Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

A slice of homemade sweet potato pie on a white plate ready to serve with pie in the background

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4.94 from 32 votes

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!

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time45

Total Time2 15

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Southern

Servings: 9 inch pies, 12 servings each

Calories: 3340kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

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