Simple Sweet Potato Pie (store-bought crust)
This easy sweet potato pie recipe is the perfect holiday dessert. Made with warm spices like nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon with a creamy and rich sweet potato filling, this pie is a fall must-have.
Sweet potato pie is similar in taste to pumpkin pie but with a sweeter and creamier filling. While some recipes call for boiling your potatoes, I highly suggest roasting instead. Boiling adds too much water and can make your filling watery.
I love using a store-bought crust because they’re pretty much foolproof and I admit I am lazy. You can always make your own or even use one of those pre-formed frozen shells to really save yourself some work.
Don’t stop at this pie! Up next try one of my favorite’s my pumpkin pie recipe with graham cracker crust and mini pumpkin pie cheesecakes for more delicious desserts this holiday season.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Simple ingredients.
- Made with a store-bought pie crust.
Ingredients and Substitutes:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for this homemade sweet potato pie recipe.
- Fresh Sweet Potatoes: fresh is best here but if you have to, canned and frozen will work in a pinch just be sure to get rid of any excess liquid.
- Unsalted Butter
- Light Brown Sugar: brown sugar adds a richer caramel flavor to the filling. You can also use dark brown sugar.
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs: Eggs add protein to the filling giving it stability and helping it to set. Make sure the potato puree has cooled slightly or the eggs could cook if added when the potatoes are very hot.
- Whole Milk: instead of heavy cream we’re using whole milk to make a smooth and creamy consistency. Half and half, or evaporated milk can be used in place of whole milk. I don’t recommend swapping for 2% or non-fat milk or you run the risk of having a watery sweet potato filling.
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Refrigerated Pie Crust: store-bought crusts save on time. Homemade, store bought, or a pre-formed frozen pie shell will all work. The crust will require a blind bake before adding the filling to prevent a soggy crust.
Variations
- If you prefer a graham cracker crust, try the crust from pumpkin pie with graham cracker crust.
Dietary Modifications
- For gluten-free, use a gluten-free pie crust.
How to make this classic sweet potato pie (a step-by-step guide):
Step 1: prep the sweet potatoes
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Poke several holes in the potatoes with a fork. Place potatoes on a baking sheet, bake in a preheated oven until sweet potato flesh is fork tender, about one hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes (image 1). Remove the skin from the cooked sweet potatoes, with a knife, remove any scorched flesh or dark areas (image 2).
Step 2: blind bake the pie shell
While the potatoes cool, blind bake the buttery crust. Roll the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and line with parchment paper or foil, fill it with pie weights or even raw beans (image 3). Bake for 15-20 minutes, remove from the oven, carefully remove the pie weights, and set aside to cool (image 4).
Step 3: make the pie filling
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add potatoes to the bowl of a food processor, and blend until the potatoes are pureed (image 5). In a large mixing bowl add the puree and softened butter. Stir with an electric hand mixer until the butter is melted and thoroughly incorporated. Add brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir to combine (image 6). Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract (image 7), stirring with a whisk until fully incorporated (image 8).
Step 4: bake
Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust (image 9). Bake for 1 hour, or until pie is puffed up and the center wiggles slightly. Tent the crust with aluminum foil leaving the center of the pie exposed the final 15 minutes of baking if it is getting too browned. Remove the pie from the oven and let the pie cool for an hour, refrigerate until ready to serve (image 10).
Expert Tip!
To quickly bring refrigerated eggs to room temperature, place eggs in a bowl and fill with hot tap water, allow to set in the warm water for 5 minutes until warmed.
Recipe FAQs
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Orange are the best for this due to their sweetness but if you want to use a white variety just keep in mind it might not be as naturally sweet.
You bet! You could also use frozen, just be sure to defrost it first and be sure to get rid of any excess water as it will dilute the flavor.
Check out our other holiday season desserts!
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Sweet Potato Pie
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Ingredients
- 2 lbs. sweet potatoes approx 3 medium sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Poke several holes in the potatoes with a fork. Place potatoes on a baking sheet, bake until fork tender, about one hour. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- While the potatoes cool blind bake the pie crust. Roll the pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate and line with parchment paper or foil, fill it with pie weights or even raw beans. Bake for 15-20 minutes, remove from the oven, carefully remove the pie weights, and set aside to cool.
- Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahreneight.
- Remove the skin from the cooked sweet potatoes, with a knife remove any scorched flesh or dark areas.
- Add potatoes to the bowl of a food processor, and blend until the potatoes are pureed. Or mash with a potato masher or ricer, until no large lumps remain. You should have 2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups of potato puree.
- In a large bowl add the puree and softened butter. Stir until the butter is melted and thoroughly incorporated.
- Add brown sugar, white sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and stir to combine.
- Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract, stirring with a whisk until fully incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into the par baked pie crust. Bake for 1 hour, or until pie is puffed up and the center wiggles slightly. Tent crust with foil the final 15 minutes of baking if it is getting too browned.
- Remove the pie from the oven and cool for an hour, refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Serve sweet potato pie with whipped cream and ground cinnamon or nutmeg for garnish.
- It is best to bake the potatoes rather than boil. Boiling the potatoes can add water to the flesh making a watery puree and can dilute the natural flavor. Baking helps to remove moisture and concentrate the potatoes’ natural sweet flavor. Potatoes can be baked and pureed a couple days in advance if needed. Store puree in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
- Make sure the potato puree has cooled slightly before adding the eggs to ensure eggs don’t cook from the hot potatoes.
