Thanksgiving hosting
The short answer: Here's how to make sweet potato pie: bake or boil about 1 1/2 pounds of sweet potatoes until very soft, then mash 2 cups and beat in butter, sugar, two eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour the filling into an unbaked 9-inch pie crust. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, until the center barely jiggles, and cool it for 2 hours before slicing.
Our picks for how to make sweet potato pie
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Prep time: 20 minCook time: 2 hr 25 minTotal time: 4 hr 45 minServings: 8 servingsTotal includes 2 hr of resting, chilling or rising.
One pie serves 8.
I love cooking, and I'll watch just about any cooking show, and pie is where the small steps matter most. If your family has a sweet potato pie recipe, write it down in a Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) before the holiday rush.
Sweet potato pie ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet potatoes | About 1 1/2 lb (2 medium-large), for 2 cups mashed | The base of the filling |
| Unsalted butter, softened | 1/2 cup (1 stick) | Rich, smooth texture |
| Granulated sugar | 1/2 cup | Sweetness |
| Light brown sugar | 1/2 cup | Caramel flavor |
| Large eggs | 2 | Set the custard |
| Evaporated milk | 1/2 cup | Creamy body without thinning |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp | The signature flavor |
| Ground cinnamon | 1/2 tsp | Warm spice |
| Ground nutmeg | 1/4 tsp | Classic pairing with sweet potato |
| Salt | 1/4 tsp | Balances the sugar |
| Pie crust | One unbaked 9-inch crust | Store-bought or homemade |
Want it less sweet? Cut the sugar to 3/4 cup total. Whole milk or half-and-half can stand in for evaporated milk.
How to make sweet potato pie step by step
- Cook the sweet potatoes. Bake whole, pricked sweet potatoes at 400°F for 45 to 60 minutes. Or boil peeled 2-inch chunks for 15 to 20 minutes and drain well.
- Mash while warm. Scoop out the flesh and measure 2 cups. Beat it with the butter until smooth.
- Remove the strings. Pull off any fibers that wrap around the beaters.
- Add the rest. Beat in both sugars, then the eggs one at a time, then the evaporated milk, vanilla, spices and salt.
- Fill the crust. Heat the oven to 350°F. Set the crust on a baking sheet and pour in the filling.
- Bake. Bake 55 to 65 minutes. Cover the crust edge with foil if it browns too fast.
- Check doneness. The edges should be set and the center should jiggle only slightly. A knife inserted 1 inch from the center should come out clean.
- Cool, then chill. Cool on a rack for 2 hours, then refrigerate.
Raw filling contains eggs, so skip tasting it from the bowl. The FDA egg safety guide recommends cooking egg dishes thoroughly and refrigerating them promptly. FoodSafety.gov lists 160°F for egg dishes on its safe minimum internal temperature chart.
Sweet potato pie vs pumpkin pie
| Sweet potato pie | Pumpkin pie | |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Light orange | Deep orange-brown |
| Texture | Smooth, a little lighter | Dense and firm |
| Lead flavor | Butter and vanilla | Cinnamon, ginger and cloves |
| Typical dairy | Evaporated milk and butter | Evaporated or sweetened condensed milk |
| Main prep | Cook and mash fresh sweet potatoes | Usually canned pumpkin puree |
Can't decide? Bake one of each. Our Thanksgiving desserts list has more ideas for the dessert table. For the pumpkin half, follow our homemade pumpkin pie recipe. If you would rather serve the sweet potatoes as a side, see how to make candied yams before planning the dessert course. For another filling to pair with a pie crust, see how to make pecan pie before planning the holiday dessert menu.
Fixes for common sweet potato pie problems
- Watery or soggy bottom: Drain boiled sweet potatoes well, or bake them instead. Blind-bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes before filling.
- Stringy filling: Beat the warm mash and pull off the fibers, or press it through a sieve.
- Cracked top: Pull the pie while the center still jiggles and let it cool slowly.
- Bland flavor: Add a pinch more salt and use baked sweet potatoes for deeper flavor.
- Burnt crust edge: Use a foil ring or a pie shield for the last 20 to 30 minutes.
