Southern Sweet Potato Pie, Soul Food Style made completely from scratch!
Hey Y’all! I’ve been getting a ton of requests for a homemade soul food style sweet potato pie. You know the kind with a flaky & buttery crust made completely from scratch. The kind of sweet potato pie recipe that reminds you of your grandmothers. Well, let me tell you that I have tried many sweet potato recipes in my life, but I do have a favorite one. Which one is my favorite? I would have to go with the recipe that I shared back in 2012. That recipe consist of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a few other simple ingredients. These past couple years, I have changed a few ingredients , and I have totally perfected it.
Let me show and tell you how I make my revised sweet potato pie recipe!
For my sweet potatoes, I use yams, which in the USA, are still sweet potatoes, but they have orange flesh. I think using yams makes a prettier sweet potato pie, because of the color. I also think that it tastes better!
As mentioned, this is my revised recipe for my sweet potato pie that I uploaded back in 2012. I use a lot of the same ingredient, however I also use a couple of different ingredients as well!
- Instead of using half & half, I use evaporated milk
- I use less eggs. For this pie, I used 2 large eggs ( in the video I said one egg, but its 2 eggs!).
- I use bourbon vanilla extract, but you can use regular vanilla extract ( use real vanilla, not imitation.)
I changed my pie crust recipe up for old fashioned sweet potato pie. This time it will be more flavorful! I added more sugar, a combination of butter & butter flavored shortening. I love a nice buttery crust when it comes to my sweet potato pies, so that’s why I use real butter. I also like a nice flaky crust, and the combination of shortening and buttery always result in having a buttery flaky pie crust.
These days (for the filling) instead of boiling whole sweet potatoes, I wash, peel, and chop the sweet potatoes in cubes. I find that it cooks faster, and it’s actually a lot easier that way.
This is definitely my favorite sweet potato pie recipe. It’s easy, and doesn’t call for a lot of ingredients. It makes the perfect holiday or any occasion dessert
Watch the tutorial!
*****2016 Update: I bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. I think that the flavor and texture is much better this way! Other than that, I still use the same ingredients listed below..
Sweet Potato Pie Recipe - Soul Food
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 lb sweet potatoes peeled & chopped
- 2 medium sized eggs
- 1/2 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 tbsp salted butter softened
Pie Crust
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup cold salted butter diced or shredded
- 1/4 cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp ice water
Instructions
- Sprinkle in 1 1/4 cup of all purpose flour into a large mixing bowl.
- Add in the cold butter, butter flavored shortening, 2 tbsp of sugar, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of vanilla extract.
- Mix the ingredients until it forms into a dough, then wrap with plastic wrap and store the dough in the refrigerator.
- Toss the peeled and chopped sweet potatoes into a medium sized pot, and pour in about 4-6 cups of water.
- Place the pot over high heat, and boil the potatoes, until they are fork tender.
- Once the potatoes are done, drain the water, and let the potatoes cool.
- Toss the cool sweet potatoes into a mixing bowl, and whisk until the potatoes are nice and creamy.
- Sprinkle in 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ground ginger, and 1 cup granulated sugar.
- Next, add in two medium sized eggs, 1/2 cup of evaporated milk, 1 tbsp vanilla extract, and 8 tbsp of softened butter.
- Whisk until the mixture is nice creamy and airy.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, flatten it out, then place it into a 9 inch pie pan.
- Bake the pie shell for 7-10 minutes on 325 F.
- Remove the shell from the oven, then turn the heat up to 350 F.
- Start adding the sweet potato pie filling into the pie shell, and smooth it out.
- Bake the pie for 45 - 50 minutes.
- Let the pie cool until it is room temperature.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Try these recipes as well!
Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pie
Peach Cobbler Bread Pudding
Soul Food Peach Cobbler
Sweet Potato Pie Cinnamon Rolls
Love sweet potatoes…so this pie is perfect! Pinned. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for pinning it Mary! XOXO
i love sweet potato pie
So do I! 🙂
Rosie, I’m in love with you! I LOVE how you are so CREATIVE with your recipes! I get so TIRED of the SAME OLE, SAME OLE! I am so HAPPY that I STUMBLED across your site! THANK YOU, THANK YOU & THANK YOU!
