oven if you prefer (400 degrees F for 40 to 50 minutes).
- You can decrease or omit the bourbon entirely.
- I recommend my homemade whipped cream recipe for topping this pie.
- You can prepare this pie a day in advance and keep it out at room temperature. Once cooled completely, cover loosely with foil.
- If making more than a day in advance (or if you have leftovers), cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- You can freeze the whole pie - allow to cool completely, then wrap the pie tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then serve cold, at room temperature, or place in a 300-degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes to warm, if desired.
- To freeze leftover slices, simply wrap each one individually in plastic wrap, place in a freezer-safe ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 2 month. Follow the thawing/serving/reheating instructions for a whole pie, above.
Calories: 413kcal, Carbohydrates: 59g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 113mg, Sodium: 256mg, Potassium: 402mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 32g, Vitamin A: 13300IU, Vitamin C: 2.1mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 1.7mg
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[Photography by Dee Frances]
So good! Made this recipe for Thanksgiving and I am baking one for Christmas as I type. The combination of vanilla, bourbon, molasses, and brown sugar is delicious.
What a wonderful recipe. Will try it soon
Just wondering if the filling could be made and put into individual dishes, without the crust?
Would this work crustless? I’ve never met a gluten free crust that was good.
Did you ever have a sweet potato pie that included some pumpkin?
Hi Maureen, I don’t, but I have a pumpkin pie recipe that includes some sweet potato 😉
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/pumpkin-pie-recipe/
Hi there from Amelia VA. I’m about 30-35 miles from Richmond. First, please tell me why anyone would want to omit the bourbon?😄 j/k y’all. The second thing I wanted to pass on to y’all, I literally learned a day or so back. We’re all familiar with 10x or just plain old powdered sugar, right? Did you know if you ran out in the middle of making your recipe, there’s no reason to stop everything, go to store, get more, come back, and start up where you left off? Most of us don’t know this li’l tidbit of information; I know I didn’t. Do you have a food processor, spice mill, or a mini chopper making sure regardless of the equipment, it’s blade MUST BE FLUSH with the bottom of the chop chamber. Why? It’s because this wonderful li’l piece of equipment can spin regular sugar so fast it becomes “powder.” Yep, it sure does! That is how its name came to be. Who knew? I still buy powdered sugar just to have it on hand. I hope this info comes in handy for y’all. I’ve already used this info twice because I forgot to get the sugar on the first store run. Wouldn’t you just know it?😁 Thanks again for all the wonderful goodies you share with us.
This was my first attempt to make a sweet potato pie. After the first bite, my father’s immediate response was this, “Who taught you how to make a sweet potato pie?”. My grandmother always made my father a sweet potato pie because it was his favorite dessert. Unfortunately she did not write any of her recipes down. This was a favorite and will be on many more menus in the future.
This was the best pumpkin pie I’ve ever had. Yes it was more work, but soooooo worth it. It’s smooth and velvety like a custard. I got tons of compliments at Thanksgiving. I’ll definitely be making it again soon!
Alabamian here, grew up on sweet potato pies. I liked the molasses and bourbon in this pie. My family has always put a bit of orange juice and zest in the pie and never included molasses and bourbon so this was a fun change. We run our filling through the food processor.
Hey👋I have a small question; can I make this without the alcohol? If I didn’t add the vodka and bourbon, would it affect it any? My family cannot have any and I really wanted to make this at some point.❤It looks delish!!
Hi Aminah, The pie can definitely be made without the alcohol, but it is a vital part of the crust recipe, so I would suggest just using a different crust recipe that doesn’t require the vodka.
Why have I never heard of this before? I tried this recipe at the weekend and it was totally amazing. Loving your work on this site. Came across it on Pinterest, and I’m definitely going to be trying out some more of these.
This might be my ‘something new’ added to my Thanksgiving menu. Each year I look for something new to try/add to my table. The question I have is about the bourbon. Can another alcohol be substituted, like brandy? It’s not that I want to omit it, I just don’t really keep liquor on hand, but I do have brandy because it’s eggnog season as well and was wondering if that would work. Just curious . . . ..
Hi Michelle, Yes that would work just fine!
Hi Michelle,
Was thinking for a backup to pumpkin pie making The Mountain Mama Icebox Cake. Can I do a graham crust instead of the one shown? Would it hold up to all the layers?
