Say goodbye to bland, mushy, soggy sweet potato pie! This classic sweet potato pie is so velvety, smooth, creamy, and generously spiced. It’ll make you wanna “slap yo mama and get knocked out!”
Three dishes just make Thanksgiving extra special for me: sweet potato pie, cornbread dressing, and cranberry sauce from a can (don’t judge me).
It’s simply not a Thanksgiving feast without those dishes sitting proudly on the table! Grandma Barb ALWAYS made the sweet potato pies for Thanksgiving. It’s one of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts, and I sure am thankful she left her recipe for the family to enjoy for generations to come.
I have many childhood memories of people stopping by the house the day before Thanksgiving to pick up pies she’d made for them.
I still love my grandma Barb’s sweet potato pie recipe, but if she were here, she’d encourage me to tweak her recipe to make it my own.
When I used to call her to see if such and such would taste good in a recipe, she always responded with, “Ohhh yeah, now I’ve never tried it, but try it and see.”
Then, a few days later, she’d call in to check the progress and give her advice. That was her style of teaching. Always encouraging me to “try it and see.” I smile when I think about our recipe conversations.
That’s exactly what I did with this sweet potato pie recipe, and my goodness, I’m IN LOVE!!!
First things first. This pie is SWEET! If you don’t sweet, sweet potato pies then go to my other sweet potato pie recipes or the very first one I post on this site.
I have two sweet potato pie recipes on my blog, but this recipe is my FAVORITE!!
Overmixing: Overmixing the sweet potato filling can lead to a mushy texture. When mixing, especially after adding eggs, mix and mash only enough to combine the ingredients. Overmixing can add excess air, leading to a softer texture.
Why is this sweet potato pie recipe so good?
If you’ve been following me for all these years, then you know I don’t like to put too many twists on traditional Southern recipes. To me, it kinda takes away the charm and creates a new dish.
I try to make minor tweaks that enhance the taste, texture, and appearance while still leaving the heart of the recipe intact.
Replacing the evaporated milk with whole milk for this sweet potato pie creates a richer taste and texture. And adding a little heavy whipping cream made the finished filling velvety smooth!
As far as spices, I left the ginger out this time and upped the ground clove. Game changer! Why didn’t anyone tell me ground clove gave such a beautiful level of flavor to sweet potatoes?? I’d typically only add a tiny pinch.
Finally, blending the batter made for one heck of a dreamy, melt-in-your-mouth filling. And, of course, I always add a bit of flour to my sweet potato pies. It’s not a traditional move but creates the best custardy yet perfectly firm filling. I don’t think I’ll ever NOT do this with sweet potato pie or pumpkin pie!
Enough yapping. Let’s dive in!
What type of sweet potatoes are best for sweet potato pie?
Ok, let’s get to the nitty gritty! There are several types of sweet potatoes. Usually, the Jewel, Beauregard, or Garnett varieties are what you’ll find in the grocery store.
They are perfect for making traditional sweet potato pies because they have a beautiful orange color. However, I tend to reach for the plump Beauregard for sweet potato pies!
If you feel like being unique, you can try a purple sweet potato for your sweet potato pie!
Why is my sweet potato pie runny?
FAQ
Why is my sweet potato pie not firm?
Why are my sweet potatoes soft?
What to do if sweet potato pie filling is too runny?
How do you keep sweet potatoes from getting mushy?
Why is my Sweet Potato Pie Soft?
There are a few reasons why your sweet potato pie may be coming out soft. One reason could be that you are not cooking the sweet potatoes long enough. Make sure to cook them until they are very soft and tender before adding them to the rest of the pie ingredients. Another reason could be that you are not adding enough flour to the mixture.
Why do sweet potatoes and normal potatoes chips taste different?
Sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are both considered root vegetables but are only distantly related. Sweet potatoes are from the morning glory family, Convolvulaceae, and white potatoes are nightshades, or Solanaceae. The edible part of these plants are the tubers that grow on the roots. Both varieties are native to parts of Central and South America but now eaten all over the world. Sweet potatoes typically have brown skin and orange flesh but also come in purple, yellow, and red varieties. Regular potatoes come in shades of brown, yellow, and red and have white or yellow flesh.
Why is my sweet potato pie not baking?
Sweet potato pie should not be baked in the oven like cookies because it will overcook. There should be some jiggle in the center of the pie. Carryover heat is caused by a faulty heating element. A pie is not automatically cooked after it has been removed from the oven. It’s either too dry or it hasn’t been baked long enough.
What if a sweet potato pie is undercooked?
If your sweet potato pie is undercooked, bake it at 425 degrees for 15 minutes with aluminum foil on top. You run the risk of producing a pie that does not firm up if you boil it, as watery mash can be produced during the process. In the case of a watery filling, you can take the pie and combine it in the bowl with a pinch of salt and lemon juice.