Glad that you found my site as well!
Thanks I’m going to try it out
I like watching your cooking video on your web site at iheart.com you and the reason that is you keep it
simple to where people can understand it like me I whatever recipe I want to make I will allways go to
iheart.com
I will be trying this recipe for Thanksgiving. Thanks for the tips. Have a Happy Holiday!
Rosie – you are a gift to YouTube. One of the best !! Love the videos. Just Excellent.
Looks so good!
I’ll try this pie in the near future.
If I may ask, how does one put such a “recipe box” on the blog? Seems very smart!
Greetings,
Therese in Sweden.
I was just wanting to know what is flavored shortening, I know of the original shortening but I have never heard of the flavored. Also if I want to do more than one pie should I just double the ingredients?
Butter flavored shortening is shortening flavored like butter. And yes.
Hey Rosie quick question so I am making the dough once I make the dough in the mixer it’s not going to really formed together right? Now that it is done it doesn’t really feeling like dough is that because it’s not refrigerated yet??? Please help lol
Knead the dough on a lightly floured flat service. It should form into pie dough.
If I do not prepare the crust from scratch, can I use a frozen one?
Yes
If I use a frozen crust, how do I modify that to the recipe?
You shouldn’t have to modify the recipe.
Rosie, can I use canned yams?
I don’t recommend it.
Hi Rosie. On the video, it shows you adding both the butter and the butter flavored shortening, yet on the recipe it says 1/4 cup butter OR 1/4 cup shortening. So, is it 1/2 cup total on the fat for the crust or just 1/4 cup? I really want to try your recipe because the pie sounds so good, but I don’t want to waste my time and mess it all up. Thanks!!!!!
Please review the recipe. It says 1/4 cup of each. Thanks 😀
For some reason, after I had copied the text over to a pdf to print, the word “shredded” was not on there…so it just looked like “use butter, diced OR …shortening”. Great! I’m going to make for Thanksgiving, because your recipe looks so much dense and dry, thus more carmelized than other recipes I’ve tried. Thanks and Happy Thanksgiving!
After your last comment, I did catch the error and fixed it! LOL. This pie isn’t “dry” LOL. But I think I know what you’re saying. haha
Yay! now I know I’m not losing my mind, well except for choosing to use the word “dry” where no one would ever want a pie described as “dry” right? haha So, not overly fluffy and wet, but dense and firm with less moisture. That’s what I’m looking for. BTW, have you ever experimented with increasing the baking time on this pie where the crust gets darker (yet not burnt) and the filling less moist? I’m always afraid to overcook a custardy pie beyond recommended time, but I end up with a mushier/wetter filling than I wanted and wish I let it bake longer.
Hey Rosie,
Greetings from Nairobi, Kenya. My name is Rozie too. Made my 1st sweet potato pie using your recipe, great results, thank you.
Thanks for trying my recipe!
I haven’t tasted the Patti pies just yet….. But after making this pie, three times since the recipe came out… ROSIE!!!! RRRROOOOSSIEE!!! Omg this is the best sweet potato pie!
Hi, Rosie! Thank you so much for this very tasty recipe. I have recently come to US from Romania, where there are no sweet potatoes. I bought a box from supermarket, but I didn’t know how to cook them. Searching online for a recipe, I found yours and tried it. It’s easy to make, cheap, and delicious. Many thanks and a happy 2016!
unbelievably good- thanks for sharing!
Thanks for coming by Sandi!
Hi Rosie!
I looooove sweet potatoes and I want to try this pie asap. BUT.
In my country (Italy) no shortening exists. I searched for it in the international food market too. It is nowhere to be found.
What do you suggest I do?
Feel free to use a store bought crust, or you can use unsalted butter. 🙂
Hi, How do you bake your sweet potatoes for the sweet potato pie?
Hi Gina! I simply bake them in the oven until tender, then once done, scoop out the filling.
