Little wonder that there are many versions of Sweet Potato pie in the South, since North Carolina is the number one producer of sweet potatoes, supplying 40% of the nation with this nutritious vegetable.
Although pumpkin pies are most associated with various holidays, the sweet potato pie gets top billing with many Southern families. Sweet potatoes make a slightly richer pie and sweet potato pies are generally just a bit brighter in color.
Most Southern cooks have a favorite Sweet Potato Pie recipe or a few great recipes in the pie file, and here are three of the yummiest.
Table of Contents
Traditional Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cup sweet potatoes (boiled, peeled, and mashed until smooth)
- 2 TBS melted butter
- ½ cup light brown sugar (packed – mashed down in the cup to eliminate extra air)
- ½ tsp ginger
- 1 tsp cinnamon (powder type – not the sticks)
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 ¾ cups whole milk (regular milk)
- 1 pie shell unbaked (9 inch size – deep dish)
Directions:
- Mix together in a bowl the sweet potatoes, butter, and brown sugar.
- Add ginger, cinnamon, and salt and mix.
- Combine eggs and milk and add to sweet potato pie mixture and mix well.
- Pour sweet potato pie mixture into pie shell.
- Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees F and then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. This method of high and then low baking helps keep the crust from being mushy or soggy.
Rich Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 large sweet potatoes mashed smooth (around 3 cups – give or take)
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup sugar (regular white sugar)
- 1 cup sweetened condensed milk (not the thin evaporated milk)
- 1 stick melted butter
- 2 pie shells unbaked (9 inch size)
Directions:
- Mix sweet potatoes, eggs, and vanilla.
- Add nutmeg and sugar and mix.
- Pour condensed milk and melted butter in pie mixture and mix until smooth.
- Pour mixture into unbaked pie shells.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 15 minutes and then at 350 degrees F for an additional 30to 40 minutes or until the center is not runny.
Easy Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato
- 1 can evaporated milk (14.5 ounces)
- 4 eggs lightly beaten
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 pie shells unbaked (9 inch size)
Directions:
- Put all sweet potato pie ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Pour into unbaked pie shell.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and cook for 30 to 35 minutes or until done.
Note: If the edges of the pie shells are getting too dark, take thin pieces of aluminum foil and tuck over the edges or use a pie shell guard that fits right around the crust but leaves the pie filling open to the heat.
Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 cups sweet potato (boiled and mashed well)
- 1 TBS real butter (melted)
- 3 eggs (beat lightly before adding to mixture)
- 1/3 cup honey
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- (or can use 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice in place of nutmeg and cinnamon)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 cups evaporated milk (not condensed – big difference)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 9 inch pie crust (homemade or store bought – do not need deep dish type for this recipe)
Directions:
- In a small bowl, stir together with a large spoon the milk, baking soda, baking powder, and apple cider vinegar until well mixed and set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, combine the sweet potato, melted butter, eggs, honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour the milk mixture into the sweet potato mixture, and with a hand or stand mixer beat until nice and smooth.
- Pour into the unbaked pie crust.
- Bake first in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes to set the crust, so it will not be soggy which can be a problem with sweet potato and pumpkin pies.
- Drop the heat back to 300 degrees F after 10 minutes and continue to bake the sweet potato pie for 45 to 50 minutes or until set.
- This Southern sweet potato pie is great warm or cold and with or without toppings. It can be served with vanilla ice cream, Cool Whip, or whipped cream, but it’s a great pie to serve up plain.