This PERFECT Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe is filled with tender baked sweet potato, indulgent fall flavors and baking spices in a flaky buttery crust. This is the South’s favorite pie, and it is absolutely perfect for the holiday season or Sunday supper dessert. If you love other Southern pies like this Sheet Pan Pie with 3 flavors in 1, Pumpkin Pie, Sweet Potato Pecan Pie, Buttermilk Pie , Pie Trifle, or Southern Peach Cobbler, you will love this! Also try my Sweet Potato Chess Pie for a nice twist!
HOW TO MAKE SWEET POTATO PIE RECIPE (SOUL FOOD)
SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO PIE RECIPE
I first purchased Patty Pinner’s cookbook and treasure “Sweets: Soul Food Desserts & Memories” five years ago. I was instantly connected to the stories and photographs because I saw fragments of myself intertwined in the pages. Growing up mesmerized by my Big Mama’s cooking and baking (especially her southern sweet potato pie recipe) made me relate to Patty on so many levels.
HOW DO YOU MAKE A SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO PIE?
Making a southern sweet potato pie is not a difficult as it might seem. There are two essential ingredients to make a wonderful sweet potato pie: perfect pie crust and delicious pie filling (read more below on each). One huge tip I love to share about making a southern sweet potato pie is the ingredients should be at room temperature! Also, it never hurts to add a dollop of fresh whipped cream to a cut slice of the completed pie.
EASY SWEET POTATO PIE CRUST
The crust is so essential when making a homemade pie. Patty’s pie crust recipe utilizes shortening instead of butter or margarine.
It does result in a very flaky crust so it is definitely worth giving a try. You can also replace some of the shorting with butter or use a butter flavored shortening if you want the additional flavor. I personally love the flavor of butter so I always make my pie crusts with butter. You can find my Perfect Pie Crust recipe here.
“BLACK FOLKS” SWEET POTATO PIE RECIPE FILLING
To make a Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie recipe, it starts with the pie filling. The key ingredients are the following:
- Sweet Potatoes (You can either boil these on stovetop or you can bake them until the insides are completely tender)
- Butter (and lots of it!)
- Corn syrup
- Sugar
- Eggs (creates stability for the pie, make sure they are room temperature)
- Buttermilk
- Spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla!)
There is lots of butter in this recipe so just know that it is definitely for a special occasion like the holidays. What I found interesting was the addition of buttermilk, which gave a nice tangy flavor to this Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe.
For the sweetness, there is a combination of sugar and corn syrup that’s used. I found this to be very unique, and it tastes phenomenal.
For the spices, it is everything you would find in a pumpkin pie if that is your thing. The cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice really heighten the flavor of the sweet potatoes creating something really rich and enhanced.
Southern Sweet Potato Pie Variations
If you love sweet potato, you will adore my Sweet Potato Casserole, Sweet Potato Chess Pie recipe or my Sweet Potato Cheesecake recipe or even my Sweet Potato Pound Cake recipe or Sweet Potato Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmallow.
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Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
This PERFECT Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe is filled with tender baked sweet potato, indulgent fall flavors and baking spices in a flaky buttery crust. You won't taste another one like this! This is the South's favorite pie, and it is absolutely perfect for the holiday season or Sunday supper dessert!
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Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 474kcal
Ingredients
- 3 large sweet potatoes
- 1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- whipped cream for garnish
Instructions
- Wash the whole sweet potatoes and drain them.
- Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat, and cook until the potatoes are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. (A fork should pierce the potatoes easily but they should not fall apart.) When the potatoes are done, drain and cool them.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare the pastry for a 9-inch single-crust pie.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and mash them in a large bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer.
- Add the melted butter, corn syrup, and sugar. Beat on medium speed. Discard the long, stringy fibers that collect around the electric beaters as you beat the filling. In the end, you want a smooth, string-free filling.
- Add the eggs one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
- Pour in the buttermilk. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until the filling is smooth. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Garnish with whipped cream.
Notes
All of your ingredients should be at room temperature for this recipe.
Nutrition
Calories: 474kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 7355IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1.1mg
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Hi Jocelyn,
I am a Delk also by marriage. Originating from Va and NJ. There must be a relation because your sweet potato pie tastes just like my mother-in-law’s. It is absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing!
I made 2 pies last night as a test for Thanksgiving. I forgot to add the vanilla, but it was still delicious! I didn’t have allspice so I used some ginger and pumpkin pie saice.
Oh my dear you have made me dreaming back to my mama’s kitchen with this recipe.Oh the smells that woman made she did it with love.I can see her now doing her holiday baking and me wanting to cut a slice of that delicious pie.But no I had to wait.Mama has gone to her glory and I am so greatful that I had her for as long as we did.The first recipe I made of yours was the blueberry pound cake.Gosh it was lip smacking good.Thank you Jocelyn for sharing your recipes with us and your wonderful memories.
I made two pies for Thanksgiving following this recipe. I was told that the pie was better than my grandmother’s (but it was whispered because we not trying to start nothing…LOL)! Will be making the pies for Christmas as well. The recipe was so easy to follow and the pie is delicious!!!
Thank you so much!
Why do you use corn syrup in this recipe ?
Patty Pinner likes to use it in this recipe however you can use maple syrup as a substitute.
Your pie calls for 3 large sweet potatoes there are different sizes of large sweet potatoes could you tell me how many cups that would be. Thanks!
Can you used can milk
Does it have to be unsalted butter?
You can use salted if you have it.
Hi. Could you please specify the amount of butter. It says 1/2 only. I really want to make this pie for a friend.
Hi Nakia, it is a 1/2 cup. Thank you for bringing to my attention.
Your recipe does not indicate how much butter to use other than 1/2 butter. Is it a half stick?
It’s a 1/2 cup. Thank you!