Hey Rosie I have a few questions…. Soooo I’m going to try and make this piece for thanksgiving however my husband is used to a lemon flavored sweet potatoe pie ( if that makes sense) so if I was to add some extract to the receipe how much? And should I take or switch anything from the receipe??? Also the ginger is the flavor in the pie Loud where someone could tell it there ??? I just asked because I’m cooking for peaky eaters lol … Thanks you for your help
Hi Tabby. The ginger isn’t too strong. If you’d like to omit it, you can. As for the other ingredients, you’d have to play around with it to customize it for your husband, sorry.
Ok thanks I’ll try … thanks
Hi there. At what point do I add the cold water in the dough mixture?
Please be sure to watch the video tutorial
Hi, I’m really looking forward to making this for thanksgiving. just wondering how well it would work to make in advance? For example, could I make it the night before and just re-heat it? If so, what would be the best way to re-heat it?
I usually make it the day of. If you make it a day before, cover & refrigerate. I personally would reheat, but if that’s your preference you can
I’ve never been served warmed sweet potato pie, but since you mention re-heating…….is it supposed to be eaten warm??
For Baking instead of Boiling the Sweet Potatoes, how long do you find that it takes to bake them, and at what temperature?
Thanks!
Depends on how big the potatoes are. I baked mine on 350 F for about 35 minutes.
Hi Rosie,
Going to try to make it your sweet potato pie….one question, can I make it today and freeze the pie until the night before and actually Bake it or bake and then freeze?
Thanks in Advance,
Mary
I have never froze mine before hand. I’m unsure of the results.
I have made my pies ahead of time and put them in the freezer covered with aluminum foil Take the pies out of the freezer let them thaw and bake them comes out perfect just like you just made it
Hi, this recipe looks fabulous! I will be making it tomorrow. Can I use canned sweet potatoes? And if so, how much?
Thanks much!
I recommend using fresh potatoes
Hi Rosie, you are awesome!! I have a question. In your recipe it calls for 2 medium eggs and your video says 1 large egg, so which do I use.
Thanks in advance
The written recipe is correct.
Omg Ms Roooosieeeee, This recipe is the Bomb Diggity!
I’ve baked these pies for over 30 years and have NEVER added Ground Ginger to my sweet potato pie recipe,..What was I ever thinking?.. (lol) my life has changed forever, I LOOOOOVE the kick of flavor that it gives. Thank a million times for sharing your gift of life to my pies!
Hi Sipp!! SO glad that you like the recipe. Happy Holidays!
Love your website and blog! I have 2 questions…
I am bad with measurements, could you tell me how many cups are in 1 pound of sweet potatoes? Is 1 pound about 3 medium?
Last question…After making this pie, should it be left out or refrigerated if I am not eating it right away?
Thank you!
Hi Serina. Buy a pound of sweet potatoes, for this recipe. The pie will have to be refrigerated.
Hi,
In the video when you where making crust. You stated you were making 2 pies. Is 1lb potatoes enough for 2 pies?
It makes one pie.
Made this recipe tonight with my nieces, and they loved it.
I’m sure it will be a hit with the rest of my family tomorrow. Thank you for sharing!!
Hi Rosie:
That pie crust is awesome! It tastes like a grammar school butter cookie. I followed the recipe faithfully and to be honest it was a little too sweet. Baking the sweet potatoes brings out more of the natural sugar and flavor of the potato that the cup of sugar doesn’t allow the potato to shine. My mother would use lemon extract, and I think that helps complement that lovely potato flavor. She would also put flour and baking powder in it though, which I think ruins the pie. Your way is much simpler and which allows the sweet potato to be the star.
OH MY GOODNESS this pie is the most amazing recipe ever!!! I added mini marshmallows on top and it was a HIT. I made two of them 🙂 That butter crust is no joke. Thank you for your recipes!!
Awesome recipe! Made for Thanksgiving and received rave reviews. Not only is filling delicious but the crust is the best. Thank you!
Hi Susan! Glad that you liked it!
Really love this recipe! Am making it for the second time today since we enjoyed it so much at Thanksgiving. Thanks, Rosie!