Also going to switch out vanilla for butterscotch put. My mom used to make a chocolate butterscotch pie and it was yummy.
Hi Brenda, Yes a graham crust would definitely work!
In the South, we say “Anything pumpkins can do, sweet potatoes can do better!” Love your blog. I have tried many of your recipes and have never been disappointed.
We’re usually doing pumpkin pie, blueberry, apple…but this looks really tasty! :-)
Yum!! Looks so good!!
Rebecca | http://www.peppermintdolly.com
Isn’t this Cooks Illustrated’s sweet potato pie recipe? Did I miss you giving them a shout out?
CK – At the bottom of the recipe in the gray box, it clearly says “adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.” No scandal here…..
Browneyed Baker is my go-to for nearly all my baking recipes. I made this for thanksgiving, but unfortunately forgot to add the packed brown sugar. The flavor suffered, it could have been called “bourbon pie” – make sure you don’t make the same mistake!
Does CI recommend a specific bourbon? Or do you? Would whiskey (Jameson) work? Making this weekend!
Hi Lisa, They did not, and I do not – I think whatever you like or have on hand would be fine. Jameson would work too!
I made this for a potluck on Monday. I couldn’t stay very long, but when I came back to get my pie dish coworkers showered me with compliments. “You made this pie?” “You MADE it?” “You made the crust?” Even this one really mean guy complimented me on the pie:)
THANK YOU!
Hello I made a sweet potato pumpkin pie last year. I was almost positive I found the recipe on your site. Can’t seem to find it today. If you don’t have the combination recipe with both sweet potatoes and pumpkin, do you have one you could recommend. Thank you,
Sorry to hear baby has his first cold They are so helpless at this age and not a whole lot Mom or Dad can do.
Hi Maureen, I have never made a sweet potato pumpkin pie – I’m sorry I can’t be more helpful! And yes, so sad to have a sick baby! :(
If you look at the pumpkin pie recipe that’s included in this post, it includes a can of yams. Perhaps that is what you’re remembering?
The filling did not set after 45 minutes plus 15 minutes iN the oven. Why? Is it still safe to eat? It tastes pretty good but it’s not set. :-(
Hi Silvia, Was it set around the edges but just jiggled slightly in the center? If so, be sure you gave it the full 2 hours to cool, as it will continue to set during this time. If the center is clearly still liquid, then I would not eat it given the raw eggs.
I just made the most beautiful sweet potato pie & I used your crust recipe! Thank you for the wonderful recipe :-)
Love this recipe! Linking back to it in my next post :)
So I just made this pie for Thanksgiving. I have never had, nor made sweet potato pie. After making this pie, I’ve found that I either don’t like sweet potato pie, or this isn’t the best recipe. It wasn’t nasty….I’d say it had a very peculiar taste.
Generally, I love the recipes I find here. It’s just this one I won’t be trying again. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday :)
Hey Michelle, the pie looks awesome! I love sweet potato!
Do you think I can make this pie with sweet potato puree? I have got bunch of sweet potato puree cans and it would be super if I can substitute. :)
Hi Jessy, Although I haven’t tried it, I don’t see why not. Enjoy!
The recipe is questionable. I have been making sweet potato pies for years and they’re always a hit. I don’t think there is enough sugar or butter in this recipe. The pie is not suppose to tart.
I’m sure everyone has their own tastes, but I can tell you this definitely doesn’t have a tart flavor to it. The sweet potato flavor shines, but there is also over a cup of sugar (white and brown combined) in the recipe. I have found most recipes that come from Cook’s Illustrated are pretty foolproof and spot-on given all of the testing they do. I’m definitely happy with this sweet potato pie.
Sweet potato pie is new to me, too… But, I’ve been wanting to give it a try. Sounds fabulous!
Its quite interesting that what we eat on Thanksgiving or other holidays are quite cultural. Many African-Americans, including myself grew up eating sweet potato pie at every holiday but never pumpkin pie.
