You guys have never tasted anything like an authentic, Southern-style sweet potato pie like this one! This pie is the one to prepare for any and all of your festive requirements. A flavor-packed filling made with creamy yams, brown sugar, evaporated milk, toasty spices, and other ingredients. topped with a decadent, toasted marshmallow!
To be honest, I used to detest creating my own pies. They used to really terrify me and make me break out in cold sweats, ha! Nevertheless, like with all worthwhile life lessons, practice makes perfect. You know, it did need some time, but today I find myself baking pies on a regular basis. You guys, this sweet potato pie recipe is one of my all-time favorites!
The Best Sweet Potato Pie, Ever
I get why it makes people uncomfortable when food bloggers call their own dish “the best,” huh? But after you try this dish, I have no doubt that you’ll reach the same conclusion. I’ve put this southern sweet potato pie recipe to the test, and everyone I’ve served it to has given it great feedback. In case you’re unfamiliar with this type of pie, the Black community and Southerners hold sweet potato pie in high regard. Yes, this is the pie that’s typically the focal point of Thanksgiving dinners in African American families.
While many people are accustomed to eating pumpkin pie during the holidays, nothing compares to a slice of sweet potato pie. All things considered, my favorite spud is the sweet potato! Its rich, delicious taste and vivid orange hue are unmatched. People, this pie is bursting with warm, delectable tastes! Warming spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and ginger enhance the predominant sweetness of the sweet potato. It is also topped with a toasted marshmallow meringue and is thick and creamy.
What You’ll Need For This Pie Recipe
- Pie crust: You may buy a frozen 9-inch pie shell from the supermarket or make your own using a recipe. Any pie crust, including a gluten-free one, will work for this recipe for southern sweet potato pie!
- Sweet potatoes: Every time I cook sweet potato pie, I promise to use garnet yams. Their deep, juicy orange core contrasts with their dark purple-red color. But for this recipe, use any variety of sweet potato that is readily available.
- Butter: Tastes great and gives the pie more taste and richness.
- Brown sugar: Sweet potatoes and brown sugar are almost best friends, and a pie requires sweetness. The brown sugar’s molasses aroma is like a chef’s kiss!
- Spices: You’ll need ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. The other spices provide warmth and depth, while salt balances the tastes.
- Cornmeal: To give additional texture and taste to the sweet potato pie and to serve as a bit of a binder, I use a little amount of fine cornmeal.
- Bourbon: Adds a richer taste to the pie, which is essential in Southern recipes. In case you were wondering, the answer is that after this pie is baked, you cannot taste the bourbon.Moreover, it is completely optional!
- Eggs: They are utilized to produce the marshmallow/meringue topping as well as in the pie filling. I thus rely on premium eggs, such as those from my pals Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs!
- Evaporated milk: This shelf-stable variety of milk has had 60% of its water content removed, giving it a richer, creamier texture that is ideal for pies.
- Vanilla extract: A delicious taste for maximum impact!
- Egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, salt, and vanilla are needed to make the meringue.
How To Make Southern Sweet Potato Pie
- Warm up the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Prepare the pastry. In a hurry, homemade or store-bought pie crust!
- Prepare the filler. Mix all the pie filling ingredients together in a big basin until smooth and well blended.
- Fill the crust with the filling. Fill the pie crust to the brim with pie filling. Evenly spread the contents into the crust using an offset spatula.
- Preheat the pie. To finish baking the pie, put it in the oven!
- Allow to cool. Let the pie cool for at least two to three hours on a wire rack. After the pie cools completely, cover it and store it in the fridge.
- Finish. To create a truly enchanting and stunning ending, prepare the marshmallow/meringue topping. Spread it over the chilled sweet potato pie and roast it little with a kitchen torch, delicious!
- Present it! Cut the pie into pieces, present it, and savor it 🙂
This southern sweet potato pie is really simple to make! After making the crust, combine the filling, transfer it into the crust, and bake it. That is all. This pie is an incredible dessert that is a must-have for any holiday spread. I adore how flavorful, precisely seasoned, and incredibly moist and delectable it is!
Plus, the marshmallow/meringue topping makes it all come together. Meringue goes well with almost everything that contains sweet potatoes, such as casseroles and pies, as well as many baked items. It’s an optional ingredient, but it really kicks this pie recipe up to a whole new level of deliciousness. It’s creamy, somewhat sweet, and provides a pleasing taste contrast. Ice cream or whipped cream also go nicely together.
How To Cook Sweet Potatoes
- Boiling: This is the approach I nearly usually use. Many people believe that cooking sweet potatoes would cause them to get soggy, but I never experience this. Heat up a big saucepan of water until it boils. After that, add your sweet potatoes, quartered and skinned. Bring them to a fork-tender boil. To ensure there isn’t a problem with water logging, I fully drain the potatoes, then put them back in the saucepan and mash them. Any moisture left in the saucepan will be cooked off or expelled by the residual heat.
- Roasting: Excellent but little more time-consuming! Turn the oven on to 425°F. After giving the potatoes a good scrub and rinse, pat dry. Next, pierce them many times with a fork to allow for aeration. Apply a thin layer of oil to the potatoes. Transfer them to a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender to the fork. Once cold, cut open and remove the meat using a spoon.