Make-ahead and storage
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| Up to 3 days ahead | Bake and mash the sweet potatoes; refrigerate in a covered container |
| 1 to 2 days ahead | Bake the pie, cool it 2 hours, then refrigerate |
| Thanksgiving Day | Serve chilled or let it sit out 30 minutes; top with whipped cream |
| After the holiday | Keep leftovers in the refrigerator 3 to 4 days, or freeze |
The FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart lists baked pumpkin pie at 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and 1 to 2 months in the freezer. Sweet potato pie is the same kind of baked custard pie, so use the same window.
Plan the dessert table and save the recipe
- Family Recipe Binder ($6.99): a 23-page printable binder with section dividers and recipe cards for the pie recipe your family asks for every year.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List: Thanksgiving Edition ($4.99): menu, grocery list and timeline pages, so baking day is on the plan.
- Holiday Season Bundle ($15.99, was $25.94): six printables, including the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner and the Meal Planner & Grocery List, for the rest of the season.
Browse every holiday printable or all our Printables. Our free Holiday Budget Starter Kit is three US Letter pages we email you after you join our list.
See also
- Thanksgiving desserts
- Thanksgiving side dishes
- Thanksgiving menu template
- Thanksgiving grocery list
- Recipe card template
- Family recipe binder printable
Baking more than one pie? Our chess pie recipe bakes in the same kind of single crust. For more ways to cook the vegetable, see our sweet potato recipes.
Plan the feast on paper
Your Thanksgiving timeline, guest list and grocery list in one place
The Thanksgiving Edition of our Meal Planner & Grocery List, in a warm harvest design: map the day on the Thanksgiving Day timeline, track who brings what on the guest & dish sign-up, and shop once with the aisle-sorted grocery list. Print it at home tonight.
- Thanksgiving Day timeline that works backwards from dinner
- Guest & dish sign-up
- Grocery list sorted by aisle, plus pantry and freezer pages
Thanksgiving and Christmas planners together: the Holiday Quick-Start Pack, $7
Frequently asked questions
How do you make sweet potato pie? To make sweet potato pie, cook and mash about 2 cups of sweet potatoes, then beat in butter, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla and spices. Pour the filling into an unbaked 9-inch crust and bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, until the center barely jiggles.
How do you know when sweet potato pie is done? Sweet potato pie is done when the edges are set and the center jiggles only slightly when you nudge the pan. A knife inserted 1 inch from the center should come out clean. The center firms up as the pie cools.
Should I boil or bake sweet potatoes for pie? Both boiling and baking sweet potatoes work for pie. Baking whole sweet potatoes at 400°F for 45 to 60 minutes gives a deeper, sweeter flavor and a drier mash. Boiling peeled chunks for 15 to 20 minutes is faster, but drain them very well so the filling isn't watery.
Does sweet potato pie need to be refrigerated? Yes, sweet potato pie needs to be refrigerated. Sweet potato pie is an egg custard pie, so refrigerate it once it has cooled, within 2 hours of baking. FoodSafety.gov gives 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator for baked custard-style pies like pumpkin.
Can you freeze sweet potato pie? Yes, sweet potato pie freezes well for 1 to 2 months, the same window FoodSafety.gov gives for baked pumpkin pie. Cool it completely, wrap it tightly, and thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
What is the difference between sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie? Sweet potato pie is usually lighter in color, smoother and sweeter, with butter and vanilla leading the flavor. Pumpkin pie is denser and leans on cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Both are baked custard pies made with eggs and milk.
Why is my sweet potato pie stringy? Sweet potato fibers make the filling stringy. Beat the warm mashed sweet potatoes with a mixer, then pull off the strings that wrap around the beaters, or push the mash through a sieve for the smoothest pie.
Why did my sweet potato pie crack? Sweet potato pie usually cracks from overbaking or cooling too fast. Take it out while the center still jiggles slightly, and let it cool on a rack at room temperature for 2 hours before it goes in the refrigerator.
How far ahead can I make sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving? Bake sweet potato pie 1 to 2 days ahead and keep it in the refrigerator. The Meal Planner & Grocery List: Thanksgiving Edition ($4.99) has a timeline page, so the pie gets its own Tuesday or Wednesday slot.
Sources
- FDA: What you need to know about egg safety fda.gov
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold food storage chart foodsafety.gov
- FoodSafety.gov: Safe minimum internal temperatures foodsafety.gov
