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This homemade Southern sweet potato pie is smooth, spiced just right and has the perfect flaky crust. Fresh sweet potatoes blend with warm spices, cream, sugar and a hint of maple syrup to create a pie that smells as incredible as it tastes. The simple crust keeps the filling front and center while the combination of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg brings a cozy flavor to each bite. It’s the kind of pie that makes everyone ask for seconds.
Sweet potato pie is creamy, rich and full of cozy, warm spices. It has a flaky crust, fresh sweet potatoes and just the right touch of sweetness in every satisfying slice.
You might also like sweet potatoes with maple pecans, sweet potato gnocchi, sweet potato wedges in the air fryer, and orange-glazed sweet potatoes.
Why You’ll Love It
Full of flavor: Fresh sweet potatoes, maple syrup and spices create a rich, cozy taste.
Simple to make: Basic steps and easy ingredients make this pie beginner friendly.
Perfect texture: The filling bakes up creamy while the crust stays crisp.
Crowd pleasing: A classic dessert that works for holidays, weekends or anytime.
Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Sweet potatoes: Fresh baked sweet potatoes give the pie its smooth texture and natural sweetness. I use four large ones. If you have small or medium sweet potatoes, aim for about 35 to 40 ounces of sweet potatoes total.
Unsalted butter: Adds richness and helps create a silky filling.
Light brown sugar and granulated sugar: A mix for sweetness and depth of flavor.
Eggs: To bind the filling and give it structure.
Heavy whipping cream: Adds creaminess and a luxurious texture. Some sweet potato pie recipes use sweetened condensed milk or evaporated milk, but I find heavy cream offers a richer, creamier result.
All purpose flour: Thickens the filling slightly so it slices cleanly.
Maple syrup: A hint of maple syrup enhances the natural sweetness of the pie.
Lemon zest: Brightens the flavors and balances the richness.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth.
Spices: Cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg create that classic, cozy flavor.
Refrigerated unbaked pie crusts: A quick, easy base for the pie so the filling can shine.
How to Make Classic Sweet Potato Pie
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Bake the sweet potatoes: Prick and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until tender. Cool and peel by hand (the skins should slip off easily).
Prepare the crust: Layer crusts, roll out and fit into the pie pan. Flute edges and bake briefly.
Make the filling: Mash sweet potatoes, add cream, brown and white sugar, eggs, flour, maple syrup, lemon zest, vanilla, salt and spices. Beat until smooth.
Fill and bake: Pour filling into cooled crust, cover edges with foil and bake until set.
Cool completely: Let the pie cool before slicing so the filling firms up.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free pie crust (here) and a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute.
Deep dish pie crust: Feel free to use your own homemade pie crust recipe instead of store bought pie crusts.
Dairy-free: Use coconut cream instead of heavy cream and a dairy-free butter alternative.
Sweet potatoes: You can use boiled sweet potatoes instead of baked. And, for a different color and slightly more nutty/wine-like taste, swap your orange sweet potatoes for purple sweet potatoes (here).
Sweetness level: Adjust the amount of sugar or try honey for a different flavor. Dark brown sugar can be used in place of light brown sugar.
Canned sweet potatoes: Canned sweet potatoes save time and still taste great, but fresh sweet potatoes do result in the best sweet potato pie, so it’s worth prepping fresh. Use 100% sweet potatoes and not sweet potato pie filling, which is spiced and sweetened already.
Make it a pumpkin pie: Swap the sweet potatoes for fresh or canned pumpkin (or use half of each) for a very similar, yet slightly different, result.
Spices: Add ground cardamom or allspice for a twist on the classic spice blend.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your festive meal with brie and cranberry bites.
Main dish and sides: Next, serve smoked turkey breast with garlic butter fondant potatoes, roasted acorn squash and green bean casserole.
Dessert: Serve your delicious baked pie with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, a sprinkle of ground ginger, nutmeg or cinnamon, and/or a drizzle of caramel sauce. Apple cider mojitos would be really good alongside!
How to Store Sweet Potato Pie
Store: Cover cooled pie and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Freeze: Cool completely then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, before freezing the pie for up to 2 months.
Thaw: Place in the fridge overnight before serving.
Top Tips
Blind-bake the crust: Keeps it crisp and prevents sogginess.
Cool before slicing: The filling needs time to set properly.
Cover the edges: Foil prevents the crust from overbrowning.
Use fresh sweet potatoes: The flavor and texture beat canned every time.
Southern Sweet Potato Pie FAQs
Yes. Peel it first (once cool enough to handle) and then mash it well to ensure a smooth, creamy pie filling.
Yes. Bake it a day in advance and refrigerate. I find the flavor is often even better the next day.
Blind-baking help keep it crisp before adding the filling. Optionally you can brush it with egg wash before baking.
Grandma’s Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Sweet Potato Pie
Equipment
- Pie Dish Deep 9-Inch
- Pie Weights or Dried Beans
Ingredients
- 35 to 40 Ounces sweet potatoes, 1000 to 1150 grams, about 4 large sweet potatoes
- ½ Cup unsalted butter
- ½ Cup light brown sugar
- ½ Cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, large
- ½ Cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 Teaspoons maple syrup
- zest of ½ lemon
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ Teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ Teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ Teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ Teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 pie crusts, premade refrigerated or homemade
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Bake and Peel the Sweet Potatoes
- Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a knife easily passes through the potato.
- Leave the oven at 400°F.
- Allow to cool, then remove the skin easily with your hands.
Prepare the Pie Crust
- Lay both pie crusts on top of each other on a floured surface and roll out to be bigger.
- Lay the new crust over a deep, 9-inch pie dish.
- Fold the excess over and flute the edges with your fingers.
Bake the Pie Crust
- Fill with a sheet of parchment paper, add some pie weights and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Prepare the Sweet Potato Filling
- Add the sweet potato to a large mixing bowl.
- Beat with a hand mixer, then add the cream and mix again.
- Add the sugars, eggs, flour, maple syrup, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg.
- Beat again until smooth.
Assemble the Pie
- Pour this sweet potato mixture into the cooled pie crust.
Bake the Sweet Potato Pie
- Cover the edges of the crust with foil to prevent burning.
- Bake in the oven at 350°F for 45 minutes.
Cool, Slice and Serve
- Remove and allow the sweet potato pie to cool completely. Slice, serve and enjoy with ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
Cool before slicing: The filling needs time to set properly.
Cover the edges: Foil prevents the crust from overbrowning.
Use fresh sweet potatoes: The flavor and texture beat canned every time.
Nutrition
This Southern sweet potato pie recipe is a holiday favorite and was the first sweet potato pie recipe I fell in love with. It delivers cozy flavor, smooth texture and a perfectly baked crust every time. The blend of fresh sweet potatoes, spices and a hint of maple makes it a dessert worth savoring. If you love sweet potato pie, you might even want to whip up two pies as it’s such a wonderful recipe for the holidays.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
How does one measure a “large” sweet potato? Can you provide the required amount in ml or grams?
Great question! Whatever size potatoes you have, just aim for about 1000 to 1150 grams (35 to 40 ounces) of sweet potatoes total. A large sweet potato weighs about 300 to 350 grams (10 to 12 ounces) and I used 4 of those.