Big Mama’s Sweet Potato Pie

When it comes to a down home, straight up, authentic Southern sweet potato pie recipe, this is it boos. This one comes straight from my Mississippi big mama Maggie. Sweet potatoes are baked until perfectly tender and caramelized then the filling is whipped until smooth with milk, warm spices, and sugar. This is how the South truly makes it. You won’t find none of that imposter Southern mess around these parts. Try this and give up your search for the perfect sweet potato pie for good boos.

Learning how to make a sweet potato pie is a right of passage in my family. My big mama made the best ones but she did it all instinctively without a recipe! So just imagine how hard it was to pin down the exact measurements for this baby. However my Auntie Rose came to the rescue. I think we got as close to the original as possible. Whether you serve this up during the holiday season or place it on the Sunday supper table, it will be the best sweet potato pie recipe you ever try. Grandmamas everywhere in the South will rejoice boos.

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The Lowdown of This Sweet Potato Pie

Cuisine Inspiration: Classic Southern

Primary Cooking Method: Baking

Dietary Info: Can be made Gluten-Free with adjustments

Key Flavor: Perfectly sweet and spiced with buttery flaky crust

Skill Level: Easy y’all (No sweat fam!)

Old School Southern flavors

This is a recipe passed down from my Mississippi grandmother herself with no edits. It’s absolutely perfect as is. When you truly want an authentic Southern sweet potato pie, this is the one to bake.

Foolproof and No Fuss

We use simple easy to grab ingredients to make this pie. Plus building the filling is so easy, even a baking newbie can master this.

Holiday Crowd Pleaser

When you pull up to the Thanksgiving potluck, you better have this homemade sweet potato pie recipe in your hands.

Ingredients you’ll need to make this sweet potato pie recipe

• Sweet Potatoes: We get these babies roasted up until super tender and caramelized bringing out all that rich natural flavor.
• Oil: We rub the potatoes in this so to promote more even uniform baking.
• Salted Butter: That creamy rich flavor can’t be beat when mixed into the smooth filling.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweet potatoes are naturally sweet but we gotta up that sweetness to give dessert vibes.
• Eggs: These help bind our filling ingredients together giving that perfect custardy smooth texture.
• Vanilla Extract: Just a splash is add the perfect amount of aromatic essence and depth of flavor.
• Evaporated Milk: Big mama’s liquid of choice was the PET brand. It gives such richness and creaminess to the filling.
• All-Purpose Flour: We add just a wee bit to let that pie filling set up perfectly.
• Spices: Big mama never used cinnamon so you won’t find it in this recipe. She loved her some nutmeg though. That warm spice plus a pinch of salt brings all the flavors together.
• Pie Crusts: We go with homemade here but trust that you can also use store-bought to keep this even easier.

How to make sweet potato pie

Step 1: Bake The Potatoes

1

Clean your sweet potatoes then stick a fork all over each potato multiple times to allow steam to escape. Rub oil on the surface of each potato then add on a parchment lined baking sheet.

2

Bake for about 50 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through. We want them to be nice and tender inside.

3

After 10 minutes while potatoes are still hot, carefully remove the skin from the potatoes.

Step 2: Mix It Up

4

While potatoes are warm, add peeled potatoes to a stand mixer bowl.

5

Turn the mixer on medium low for about 20 seconds then stop and remove the whisk and rinse the fibrous strings from the whisk. Repeat this two or three times, each time rinsing the strings from the whisk. This helps us get an unbelievably smooth filling!

6

Add butter to warm potatoes and mix on medium until butter has melted and absorbed.

7

Slowly add sugar on medium low and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl if you need to.

8

Add eggs one at a time, waiting for each to get cozy in the batter.

9

Slowly add vanilla and evaporated milk. Scrape bottom of the bowl to make sure everything mixes up perfectly.

10

Finally add the flour, nutmeg, and salt and mix it up.

11

Your batter should be silky smooth just like this.

Step 3: Bake It Up

12

Prep 2 pie crusts by letting them pre-bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes.

13

Pour 3 ¾ cups of batter into each prepared crust (it may seem like the crust is too full but it’s all good).

14

Bake for 10 minutes on 400 F, then reduce oven temp to 325 F and continue baking until the middle of the pie is set (there will be a slight jiggle but this is fine), about 45 minutes. Bring to room temp then chill in the fridge before serving.

What to serve with Southern sweet potato pie

• Dollop it Up: Just a little fresh whipped cream on top can take this pie to new heights.
• Warm with Ice Cream: Whether you go classic with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or add something a bit more fun like cookie butter ice cream or coffee ice cream, it’s a whole mood y’all.
• Drizzle it Up: Ain’t nothing like an indulgent drizzle of warm caramel sauce over the top.
• Thanksgiving Pie Buffet: Make sure you have my big mama’s sweet potato pie on the table along with pecan pie, my big mama’s egg pie, chess pie and vinegar pie.

Meal Plan: Southern Sunday Supper

Southern fried chicken must be on the menu when serving up a soul food dinner complete with sweet potato pie.

My mama’s collard greens better be on the table to make this super authentic.

Baked mac and cheese gives you a decadent and super indulgent side dish to throw on your plate.

Pull out this Southern cornbread to go along with those greens perfectly. Then serve up a slice of sweet potato pie to end the meal just right.

Recipe Substitutions

• Sugar: To add a touch of molasses, use brown sugar instead of granulated. You can even make your own brown sugar.
• Butter: If you don’t have salted, grab unsalted and just add a bit more salt to the mix.
• Evaporated Milk: Use heavy cream or half-and-half instead to make the filling richer and creamier.
• Flour: Just use cornstarch as a replacement and you turn the entire filling gluten-free in the process.

