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.

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:

  1. Mix together in a bowl the sweet potatoes, butter, and brown sugar.
  2. Add ginger, cinnamon, and salt and mix.
  3. Combine eggs and milk and add to sweet potato pie mixture and mix well.
  4. Pour sweet potato pie mixture into the pie shell.
  5. 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 of melted butter
  • 2 pie shells unbaked (9-inch size)

Directions:

  1. Mix sweet potatoes, eggs, and vanilla.
  2. Add nutmeg and sugar and mix.
  3. Pour condensed milk and melted butter into the pie mixture and mix until smooth.
  4. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shells.
  5. 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 evaporate milk (14.5 ounces)
  • 4 eggs lightly beaten
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 pie shells unbaked (9-inch size)

Directions:

  1. Put all sweet potato pie ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.
  2. Pour into unbaked pie shell.
  3. 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:

  1. 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.
  2. In a larger mixing bowl, combine the sweet potato, melted butter, eggs, honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.
  3. Pour the milk mixture into the sweet potato mixture, and with a hand or stand, the mixer beat until nice and smooth.
  4. Pour into the unbaked pie crust.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.

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