Southern Sweet Potato Pie (SECRET INGREDIENT)

This Southern Sweet Potato Pie is simply delicious.  It's made completely from scratch with a smooth, warm and creamy filling inside of a buttery and flaky pie crust.  This classic dessert is a must this holiday season.

If you've never tried sweet potato pie, you are really missing out.  This recipe is really easy, and I highly recommend that you make it this holiday season if you've never had or made sweet potato pie before.  My family and friends love this recipe and is one that we make every Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Our holidays just aren't the same without warm slices of  this delectable dessert.

Some may compare southern sweet potato pie to pumpkin pie but honestly there's no comparison.   I'm not knocking pumpkin pie by any means, but the taste between the two are very different.  It's true that the two pies are made with similar ingredients with the exception of one being made with pumpkin puree and the other with yams.   However, pumpkin pie is almost an acquired taste in my opinion whereas sweet potato pie is more flavorful rich and velvety.

Ingredients

• Red yams (pick the darker skinned yams)
• Eggs
• Cinnamon
• Allspice
• Pumpkin spice
• Carnation milk
• Melted butter
• Vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• White Sugar
• *Egg nog (optional but recommended)
• Pie crust (homemade or your favorite store brand)

Recipe essentials

• Pie dish
• Hand mixer
• Large spoon

How to make southern sweet potato pie

The pie crust

• Use a fork to poke several holes in the center and sides of the shell.
• If using a homemade or store bought pie crust, pre-bake the pie crust in the preheated oven for 10 mins. Remove from the oven. Set aside.

Prepare yams for baking

• Wash the outer surface of each yam.  After washing the yams, use a steak knife or fork to poke several holes in the yams. 
• Arrange the yams on a prepared baking sheet lined with foil paper and place them in the oven to bake until the yams are fork tender.
• Remove the yams from the oven and allow them to cool until they are warm to the touch.  Use a knife to cut each yam lengthwise and spoon out the flesh and place in a mixing bowl.

The filling

• Using a hand mixer, whip the yams until they are very smooth and no longer have strings. (To do this, whip the yams for 45 seconds to 1 minute, remove the silver attachments and run the attachments under cold water, dry the attachments with a paper towel, then attach them back onto the mixer and whip again.  Repeat this process at least 3 times to ensure that all the strings are removed.  You NEVER EVER want to serve stringy sweet potato pie.
• Add the cinnamon, allspice, pumpkin spice, *egg nog, carnation milk, melted butter, vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and sugar.  Using a large spoon, mix until well combined.  (Use this time to taste test in case you want to add a little more sugar or vanilla extract).  Add 2 lightly beaten eggs to the sweet potato mixture and mix until well combined. 

Baking the pie

• Pour the filling into a prepared pie shell and place in the oven to bake.
• After the sweet potato pie is done baking, remove from the oven and allow it to cool.
• Note: When removing the pie from the oven, it will look inflated; however, it will deflate as it cools.  You will notice that it will deflate about 2 minutes after removing it from the oven.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream if you'd like.

Should you boil or bake sweet potatoes

When making southern sweet potato pie from scratch, I highly recommend that you bake the yams in the oven instead of boiling them on the stove-top. 

The advantages to baking yams:

• They're much more flavorful
• They become tender without the added moisture from water which makes for a creamier pie filling
• It's low maintenance and doesn't require any effort and clean up is easy if using a lined baking sheet

Tips

• Bake the yams until they are fork-tender instead of boiling them in water
• All wet ingredients should be at room temperature (carnation milk, eggs, and butter melted) this will make the ingredients easier to mix and the pie filling creamier
• Do not overpower the pie filling with a ton of spices (add enough spices to enhance the flavor of the yams)
• Yams are stringy which you will notice when you place them in the mixing bowl to be whipped (it's important that the yams are whipped properly to remove all the strings so you are not left with stringy sweet potato pie - I've highlighted this above)
• A dash of ground ginger would make a great addition to the pie filling
• ¼ teaspoon of almond extract + vanilla extract adds a special touch to the pie pilling.
• Adding *egg nog as another flavor enhancer and my secret ingredient adds incredible depth of flavor to the pie filling and is worth buying to take this southern sweet potato pie up an extra notch
• Egg nog isn't required for this recipe, but highly recommended.  If you choose not to add egg nog, that's okay simply substitute with extra carnation milk.
• Feel free to make homemade pie crust or buy your favorite store brand like I do.  I like Trader Joe’s pie crust rolls or Sprouts Organic pie crust
• The amount of pie crust in this recipe is perfect for a 9 inch deep dish pie crust although you may have about a half cup remaining that you can pour into a ramekin dish and bake alongside your pie
• Pre-bake your pie crust in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes before adding the pie filling

Make ahead

Yes, sweet potato pie can be made ahead of time.  In fact, you can make them a couple of days prior to serving.  Follow the instructions for making this recipe. 

When the pie is removed from the oven, allow it to cool completely then wrap it securely with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge.  Remove the pie from the fridge a few hours before serving, so it can come to room temperature.