Recipe Variations and Additions

• Spice it Up: Add a touch of cayenne to the batter to give it a kick.
• Gluten-Free: Besides replacing the flour with cornstarch or a gluten-free all purpose flour, make sure you use a gluten-free crust recipe as well.
• Vegan: Use vegan butter, plant-based milk and flax eggs as replacements in the recipe. You can also replace the butter in the dough with vegan butter.
• Crust Switch Up: Go with a graham cracker crust to add a different texture and sweetness to the mix.

Expert Tips and Tricks for making the best homemade sweet potato pie

1. Roast Those Potatoes: Some sweet potato pie recipes call for boiling the potatoes but I find that baking them brings out more natural sweetness without making them watery in the process.
2. Go Room Temp: Make sure those eggs, butter and milk are room temp so they create a super smooth well-mixed pie filling.
3. Keep It Smooth: Getting rid of those annoying strings on your beaters will ensure you end up with the silkiest pie ever y’all.
4. Just a Jiggle: It’s all good if your filling still has a little jiggle before you take the pie out. It will continue to set as it rests.

How to store & reheat sweet potato pie

It’s best to store your homemade sweet potato pies in the fridge. I like to cover mine with plastic wrap then with foil. When you are ready to serve, just slice and let it come to room temp for about 20 minutes or heat in the microwave if you want a warm slice.

How long will Southern sweet potato pie last in the fridge?

It should last for about 3-4 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze?

Oh for sure boos! In fact, my big mama’s sweet potato pie stores great in the freezer. Wrap super well in plastic wrap then in foil. It should last in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Frequently asked questions

Getting a homemade sweet potato pie recipe down ain’t as hard as it seems. Don’t be intimidated boos. Once you try this one with its perfectly spiced filling that’s sweet and creamy, you won’t wanna make another one. Pull this out and impress all your friends.

More Southern pie recipes

• Coconut Custard Pie
• Key Lime Pie
• Chocolate Chess Pie
• The Best Apple Pie
• Butterscotch Pie
• Shoofly Pie
• Double Crusted Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

My big Mama's Sweet Potato Pie recipe is over 100 years old, and it's so good you'll be lickin' the pie tin!

4.97 from 30 votes

Print Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Dessert

Servings: 2 9 inch pies, 12 servings each

Equipment

• pie plate

Ingredients

• ▢ 4 medium sweet potatoes 44 ounces total
• ▢ 2 tbsp vegetable oil or any neutral oil like canola
• ▢ 1 cup salted butter room temperature
• ▢ 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup evaporated milk PET brand was big mama's fave brand
• ▢ 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• ▢ pinch of kosher salt
• ▢ 2 pie crusts either homemade pie crust or store-bought

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the rack in the middle position. Prepare sheet pan by lining with parchment paper.
• Scrub, rinse, and dry sweet potatoes. Stick a fork all over each potato multiple times to allow steam to escape.
• Rub oil on the surface of each potato. Place on the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, flipping the potatoes halfway through. Use a toothpick or skewer to check for doneness; the toothpick should slide easily into the potato with no resistance. If not done, bake for a few more minutes.
• Remove potatoes from the oven and let cool slightly on parchment paper, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, line two 9-inch glass pie plates with my homemade pie dough or store-bought dough. Prick with a fork, line with parchment, add pie weights and blind bake for 10-15 minutes in the 400℉ oven. Remove from the oven and cool.
• Carefully remove the skin from the potatoes. You should have 4 cups of mashed potatoes. (You can gently press on them with a fork or whisk and measure them into a large measuring cup.)
• While warm, place the potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer on medium low for about 20 seconds then stop and remove the whisk and rinse the fibrous strings from the whisk. Repeat this two or three times, each time rinsing the strings from the whisk. We want this pie to be unbelievably smooth!
• Add butter to warm potatoes and mix on medium until butter has absorbed, about 1 minute. Slowly add sugar on medium low and mix until incorporated. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
• If you see more strings at this step, remove them. Add the eggs one at a time, waiting for each to incorporate into the batter.
• While the mixer is on low, slowly add vanilla and evaporated milk. Scrape bottom of the bowl to ensure batter is mixed evenly.
• Finally, add the flour, nutmeg, and salt and mix into the batter. Pro tip: If you want to smooth out the filling even more, you can pour it through a strainer so it is super silky before baking.
• Pour 3 ¾ cups of batter into each prepared crust- REMEMBER THIS MAKES TWO PIES (it may seem like the crust is too full but it is fine). Bake for 10 minutes on 400 F, then reduce oven temperature to 325 F and continue baking until the middle of the pie is set (there will be a slight jiggle but this is fine), about 45 minutes. The filling will rise slightly during baking, but not spill over.
• Remove both pies from the oven and let sit until it comes to room temperature, about 30-40 minutes. Then place in the refrigerator until chilled and set, about 3 hours.
• Serve room temperature or slightly warmed.

Video

Notes

How to store & reheat sweet potato pie

It’s best to store your homemade sweet potato pies in the fridge. I like to cover mine with plastic wrap then with foil. When you are ready to serve, just slice and let come to room temp for about 20 minutes or heat in the microwave if you want a warm slice.

How long will Southern sweet potato pie last in the fridge?

It should last for about 3-4 days in the fridge.

Can I freeze?

Oh for sure boos! In fact, my big mama’s sweet potato pie stores super well in the freezer. Wrap super well in plastic wrap then in foil. It should last in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 3340kcal | Carbohydrates: 445g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 160g | Saturated Fat: 78g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 51g | Trans Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 577mg | Sodium: 1949mg | Potassium: 2289mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 285g | Vitamin A: 67945IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 623mg | Iron: 10mg

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