It must be an Italian thing because my Sicilian mom never made anything with sweet potatoes until only recently. But it’s definitely sweet potato pie time! I’ve just posted my version which calls for lemon extract instead of the traditional pumpkin pie spices (with the exception of cinnamon). It is refreshingly light tasting, and the flavor of the sweet potatoes comes shining through. http://www.fransfavs.com/2011/11/sweet-potato-pie/#more-2228
I was just telling my grandmother this weekend that sweet potato is my favorite food. SP pie always beat pumpkin in my book (shhh. don’t tell anyone I said that). This looks really wonderful.
It looks soooooo delicious, that I have to try it
Thanks for sharing!!:):)
this looks and sounds amazing!
Mmm, mmm, mmm. Sweet potato anything = <3.
xo
http://allykayler.blogspot.com
Massively drooling over here. I’ve only ever made pumpkin pie, but this looks like a gorgeous pie. Can’t wait to try it!
This looks so delicious! If you love sweet potatoes, please try out my latest recipe for hazelnut sweet potato bannock pie! http://bit.ly/savourypie
Thanks!
Fantastic! My family never served it, either. We have a neighbor who drops off sweet potato pies to ALL the neighbors on Thanksgiving. Isn’t that sweet?
This looks absolutely gorgeous! Thanksgiving can’t get here sooner! I just wanted to let you know that I featured your Classic Stuffing on my blog today! Head on over if you get the chance! :)
We never had sweet potato pie growing up either, just pumpkin. I made it for the first time last year and it was amazing! I will def have to try this recipe as well. Looks delish!
Everybody I ask keep shelling me their favorite pie is sweet potato and for some reason I have never tried it. This recipe looks scrumptious. It looks like I definitely have an excuse to try it now.
your family never had sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving, mine never had pumpkin pie. thanks for this I’m always looking for new sweet potato pie recipes.
I bake sweet potato pies every Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite thing to bake during the holidays. I think it’s the way it make the house smell… I love the sprinkling of brown sugar on the pie shell – That must be heaven!
I have always wanted to try this, sweeet potatoes are not as big up here in canada.
This week must be sweet potato pie week. I just posted my grandmother’s recipe for it on my blog. My grandmother was from Mississippi so Sweet Potato Pie was a must on our table. I’m glad more and more people are getting into it. Happy Thanksgiving!!
I’ve always wanted to try making this. My hubby and I love sweet potatoes!
Mmm … who doesn’t love a good sweet potato pie! And with Bourbon? I’m sold!
This is kind of embarrassing to admit- but I’ve never had sweet potato pie before :( – – I just thought it would be far too savoury to have as a desert … but after reading this. I.WANT.SOME :$ lol
I have always wanted to try a sweet potato pie…I think I will make this instead of the planned pumpkin pie. Yumm – thanks for sharing!
I’ve never had a sweet potato pie either, maybe this is the year! I’m totally on a sweet potato kick. The bourbon doesn’t sound half bad either!
Sweet Potato Pie isn’t something we have much in the north east… everything is pumpkin. I’m thinking I might change it up this year and make this pie instead of our traditonal pumpkin!
I’ve always wanted to make sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving but we’ve never had it in my family either… Maybe this will be the year! Great recipe, thanks :)
I don’t know if I’d be able to tell in a blind taste test! And I just heard that canned pumpkin is almost always just a variety of squashes pureed together! My dreams have been crushed ;)
I’ve been meaning to try this kind of pie for a while. It sounds so yummy!
I haven’t ever made sweet potato pie. In fact, I never even tried one until a few weeks ago at Sam’s Club. It was decent but I’m quite sure I can make yours and it would taste a thousand times better!
Come to think of it, we never did sweet potato pie either. I’m guessing it has to do with the already dessert-like sweet potato variations like you mentioned. This looks great though, I may have to suggest it :D
I never have sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving- usually keep my sweet potatoes for a side dish:-) However, my dad LOVES sweet potato pie so I’ll think about making this!
Sweet potato/marshmallow casserole??? That sounds kinda kooky!! Sweet potato pie it is funny I was wondering only yesterday using sweet potato instead of pumpkin in baking with the pumpkin spices and how that would be…..on the same wave length! Spooky!!! ;)
ha! just did a search for it and found it! Doesn’t sound as kooky as I was thinking! ;)
So glad you discussed the difference in taste between a pumpkin pie and this sweet potato pie…I was curious about that. This pie looks so delicious and perfectly moist.