This Fall favorite is made with roasted sweet potatoes, butter, evaporated milk (the secret ingredient), brown sugar, and a blend of warm fall spices. It tastes pretty close to pumpkin pie, but with a bit of a milder flavor that I much prefer.
For me, using evaporated milk in this is a must. Some folks refer to it as Carnation milk or canned milk. Now this is not the same thing as sweetened condensed milk – which my grandmother still calls Eagle Brand milk. While they both are concentrated milks, sweetened condensed milk is sweetened- just as the name implies. Evaporated milk, on the other hand, is concentrated but no extra sugar is added.
Evaporated milk is denser and creamier than regular milk and it has a slightly caramelized flavor because of the high heat at which it is cooked.
Evaporated milk makes this pie super rich and creamy. That said, if you can’t get your hands on a can of evaporated milk, heavy cream will work as a substitute.
Now, my recipe calls for you to roast the sweet potatoes to get them cooked before they go into the pie filling. Many recipes, though, call for you to boil them. Either way will work just fine. I just think I prefer the flavor of them better when they’ve been roasted.
I love this pie topped with a heaping helping of whipped cream – or even Cool Whip, if that’s what I have on hand. There is no shame in my game and I will readily admit that I love me some Cool Whip – regardless of what’s on the ingredient label.
That said, my favorite thing to do with this Sweet Potato Pie is top it with a dollop of jarred marshmallow cream and just hit the top of that cream with a blow torch to get it toasted. Wooo, doggie, that’s some good stuff right there! Y’all enjoy!
Classic Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet potatoes
- 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 (9-inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425° and line a rimmed baking sheet it aluminum foil. Wash the sweet potatoes and prick them a few times with a fork. Place them on the baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Peel the potatoes when cool.
- Using a mixer, mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the sugar, eggs, and melted butter and mix to combine. Add the evaporated milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, giner, salt, and vanilla and mix until combined and smooth.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Place the unbaked pie crust on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet. Pour the pie filling into the crust and bake in the center of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the pie is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Allow the pie to cool. It may sink some as it cools. Refrigerate if desired. Serve topped with whipped cream or toasted marshmallow cream, if desired.
DavidF says
Okay, you have redeemed yourself with this recipe. This is (for sure) Pie, not some other name like: Pumpkin Pudding (maybe). He he he … No, that was cornbread or more cake-biscuits … not Biscuits in a pan. Come on, Stacey, Man. That was so confusing in your other recipe …
Stacey says
Well, I’m glad to hear that. Though, I assure you no cornmeal was used in that other recipe so there’s no way it could have been cornbread! LOL! 🙂
Linda Copeland says
Hi Stacey! Can ya; see me wavin’ at ya’ from GA? LOL Could you please tell me if you used salted or unsalted butter in this? Your recipe is very much like mine, and I use the salted kind, only diff is the 3 spices. I’m going to be really adventurous and add them thar’ spices next time and I know it will be tummy- yummy. Never occurred to me to use them except in pumpkin pie (now ain’t I in a rut?). When cooking for my parents I always stuck to Mom’s old fashioned recipe I’d always made. They loved the plain sweet potato flavor that came through and I did too, but it’s time for a change. Thanks SO much for sharing another of your great recipes.
Hugs & Blessings to all,
Linda
Stacey says
Hey over there!! I use unsalted, but either will work. When I have a recipe where it makes a big difference, I try to specify. If it’s not super important, I usually just say “butter.” Hope you’ll enjoy it and hugs to y’all, too!
Carolyn Lewis says
Hi Stacey,
This recipe sounds like something I am craving tonight. I think sweet potato is my favorite pie! Could you guesstimate how many cups of cooked sweet potato would make this recipe. I already roasted my potatoes today and wonder if I could use a pound of the cooked or would it be a pound of potatoes before cooked? Thanks for any help. The potatoes are so good plain that they will for sure make a great pie!
Thanks for all these wonderful recipes!!!
Carolyn
Stacey says
Hi Carolyn! I would guess between 2 and 21/2 cups of cooked sweet potato. Sure hope you’ll enjoy it!
BobbieJean Brewer says
Hello Stacey I Will Be Trying This Sweet potatoes Pie And The Pineapple Juice Cake I Will Let You Know If The Family Keep Me Or Say Bye Bye😄
Stacey says
Something tells me they’re gonna keep you! Enjoy!
Marie says
How can I print this Sweet Potato Pie recipe?
Stacey says
Simply click the “Print Recipe” button in the upper right hand corner of the recipe card towards the bottom of the post.
Brenda says
So really, you cook the pie at 425 degrees for 50-60 minute? Seems mighty high for so long.
June says
Brenda you bake the sweet potatoes in the oven at 425 degrees and when the potatoes are done you reduce your oven temp. to 350 degrees to bake the sweet potato pie.
Brenda says
I made this recipe and yes, 425 degrees for 55 minutes was perfect in my oven. And I must say this is the best sweet potato pie I have ever had!! Thank you Stacey for this wonderful recipe.
I do have a tip though, my new container of nutmeg clumped a little because I added my spices after adding the milk and it did not incorporate as well as it should’ve if I had added them at the proper time. And I will also blend my spices together before adding them to the filling, I think it would help to keep any of them from clumping.
Stacey says
I’m so glad it turned out well for you, Brenda! So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing those tips.
Kathleen says
The best sweet potato pie! My family loved it. It was such an easy recipe to follow. I will definitely be making another one for Thanksgiving.
Stacey says
Aww! Thanks, Kathleen! So glad to hear y’all enjoyed it!
KC says
I made this pie last night with a few adjustments. I live at 4800 ft. Altitude adjustments are not uncommon for me. I added a TBS of flour to help thicken up the pie. I also separated the egg whites and beat them till they formed soft peaks. I added the yolks to the whites. I folded the eggs into the sweet potato mixture last. The pie was wonderful. Light, set by 58 minutes of baking and the best I have ever eaten. No more store bought pie for me.
Stacey says
So glad to hear it turned out great for you!!
Marilyn Warney says
Got everything mixed up pretty golden color . I want to know excluding the sugar cani double this recipe? Seem like too many potatoes. So,
can I double the spice
Stacey says
I’m not 100% sure I understand the question. You can certainly double it, but you’d want to make two pies. If you just double the filling, it will create too much filling for the one crust.