Southern Sweet Potato Pie

This Southern Sweet Potato Pie is the kind of dessert that feels like home. With warm cinnamon, nutmeg, buttery richness, and perfectly smooth sweet potato filling, it’s classic comfort in every bite. Whether you’re planning a holiday gathering or just want a cozy dessert that can be made ahead, this pie delivers big flavor without complicated steps.

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Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Why You'll Love This Southern Sweet Potato Pie

• Classic Southern comfort: a timeless dessert that feels nostalgic and special

• Make-ahead friendly: tastes even better the next day, making it perfect for busy schedules

• Simple pantry ingredients: no complicated or hard-to-find items required

• Rich, creamy texture: smooth filling with warm spice in every bite

• Crowd-pleasing dessert: loved by kids and adults alike

• Budget-friendly recipe: uses affordable ingredients to feed a crowd

• Balanced sweetness: brown sugar adds depth without being overly sugary

Baking Tips & Tricks

• Bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling: roasting enhances natural sweetness and flavor

• Remove fibrous strings thoroughly: this ensures a silky smooth filling

• Do not overmix after adding eggs: overmixing can cause cracks during baking

• Use the temperature drop method: starting high then lowering heat helps set the filling without overbrowning the crust

• Let the pie cool completely before slicing: this allows the custard filling to fully set

Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Prep: 1 hour 40 minutes | Cook Time: 55 minutes | Servings: (1) 9-inch pie

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sweet potatoes (2 cups, mashed)

• 1 c. granulated sugar

• ½ c. brown sugar                                    

• ½ c. evaporated milk

• ½ c. butter, melted

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp. ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp. kosher salt

• 1 unbaked pie crust (9-inch)

Let's Get Started!

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Rinse and dry the sweet potatoes, then poke multiple times with a fork. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake potatoes for 50 minutes or until soft. Remove potatoes from the oven and let them cool for about 15 minutes.

3. Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and measure out 2 cups. Place the sweet potatoes in the bowl of a standing mixer, use the whisk attachment and whisk on medium/low for about 30 seconds. Stop and remove the fibrous strings from the whisk.

4. Add in both sugars, evaporated milk, melted butter, eggs (one at a time), vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until smooth.

5. Pour pie filling into the unbaked pie crust.

6. Bake for 10 minutes on 400 degrees, then reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking for 45 minutes until the pies are set (a slight jiggle is ok).  The pie filling will rise a little during baking, but it should not spill over.

7. Remove pie from the oven and let them cool and set for about 30 minutes before serving.

   
   

   *Chef Note:  you can also peel and boil the sweet potatoes if you don’t have time to bake them, but the baked potatoes will offer more flavor.