Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Recipe (2024)

This sweet potato pie recipeuses vanilla pudding for the best ever flavor and texture. Learn how to make the best homemade sweet potato pie recipe from scratch! It’s one of our best potato recipes!

Sweet potatoes were never something I craved…that is until I started baking with them. Sweet potato bread has always been a favorite of mine, but lately I’ve been craving sweet potato pie.

If you’re looking for something a little different than pumpkin pie for the Thanksgiving and holiday season, try this best Sweet Potato Pie recipe.

Is sweet potato pie a dessert or side dish?

Sweet potatoes are often thought of as “healthy”, but when you bake with them, I’m sorry to say that sweet potatoes are not that great for you. Sweet potato pie is a dessert because of the amount of sugar that goes into the recipe.

Sweet potatoes do have many health benefits though (they are a great source of Vitamins A, C and B6) so hey…if you want to eat it as a side dish, go for it!

Do you use yams or sweet potatoes for sweet potato pie?

Yams that are found in US grocery stores are a type of sweet potato. True yams are often not found around the US except in specialty markets. US yams are higher in sugar content and get very soft when they bake.

Sweet potatoes are starchier and are better for cooking and frying because they keep their shape. Yams are great to use for sweet potato pies and other baked goods. You can use either for this recipe.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie

• The first thing you need to do when making a pie is prepare the crust. We love homemade crust and you can find all of our tips on making the best pie dough. If you’d like to take a shortcut, buy an unbaked refrigerated crust. We use a 9-inch pie crust.
• Fresh sweet potatoes vs. canned sweet potatoes. You can use either for this recipe. Fresh sweet potatoes (or yams) will obviously mean a pie that tastes just a little bit fresher. If you choose fresh sweet potatoes, peel the potatoes, cut them in chunks, then boil them in water until they are soft. Drain the potatoes and mash until they are creamy. For canned potatoes, be sure to drain all of the liquid off of the potatoes before you mash them.
• We like to use an electric mixer to blend the sweet potatoes and sugar together. This allows the potatoes to get completely mashed so your sweet potato pie is smooth.
• Vanilla pudding and sweetened condensed milk both add to the flavor of this pie. You can use sugar free pudding mix if you’d like!
• How long to bake sweet potato pie? This pie will take about 40-50 minutes to bake. A knife inserted in the center of the pie should come out clean and the pie should seem mostly firm in the center.
• Top with a dollop of whipped cream. You can decorate the whole pie with swirls of whipped cream if you’d like.

Recipe Variations

• Love spices? Try adding a dash of freshly grated nutmeg, ginger or cloves. It will change the flavor slightly but tastes so so good!
• Use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar if you’d like.
• Need a dairy free dessert? Try using plant butter and sweetened condensed coconut milk.

Can you freeze sweet potato pie?

Yes, you can freeze sweet potato pie. It’s important to allow the pie to defrost slowly in the refrigerator or it may get wet and have moisture on top of the pie.

Another option is to make the pie crust and freeze it, then make the pie filling closer to the day you want to serve it. That will say some of the mess.

How long does sweet potato pie last in the freezer?

Sweet potatoes can be frozen for about 6-8 months. (source)

Other Sweet Potato Recipes

• Sweet Potato Bread
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
• Sweet Potato Fries
• Sweet Potato Puffs

Kitchen Tools Needed to Make Pie

• Pastry Cutter: I use this tool all the time. It cuts butter into flour perfectly for streusels, crusts and other pastries.
• Pastry Mat:This silicone mat keeps your cupboard clean and makes rolling out pastries so easy.
• Cute Pie Plate: Because if you’re taking the time to make pie, serve it up in style!
• Pie Crust Decorator Wheel: Makes beautiful edges to your pie!
• Pastry Guide:Makes perfectly round crust, every time.

Other Pie Recipes