Classic Southern Sweet Potato (Printable Version)
Creamy spiced sweet potato filling with a flaky crust, ideal for festive gatherings and cozy moments.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
→ Filling
02 - 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes (approximately 16 ounces, from 2 large baked or boiled sweet potatoes)
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1/2 cup evaporated milk
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
10 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
# Step-by-Step:
01 - Set oven temperature to 350°F.
02 - Place pie crust into a 9-inch pie pan and set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, mix mashed sweet potatoes with melted butter until smooth.
04 - Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the bowl. Whisk thoroughly until mixture is creamy and uniform.
05 - Pour filling evenly into the prepared crust and smooth the surface.
06 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the center is set and a knife inserted comes out clean.
07 - Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The filling is impossibly creamy without being heavy, with spices that whisper rather than shout.
- It comes together in under two hours from start to finish, yet tastes like you've been cooking all day.
- One pie feeds a crowd and somehow tastes even better the next morning with coffee.
02 -
- If your crust starts browning too quickly at the edges, cover them loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes—a small move that saves the whole pie from burning.
- Evaporated milk isn't just a substitution; it's what makes this taste like the real thing, so don't swap it for regular milk thinking it won't matter.
03 -
- If you want to experiment without overthinking it, try adding a pinch of ground ginger or allspice to the filling—just enough to make people ask what's different about this version.
- Letting the pie cool completely before slicing is the difference between a beautiful, intact slice and one that falls apart on the plate, so resist the urge.