Hi Rosie,
In regards to baking the potatoes, do you peel the skin off and cut them like you did when you boiled them or do you just bake them whole? Also, for the crust, I don’t have the appliance that you have, so what would you recommend?
Hi Lisa, you can make the crust using your hands, or a fork. Also, leave the skin on the potatoes while baking 🙂
Thanks Rosie for your recipe. I am a baker, but when it comes to sweet potato pie, I could never get the consistency just right, until I ran across your recipe to bake the potatoes. I made the pies for Thanksgiving and they were delicious. Keep up the good work!!
I can’t wait to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Rosie,
Hey!! Listen, just wanted to comment that I went on ahead a boiled my sweet potatoes. I prefer doing that over the baking actually. I thank you. I have done the baking and I hate . It’s just too much of a mess for me and I think it makes the potatoes stringy? So boiling will be the way to go for me from now on.
The pie is still so so good and smooth tasting!!! YAY!!!
Thanks for he recipe. I tried this, and my pie was a HIT. I decided to leave out the ginger. I accidentally put too much cinnamon, but it actually worked out well. I also used half & half. I had someone who didn’t even like potato pie like this one. Thanks!
Glad that you were able to adjust it to your taste! XOXO
Will this recipe work for a 10 inch pie pan? Its the only size I have.
Thanks (:
Hi Justinn. It will be look a little flat, but should work.
Hi Rosie
Going to make this sweet potato pie for the Holidays. I would like to know
how many potatoes make a pound.
Thank you – Ree
Hi Ree, That depends on the size of the potatoes. 🙂
I have always baked my potatoes because it gives them a better color and taste imho
Would almond milk work with this recipe?
It will change it a bit, but you can use it.
Do you have a recipe for sweet potato bread?
Not one posted 🙁
Please, pretty please! Post one…
When making the crust is it a regular sized crust or equal to a deep dish crust?
It’s a regular crust.
Hi Rosie,
I have attempted sweet potato piesin the past but I’ve always ran into the problem of it being stringy. I want to try your recipe, but how can I guarantee that I won’t have this problem?
Thanks
Hi Moneice! Try using a electric mixer. The strings will gather on the mixers, attachments. Be sure to remove the strings from the attachments periodially ( while off of course).
Hi Rosie,
I’m looking forward to making your sweet potato pie, your recipes never disappoint. Do you have any recommendations for substituting turbinado sugar for the granulated?
No, I don’t sorry.
On the video you made enough dough for two pies. Does the written crust recipes for one or two pies
HI
ROSIE WILL YOUR RECIPE MAKE 2 DEEP CRUST PIES IF NOT WHAT DO I DO TO MAKE 2 DEEP PIES.
No, you will have to double this recipe for deep dis pies.
Hello, when you say bake the potatoes how exactly is it that you do it? Do you put any water on them? Or just sit them in the oven? And how long do you bake them and at what temperature?
I bake them like regular potatoes. In the oven, on 350 F. Pierce the potatoes with a fork, then place on a baking sheet, and cook until tender. The time really depends on how big they are.
This sweet potato pie recipe was perfect!! Thank you for your addition to my family tradition!!
Thanks Melanie!
Hi Rosie! I don’t have a stand mixer. Will I get the same results using my hand mixer? Thx!
Yes, absolutely 🙂
Wow! I made this yesterday and it was a hit. My first time ever making a pie and I must say it was good. I boiled the potatoes like you did in the video and just saw the suggestion for baking so may do that next time. Thanks so much!
Hey Rosie I tried this yesterday and it came out pretty good. I messed up with the crust because on the ingredient list it says 1/2 tsp of salt but in the directions it says 1 tsp of salt. I used 1 tsp of salt in the directions but I found it too salty. Looking back i should have did 1/2 tsp and then taste tested it too see if more was needed especially with the salted butter. To compensate i added more sugar but then i noticed the dough becoming thinner. Also, my pie pan is 9.5 inches. How much more ingredients should I have added to adjust for the larger crust size? The filing tasted great, and i added 1/4 tsp of ground cloves. I also used rum extract (couldn’t find bourbon extract). Thank you for the recipe I will try this again!
