Southern Sweet Potato Pie

Name: Southern Sweet Potato Pie
Prep time: 55 min
Cook time: 2 h 20 min
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, plus extra for rolling; 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt; 8 tablespoons (1 stick) (113 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes; 4 tablespoons (60 ml) ice water, plus up to 2 more tablespoons (30 ml) if needed; 1¼ pounds (2 medium) (570 g) orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked all over with a fork; unpeeled; 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; ⅔ cup (135 g) light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed; 3 large (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten; ¾ cup (180 ml) evaporated milk, at room temperature; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon (1 g) nutmeg, freshly grated; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A silky, spiced custard made from roasted sweet potatoes, evaporated milk, brown sugar and fresh nutmeg, baked in a flaky blind-baked butter crust. Roasting rather than boiling gives deeper flavor and a smooth, never-watery filling.

Prep: 55 min
Cook: 2 hr 20 min
Wait: 2 hr 30 min
Total: 5 hr 45 min
Makes: 1 deep-dish 9-inch pie (8 slices)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the crust
1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled, plus extra for rolling
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) (113 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
4 tablespoons (60 ml) ice water, plus up to 2 more tablespoons (30 ml) if needed
For the filling
1¼ pounds (2 medium) (570 g) orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked all over with a fork; unpeeled
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
⅔ cup (135 g) light or dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3 large (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
¾ cup (180 ml) evaporated milk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon (1 g) nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt

Equipment (8)

9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish pie plate, 1½–2 inches (4–5 cm) deep
Rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment or foil
Large mixing bowl
Hand mixer or potato masher plus a fine-mesh sieve
Rolling pin
Pie weights or about 2 cups (400 g) dried beans or rice, plus parchment paper
Instant-read thermometer
Whisk

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: potatoes roast for about an hour while you make the dough, and the finished pie needs 2 hours to cool and set, so plan about 6 hours start to finish (or roast the potatoes a day ahead).
Use a deep-dish pie plate, 1½–2 inches (4–5 cm) deep. In a standard shallow plate, you will have about ½ cup of extra filling.
Use evaporated milk, not sweetened condensed milk. Have the eggs at room temperature so they blend smoothly.
Choose orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (such as Beauregard or Garnet), which roast moist and sweet.

