This Southern Sweet Potato Pie is topped with a toffee pecan streusel that sets it apart from the rest. The combination adds a decadent praline layer to the crunchy crumb topping. Serve a big slice with a generous dollop of fresh whipped cream for a bonefide treat.
Easy Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Are you looking for a good Southern Sweet Potato Pie recipe? Well, look no further. Sweet potato pie is especially beloved in the South and has adorned Southern dessert tables for decades. While it's not only limited to the holidays, it does provide a tasty option for those who may prefer an alternative to pumpkin pie. Often we think of sweet potatoes as synonymous with Fall. They're certainly available year-round, but at their peak in flavor from October through December. Sweet potatoes come in a rainbow of colors red, white, purple and the most common color, orange. They're good for you and an excellent source of many essential vitamins that our bodies need. While I don't claim sweet potato pie is health food, it does take the edge off the dessert guilt a little, doesn't it? Any excuse will do.
How to Make the Best Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
- Ingredients you'll need to make homemade Sweet Potato Pie: One 9-inch deep dish pie shell, pureed sweet potatoes, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, heavy cream, large eggs, pecans, English toffee bits, crushed vanilla wafers, cold butter, vanilla extract, salt, pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon. You'll also need whipped cream for serving.
- Kitchen gadgets you'll need: A large mixing bowl, a whisk, measuring cups and spoons, a deep dish pie dish, a pastry blender and a smaller mixing bowl to make the streusel topping.
- How do you make the filling for Southern Sweet Potato Pie? You can use canned sweet potatoes pureed in a food processor for the filling of this pie or make your own from scratch.
- If you'd like to make your own sweet potato puree for the filling, it's very simple to do. By baking the sweet potatoes and preparing it in advance you'll save time. To make your own: Bake sweet potatoes with the skin intact in a 375°F oven for around an hour or until tender. Allow them to cool a bit, then using a tablespoon you can easily scoop out the flesh. Puree the flesh in a stand blender or using a hand mixer and cool. See also the Cook's note in the recipe card for instructions.
- What's in pumpkin pie spice? Pumpkin pie spice is a blend of varying amounts of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, clove and allspice. It's commonly used in fall baking and it works beautifully in this recipe bringing seasonal flavor to this sweet potato pie. You may opt to use all cinnamon in it's place, if desired.
- Can you top Southern Sweet Potato Pie with a meringue? Yes, you could omit the streusel topping and use a meringue instead. To make it you you'll need 2-3 large egg whites plus ½ teaspoon cream of tarter and 2-3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Beat together using a hand mixer until soft peaks form. Frost the top of the pie with the meringue then brown it for a few minutes in the oven under the broiler.
- Store leftover Sweet Potato Pie chilled in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Southern Sweet Potato Recipes to Make
Sweet Potatoes can be transformed into a myriad of different recipes from breads, cakes, pies, biscuits, casseroles, cornbread and more. Checkout these recipes for more ways to make sweet potatoes:
- Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole is a cinch to make for the holidays, freeing up oven space for other dishes.
- Sweet Potato Biscuits are delicious stuffed with holiday ham or turkey.
- When you're serving a crowd, make this Sweet Potato Slab Pie.
- Sweet Potato Cornbread is a fan favorite year after year.
- Leftover holiday ham can be transformed into this skillet Ham and Sweet Potato Hash with Eggs.
- Stuff these Sweet Potato Biscuits with baked ham or slather with cinnamon butter for holiday brunch.
- These Stuffed Sweet Potatoes are the perfect way to make sweet potato casserole for two.
- You may also like to try this recipe for Sweet Potato Dip from Peas and Crayons.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Sweet Potato Pie
Servings: 8 pieces
Calories: 488kcal
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch refrigerated pie crust or frozen deep dish
- 2 cups pureed sweet potatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- Topping:
- ⅓ cup crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoon cold butter cubed
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup English toffee bits (Bits-o-Brickle)
- 2 cups fresh whipped cream for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spritz a 9-inch deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. Press the pie crust firmly into the pie pan. Prick the bottom of the pie crust with a fork. Place onto a baking sheet and into the oven to bake for 7 minutes. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sweet potato puree, cream, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt . Mix until fully combined.
- Pour custard into crust. Place into the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, mix together vanilla wafer crumbs, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Cut butter into the mixture using a pastry blender or two forks until it resembles coarse crumbs. Mix-in the chopped pecans and English toffee bits by hand.
- After baking for 30 minutes, sprinkle the pecan-crunch streusel over the top of the custard. Continue to bake for an additional 30 minutes until the custard is set when gently shaken and the pecan-crunch streusel is golden. Cover the edge of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning, if needed.
- Cool the pie to room temperature then chill completely before cutting. Overnight is ideal. Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, if desired.
Notes
- Pumpkin pie spice contains varying amounts of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. It brings seasonal flavor to this sweet potato pie. You can use all cinnamon, if desired.
- Bake sweet potatoes with the skin intact in a 375°F oven for around an hour or until fork tender.
- Allow them to cool a bit, then slice and using a tablespoon scoop out the flesh.
- Puree the flesh in a stand blender or using a hand mixer and cool then proceed with the recipe.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 5470IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!
My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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Brandy
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
Melissa
The cream is an important ingredient for this pie. You could substitute half and half but, otherwise, go for the cream.
Amy
Can I peel the potatoes and boil them before pureeing them or is baking and removing the skin after the best way?
Melissa
You can, but, baking is the absolute easiest way to do it. I baked some yesterday, let them sit for a bit and peeled them in minutes.
Leslie & Charlie
We just sampled it after following your great recipe. It’s a Keeper! Thank you.
Melissa
Thanks so much!
Shana
Hello, can I just cook the pie without the topping?
Melissa
If you like, yes.
Susan
Hello, i used pure vanilla extract and it turned the poatoe like how pumpkin pie looks like. I was wondering if when baked,will it get back the orange color as before. I haven't baked it as yet to find out. Thank you.
Melissa
You can add a few drops of orange food coloring if you want to change the color. The vanilla isn't enough to effect the color very dramatically.
Claudia Richardson
OH MY!! I made this pie today and doubled it to make 2. It's sooo delicious!
I took a picture to post as well :0) but I don't see that option.
Melissa
Wonderful, I'm delighted you enjoyed! Post a picture on Facebook, if you like.
Jessi
Just found your recipe. My brother likes sweet potato pie, so I made this for tonight's family dinner. He absolutely loved it. My cousin don't eat sweets snacked on it and said she could stop eating it. Thank you. It made a great end to our night.
Melissa
That's awesome, thanks so much!
Catherine
I love this recipe. I forgot the nilla wafers so I improvised with ritz crackers and the sweet/salty crumble was perfect! We ate this pie for 3 days breakfast lunch and dinner.
Delicious - definitely a keeper.
Happy Holidays.
Melissa
I love that substitute, I'm thrilled you loved this pie as much as we do!
Toni | Boulder Locavore
I definitely need to give this a try!
Ioana Cismaru
I love a good sweet potato pie, looks delicious!
Jennifer Farley
That topping is fabulous!
Cathy Pollak
It's not the holidays without sweet potato pie.
Joanne
This has the perfect amount of filling to topping. Love it!
Lori @ RecipeGirl
If anyone knows how to bake the best sweet potato pie, it's YOU!
Aysegul
It's the sweet potato time of the year. I'ill try this week 🙂