Hi Rosie,
You are doing great justice to these recipes! I just had a quick question. After the sweet potatoes are done, how many exact cups is that for the recipe? Also, how many pies does the filling in this recipe make?
Thank you for your time
Jesse
Hey there Jesse. The recipe is listed 😉
The color on my pie isnt as deep of an orange as yours. Why do you suppose that is?
You probably used a different sweet potato.
I made this Pie today. There is only one word “EXCELLENT”.
I came across your blog this past Wednesday and followed this recipe just in time for Thanksgiving Day dinner. Your sweet potato pie was easy to make, excellent to taste and soothed the soul just right.
Rosie thank you for this recipe the video and comments. I made your sweet potato pie recipe on thanksgiving day 2018. The pie was declious. I added 1/2 cup Carnation milk and i use 1/2 cup of great value half and half. I saw heard you say on your recipe you used use the evaporated milk. I decided to use half cup of evaporates milk. Because i had it to make your cream mashed potato. The half and half and evaporated Carnation milk together was great combination and addition. I had to stir it alot more. I boiled Potaoes on stove until it was puree like kind you can buy at grocery store or feed baby. I made mashed potatoes your soul food yams your creamest mashed potaotes, cornbread stuffing, lemon pound cake.Thanks tonyou dinner was declious.
Thank YOU for trying my recipes! ❤️
Hey Rosie! I used your baked candied yams recipe this Thanksgiving and everyone was in love!!! ❤ So, thanks for that… I was wondering if there was a way to turn the baked candied yams into a pie? Since all the ingredients are pretty much the same! Just a thought… What’s your advice?
You can check out my sweet potato pie recipe here 🙂
In your comments just before the recipe, you mention Bourbon Vanilla, but in the ingredients list you list it as just pure vanilla. I personally have not seen bourbon vanilla before but sounds interesting. So, bourbon vanilla or just vanilla? If bourbon vanilla is correct could you just add 1/2 tsp of bourbon & 1/2 tsp vanilla?
Regular vanilla is fine.
Rosie this sweet potato pie was the bomb.com the pies were Absolutely delicious for Thanksgiving! Thanks so much for the recipe! I’m looking forward to trying more recipes from you. I just used lemon juice instead of ginger!
This was sooooo good. My mom’s recipe is the same as yours with the exception of the ginger. I decided to make a sweet potato pie and decided to follow yours by adding the ginger and I usually use a store bought crust but made a pie crust from scratch using your recipe. I will not buy store bought again and will just make mine from scratch. This was a really good pie omg. I kept going back to have more (should have made two). The ginger does make a difference. Your recipe was the only one I found that was exactly my mom’s recipe (with exception of ginger). I will be using your recipe for the pie and crust from here on out. Delicious!! Definitely will be making a few for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner!! Thank you so much for sharing.
Hi Rosie,
If im making 2 lbs of sweet potatoes do i just double the recipe or leave the same?
Double the recipe
I made this pie for Thanksgiving and it was amazing! Wouldn’t change a thing. I never thought I could make a sweet potato pie from scratch but the recipe was easy to follow and the video was very helpful.
Thank you so much Rosie! I’m a 68 year old white northerner with a life long love of sweet potato pie. Fortunately in my job I have been blessed with a number of sweet potato pie slices from my coworkers, their mothers and their grandmothers. But I never tried to make my own. This Thanksgiving I had invited my friend and his mother who is 94 a from the South. I knew she would be a tough critic, but I took a chance on your recipe and followed it exactly. She loved it! I loved it! Thank you again.
Hi Rick! Glad that you liked the recipe!
this was such a good recipe i made it for thanksgiving thank you
The pie came out beautifully and taste so good I recommend people to make this pie.
THE BEST SWEET POTATO PIE I HAVE EVER HAD !!!! I USED HALF BOURBON/VANILLA .I HAVE BEEN TRYING TONS OF RECIPE AND NOW I FINALLY FOUND IT THANK YOU SO MUCHHHHHHHH