1
Roast sweet potatoesOven 425°F / 220°C
- Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 425°F (220°C).
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or foil.
- Place the pricked sweet potatoes on the sheet and roast for 55–65 minutes, until the skins are wrinkled and the flesh is completely soft when squeezed, with syrupy juices leaking onto the sheet.
- Start the crust while they roast.
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Ready when: A knife slides in with no resistance and the skins are wrinkled and collapsing
Tip: Do not boil instead; boiled sweet potatoes hold water and make a looser, blander filling.
2
Make the dough
- In a large bowl whisk the flour, granulated sugar and crust salt.
- Add the cold butter cubes and press each into a flat flake with your fingertips, tossing in the flour, until the pieces are the size of small peas and almonds.
- Drizzle in 4 tablespoons (60 ml) ice water and toss with a fork.
- Squeeze a handful; if it crumbles apart, add more water 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Press into a flat disk, wrap, and refrigerate while the potatoes finish roasting (at least 30 minutes).
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Ready when: The dough holds together when squeezed and shows visible flecks of butter
Tip: Keep the butter cold; if it softens and smears, chill the bowl for 10 minutes before continuing.
3
Roll and fit crust
- Lightly flour the counter and roll the chilled dough into a 13-inch (33 cm) circle about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Roll it loosely around the pin and unroll it over the pie plate.
- Ease it into the corners without stretching.
- Trim the overhang to 1 inch (2.5 cm), fold it under so it sits on the rim, and crimp the edge with your fingers or a fork.
- Prick the bottom and sides all over with a fork.
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Ready when: The dough fills the plate evenly with a thick, tidy crimped rim standing slightly above the edge
Tip: Stretched dough shrinks in the oven, so lift and settle it into the corners rather than pulling it.
4
Freeze the shellOven 375°F / 190°C
- Place the shaped crust in the freezer for 30 minutes until very firm.
- Meanwhile, remove the roasted potatoes from the oven and let them cool on the sheet until you can handle them.
- Reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Ready when: The dough feels hard and cold to the touch
5
Mash the potatoes
- Peel the skins off the cooled potatoes; they should slip off.
- Scrape any caramelized juices from the sheet into the bowl as well.
- Weigh or measure about 1¾ cups (400 g) of flesh.
- Beat it with a hand mixer or mash it very well until completely smooth.
- For the silkiest texture, press it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any stringy fibers.
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Ready when: The puree is smooth, with no lumps or visible strings
Tip: Any extra puree beyond 400 g can be saved for another use; too much makes the pie dense.
6
Blind bake crustOven 375°F / 190°C
- Line the frozen crust with parchment, pressing it into the corners, and fill to the rim with pie weights.
- Bake at 375°F (190°C) on the lower rack for 20 minutes.
- Lift out the parchment and weights, and bake 5 minutes more, until the bottom looks dry and pale golden.
- Keep the oven at 375°F, then lower it to 350°F (175°C) as you fill the pie.
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Ready when: The base is dry and lightly golden, and the rim is pale gold
Tip: If the crust puffs after removing the weights, gently press it down with the back of a spoon.
7
Whisk the filling
- To the mashed sweet potato add the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and filling salt, and beat until smooth.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the evaporated milk and vanilla until just combined and uniform.
- Avoid whipping in lots of air, which makes the pie puff and crack.
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Ready when: The filling is thick but pourable, with no streaks of egg or lumps of sugar
Tip: If the potato is still hot, let it cool for a few minutes first so the eggs do not scramble.
8
Fill and bakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Set the hot blind-baked crust on a baking sheet and reduce the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Pour in the filling and smooth the top.
- Bake on the lower rack for 50–60 minutes, until the edges are set and puffed and the center 2 inches (5 cm) still wobbles slightly like gelatin when you nudge the pan.
- An instant-read thermometer in the center should read 175°F (80°C).
- If the crust edge browns too much, cover it with foil strips.
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Ready when: Center wobbles slightly and reads 175°F (80°C) on a thermometer
Tip: Overbaking causes cracks and a grainy texture; pull the pie while the center still jiggles.
9
Cool completely
- Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool at room temperature for at least 2 hours, until the center is fully firm and no longer warm.
- The custard continues to set as it cools.
- Slice with a clean knife, wiping between cuts.
- Serve at room temperature or chilled.
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Ready when: The surface is matte and the pie slices cleanly without oozing
Tip: Do not refrigerate a hot pie; the sudden cold can cause cracks and a soggy crust.

Good to know

Tips

Roast, don't boil, the sweet potatoes for concentrated flavor and a silky, non-watery custard.
Sieve the puree if your potatoes are stringy; this is the key to a smooth slice.
Pull the pie when the center still jiggles slightly; residual heat finishes setting it.
Bake on a lower rack with a baking sheet underneath to crisp the bottom crust and catch drips.

Make ahead

"Roast and puree the sweet potatoes up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate covered. The dough can be refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for 1 month. The baked pie can be made a day ahead and refrigerated once completely cool."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature up to 2 hours after baking, then refrigerate covered for up to 4 days. Freeze the cooled pie, wrapped tightly, for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge. Serve chilled or at room temperature, or warm slices at 300°F (150°C) for 10 minutes."

Substitutions

evaporated milk → heavy cream or whole milk. Cream gives a richer pie; whole milk makes it slightly softer and less creamy.
light or dark brown sugar → granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon molasses. Mix before measuring 2/3 cup total for similar flavor.
nutmeg → ground nutmeg or allspice. Use the same amount of pre-ground nutmeg; allspice adds a warmer, peppery note.
all-purpose flour → 1 store-bought 9-inch deep-dish pie crust. Skip the dough steps and blind bake as directed.