Storing

When storing leftover sweet potato pie, cover and leave on the counter top for up to 24 hours which I do or place in the fridge right away and when ready to serve cut a slice then warm it.

You may also like

For other holiday desserts, be sure to check out these recipes: Old Fashioned Peach Cobbler, Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

For more recipe ideas and inspiration, be sure to connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Thanks for visiting,

Cree

📖 Recipe

Southern Sweet Potato Pie

By Cree

This Southern Sweet Potato Pie is simply delicious.  It's made completely from scratch with a smooth, warm and creamy filling inside of a buttery and flaky pie crust. 

4.42 from 12 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes

Baking Time (Depending on size of yams): 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Calories: 588kcal

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 lbs red yams (pick the dark skinned yams)
• ▢ 4 tablespoon butter (melted)
• ▢ ¾ cup carnation milk (evaporated milk)
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
• ▢ ½ teaspoon all spice
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (pure vanilla extract)
• ▢ ¾ cup white sugar (plus 1 tbsp)
• ▢ ½ cup egg nog (my secret ingredient optional but recommended)
• ▢ 2 eggs (lightly beaten)

Instructions

The Pie Crust

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Use a fork to poke several holes in the center and sides of the shell.
• If using a homemade or store bought pie crust, pre-bake the pie crust in the preheated oven for 10 mins. Remove from the oven. Set aside.

Prepare yams for baking

• Preheat oven to 415 degrees.
• Wash the outer surface of each yam and poke several holes in the yams using a knife or fork. Arrange the yams on a prepared baking sheet lined with foil paper and place them in the oven to bake until the yams are fork tender (about 1 hr and 30 mins to 1 hr and 40 mins depending on the size of the yams. Remove the yams from the oven and allow them to cool until they are warm to the touch. 

The Filling

• Using a knife, cut each yam lengthwise spoon out the flesh, and place in a mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer, whip the yams until they are very smooth and no longer have strings. (To do this, whip the yams for 45 seconds to 1 minute, remove the silver attachments and run them under cold water, dry them with a paper towel, then attach them back onto the mixer and whip again).  Repeat this process at least 3 times to ensure that all the strings are removed.  You NEVER EVER want to serve stringy sweet potato pie.
• Add the cinnamon, allspice, pumpkin spice, egg nog, carnation milk, melted butter, vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract, and sugar.  Using a large spoon, mix all ingredients until well combined.  (Use this time to taste test if you want to add more sugar or vanilla extract).  Add 2 lightly beaten eggs to the sweet potato mixture and mix until well combined (Egg nog isn't required for this recipe, but highly recommended.  If you choose not to add egg nog, that's okay simply substitute with extra carnation milk). It will still be delicious.

Baking the pie

• Place your pie dish on a baking sheet lined with foil to catch any drippings from the pie as it bakes and pour the filling into the crust. The filling should almost reach the top of the pie crust but do not overfill. You might have about ¼ cup of filling remaining that you can place in an oven-safe ramekin if you'd like to bake alongside the pie.
• Bake the pie for 55 minutes. The pie should appear set while the center is soft. Remove the pie from the oven and allow it to cool. When removing the pie from the oven, it may look puffy or inflated; however, as it cools it will deflate. It may also crack and that it totally okay.
• Slice and enjoy with a dollop of whipped cream if you'd like.

Notes

Tips

• Bake the yams until they are fork-tender instead of boiling them in water

 

• All wet ingredients should be at room temperature (carnation milk, eggs, and butter melted) this will make the ingredients easier to mix and the pie filling creamier

 

• Do not overpower the pie filling with a ton of spices (add enough spices to enhance the flavor of the yams)

 

• Yam/sweet potatoes are stringy which you will notice when you place them in the mixing bowl to be whipped (it's important that the yams are whipped properly to remove all the strings so you are not left with stringy sweet potato pie - I've highlighted this above)

 

• A dash of ground ginger would make a great addition to the pie filling

 

• ¼ teaspoon of almond extract + vanilla extract adds a special touch to the pie pilling

 

• Adding *egg nog as another flavor enhancer and my secret ingredient adds incredible depth of flavor to the pie filling and is worth buying to take this southern sweet potato pie up an extra notch

 

• Feel free to make homemade pie crust or buy your favorite store brand like I do.  I like Trader Joe’s pie crust rolls or Sprouts Organic pie crust

 

• The amount of pie crust in this recipe is perfect for a 9 inch deep dish pie crust although you may have about a half cup remaining that you can pour into a ramekin dish and bake alongside your pie

 

• Pre-bake your pie crust in a preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes before adding the pie filling

 

• Egg nog isn't required for this recipe, but highly recommended.  If you choose not to add egg nog, that's okay simply substitute with extra carnation milk.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 115g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 2599mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 774IU | Vitamin C: 53mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For the most accurate results, we recommend calculating the nutritional information using the specific ingredients and brands you use.

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