- Microwave: Wash, scrape, and pat dry the potatoes. Next, poke them several times all over with a fork to let some air out. After placing the sweet potatoes on a plate or paper towel that is safe to use in the microwave, cook them for five minutes. Then, flip them over and cook them for an additional five minutes. Verify that they are fork-tender by checking. Keep in mind that bigger potatoes will require an additional minute of cooking. Take care not to overcook!
Pro-tip: All of the aforementioned cooking techniques work well, but there’s one more thing. True sweet potatoes will still have some of their stringy fibers in them. That’s why I usually suggest pulsing it quickly in a food processor to get a smooth, creamy puree! This will guarantee the finest texture for your pie.
Why You’ll Love This Sweet Potato Pie ♡
Friends, this southern-style sweet potato pie is very amazing! You’ll discover how quick and simple it is to make this pie. You can trust this pie recipe, so there’s no need to be anxious or afraid. It’s also the ideal dessert to display on the table for any holiday celebration, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s! I could go on forever, but to put it briefly, this recipe for sweet potato pie is really easy to make and is among the tastiest available.
Make This Recipe Ahead Of Time
It’s a terrific way to save time to prepare this pie ahead of time! The sweet potato pie filling may be prepared up to two days ahead of time, then baked and poured into your pie crust. To ensure freshness, place the filling within an airtight container. Furthermore, you may prepare the marshmallow/meringue well in ahead of serving (about 6-7 hours) and preserve it at room temperature. If not, refrigerate for a maximum of one day in advance.
Note: I suggest creating the meringue the night before serving, since it tends to weep if left in the refrigerator for too long.
Storing Homemade Sweet Potato Pie
First, make sure your sweet potato pie has cooled all the way down. After that, you may cover any leftover pie or individual slices with foil. For further precaution, I also like to store it in an airtight container after that. Pie refrigerated in the refrigerator will keep for up to 2 days (if meringue is used) or 3–4 days (if not). As desired, serve it right out of the refrigerator.
You may also freeze your pie if you’d want to! Once the pie has cooled, make sure to wrap it tightly. The pie may be kept for up to a month in the freezer. Thaw it entirely in the refrigerator overnight before serving. Note: I would not advise freezing the pie if you want to top it with meringue.
More Delicious Cake You Might Like
- Spiced Zucchini Cake
- Mocha Chocolate Cream Pie
- Almond Cake
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Croissant Breakfast Casserole
Southern Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
For the sweet potato pie:
- 1 9-inch pie crust, homemade or store-bought
- 1 lb sweet potatoes cooked, peeled, & mashed (about 2 cups, puréed)- preferably garnet yams
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted and lightly cooled
- 3/4 cup light or dark packed brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon bourbon- optional
- 2 large Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the marshmallow/meringue topping:
- 2 large Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs whites only
- 1/2 cup caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt a pinch
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the sweet potato pie:
- Set oven temperature to 350°F. After that, position an oven rack in the middle of the oven; this will aid in more equal baking of the pie.
- Using a food processor or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the mashed sweet potato. Once the sweet potatoes are silky smooth and devoid of stringy fibers, pulse or beat them a few times and leave them aside.
- Sweet potato puree, melted butter, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, salt, cornmeal, eggs, evaporated milk, and vanilla essence should all be combined in a big basin. Blend all ingredients until well incorporated and silky.
- Filling should be poured into the prepared pie pan and, if necessary, smoothed down with an offset spatula or spoon.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. After baking for 30 minutes, check the pie to see how the crust is doing. If it is becoming too brown, tent the pie dough with foil or pie crust shields. After baking, the pie’s center should wiggle or wobble just a bit.
- Place the pie on a wire rack to cool for at least two to three hours after baking. After that, wrap the pie in foil and put it in the fridge to cool fully before storing. Because it contains milk and eggs, this pie should always be kept refrigerated. Add whipped cream or meringue topping as a garnish, if preferred. Cut and present. Have fun!
For the marshmallow/meringue topping:
- A few inches of water should be added to a small pot and brought to a simmer. Pour the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt into a small, heatproof basin. Make sure the water in the saucepan does not touch the bottom of the bowl when you place the bowl over the saucepan to create a double boiler.
- Mix the mixture constantly for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and the consistency thins down. Keep stirring until the liquid becomes warm and somewhat foamy. Gently insert your finger into the mixture to test it; there shouldn’t be any sugar grains to feel when you rub it between your fingers.
- After removing the tiny bowl off the top, turn off the heat. Add the vanilla bean paste and extract, and whisk until well combined.
- Beat the blend: Melt the meringue in a stand mixer bowl or with a handheld mixer; beat on high speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or until firm peaks form. Raise the whisk and see if the meringue remains firm without dripping.
- After the sweet potato pie has cooled, spread the meringue on top. Serve straight away or, as seen in the photo, gently toast the meringue with a kitchen torch.
Notes
- Please read the blog post in its entirety for more tips + tricks.