Dessert • Christmas

Easy Sweet Potato Pie

Name: Easy Sweet Potato Pie
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 2 lb sweet potatoes, about 3 medium; 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust; 0.75 cup packed brown sugar; 0.5 cup evaporated milk; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted; 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon and 0.5 tsp nutmeg; 1 tsp vanilla extract and 0.5 tsp salt

Silky spiced sweet potato custard in flaky crust, baked for Christmas and holiday dinners.

Updated: Oct 6, 2026

⏱ 1 hr 30 mintotal

8servings

330 kcalper serving

Easylevel

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Why you'll like it

Ready in about 1 hr 30 min.
Serves 8 — easy to halve or double.
Easy level — everyday equipment only.
Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.

Easy Sweet Potato Pie takes about 1 hr 30 min and serves 8. Sweet potato pie is a beloved Southern holiday dessert served at Christmas and Thanksgiving tables across the USA, known for its silky orange custard and warm spice.

Helpful guides

Instructions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 400 degrees, prick the sweet potatoes, and bake on foil for 50 to 60 minutes until soft and caramelized at the ends. Baked potatoes taste sweeter and drier than boiled ones, which keeps the custard thick. Cool 15 minutes, then scoop the flesh and discard skins.

Step 2

Mash the warm flesh until smooth, then blend with melted butter, brown sugar, and spices until no lumps remain. An immersion blender or food processor gives the silkiest texture, since stringy fibers hide in hand-mashed potato. Measure 2 cups of smooth puree for the filling balance.

Step 3

Whisk the eggs with evaporated milk and vanilla in a large bowl, then whisk in the sweet potato mixture and salt until glossy and uniform. Pouring warm puree into cold eggs can curdle them, so let the puree cool slightly first. Strain through a sieve for the smoothest holiday slices.

Step 4

Fit the pie crust into a 9-inch plate, crimp the edges, and chill 15 minutes to reduce shrinking. Par-bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes with pie weights, then 5 minutes unweighted until dry to the touch. A pre-set crust stays crisp under the wet custard instead of turning gummy.

Step 5

Lower the heat to 350 degrees, pour the filling into the warm shell, and bake 50 to 55 minutes until edges are puffed and the center jiggles. The custard firms as it cools, so a firm center means overbaking and cracks. Shield the rim with foil if it browns early.

Step 6

Cool the pie on a rack for at least 2 hours until completely set at room temperature. Cutting warm pie spills runny slices that never look neat. Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream, then refrigerate leftovers promptly once the table is cleared and the pie has cooled.

Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats

If the filling turns watery, boiled potatoes or excess milk thinned it. Bake potatoes instead of boiling, measure exactly 2 cups of puree, and keep evaporated milk at 0.5 cup. Pull the pie while the center still jiggles, then cool 2 hours so starches set firmly.
If the crust turns soggy, it skipped par-baking or met cold filling while raw. Blind-bake until dry, pour filling into the warm shell, and bake promptly at 350 degrees on the lower-middle rack. A metal pan crisps bottoms better than glass for custard pies.
If the top cracks, the pie overbaked or cooled in a draft. Remove at a slight jiggle, cool gradually at room temperature away from open windows, and avoid reheating the whole pie later. Whipped cream covers small cracks completely at serving time.
If fibers streak the slices, the potatoes were under-blended or stringy varieties went unstrained. Blend the puree fully, then strain the finished filling through a fine sieve before pouring. Smooth filling also browns more evenly across the top during baking.

Make it your way

For a marshmallow topping, scatter 1.5 cups of mini marshmallows over the baked pie and broil 1 minute until toasted, watching constantly.
Swap the brown sugar for maple syrup in equal measure for deeper flavor, reducing milk by 2 tablespoons.
Add 1 teaspoon of orange zest to the filling for brightness.

Storage & reheating

Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).

Freeze baked slices up to 2 months wrapped airtight; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

FAQ

Should I use fresh or canned sweet potatoes?
Fresh baked sweet potatoes give the sweetest, smoothest filling, but canned puree works in the same 2-cup amount for convenience. Drain canned puree well and skip added salt if the label lists sodium. Reduce milk by 2 tablespoons with canned, since it runs wetter than baked fresh flesh.

How is sweet potato pie different from pumpkin pie?
Sweet potato filling tastes lighter and fresher with small fibrous texture, while pumpkin is denser and more uniform from a can. Both use similar spice and custard bases at 350 degrees. Sweet potato pie needs blending and straining for silkiness; pumpkin blends smooth with a whisk alone.

Can I make it ahead for Christmas?
Yes. Bake up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate covered once cool. Add whipped cream just before serving so it stays fluffy. Bring slices to cool room temperature 20 minutes before the table for the silkiest texture, keeping the 2-hour serving window in mind.