Mini Sweet Potato Pie for Two

Finding a dessert recipe that doesn’t leave you with a mountain of leftovers can be tough, especially when you’re just cooking for two. Traditional sweet potato pie recipes yield a full-sized pie that sits in your fridge for days, tempting you with slice after slice until you’ve had way more than you planned.

That’s where this sweet potato pie for two comes in handy. It gives you all the creamy, spiced goodness of classic sweet potato pie in a smaller portion that’s just right for a cozy dessert without the guilt or waste.

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What Kind of Sweet Potato Should I Use?

For this pie, you can use either orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (often labeled as “yams” in grocery stores) or the paler, white-fleshed varieties. The orange ones are more common and will give you that classic sweet potato pie color and slightly sweeter flavor. You’ll need about half of a medium to large sweet potato, which should give you roughly one cup once it’s cooked and mashed. The easiest way to prepare it is to bake or microwave the sweet potato until it’s soft, then scoop out the flesh and mash it smooth – just make sure to let it cool before mixing it into your filling so it doesn’t scramble the egg.

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Options for Substitutions

This cozy pie recipe works well with a few simple swaps if you need them:

• Graham cracker crumbs: You can use crushed vanilla wafers, gingersnaps, or even crushed digestive biscuits for the crust. Each will give you a slightly different flavor, but they all work great.
• Sweet potato: In a pinch, canned sweet potato puree works just fine – just make sure it’s plain sweet potato, not the pre-spiced pie filling. You can also use butternut squash or pumpkin puree for a similar result.
• Heavy cream: For the filling, you can substitute with evaporated milk or half-and-half, though the texture will be slightly less rich. For the whipped topping, heavy cream is really the best option and shouldn’t be swapped.
• Spices: If you have pumpkin pie spice on hand, use ¾ teaspoon of it instead of measuring out the individual spices – it’ll save you time and still taste wonderful.
• Maple syrup: Honey or agave nectar can replace the maple syrup in the whipped cream if that’s what you have available.
• Salted butter: Unsalted butter works fine for the crust – just add a tiny pinch of salt to make up for it.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making sweet potato pie is using undercooked sweet potatoes, which creates lumps in your filling – make sure your sweet potato is fork-tender and mash it thoroughly until completely smooth, or even better, run it through a food processor for a silky texture.

Another common error is skipping the step of letting your graham cracker crust cool before adding the filling, as pouring the custard into a warm crust can make it soggy and prevent it from holding its shape when sliced.

Overbaking is also a real concern with small pies since they cook faster than full-sized versions – your pie is done when the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle, usually around 35-40 minutes, and remember that it will continue to firm up as it cools.

For the cleanest slices, resist the urge to dig in right away and let your pie chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

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What to Serve With Sweet Potato Pie?

Sweet potato pie is pretty rich and sweet on its own, so I like to serve it with a big dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to balance everything out. A hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea makes a great pairing since the warm spices in the pie really complement those drinks. If you’re serving this for a holiday dinner, it fits right in alongside other desserts like pecan pie or apple crisp, and honestly, a little slice of each is the way to go. For a simpler approach, just dust the top with a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve it as is – sometimes the best desserts don’t need much fuss.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your sweet potato pie covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The filling actually tastes even better the next day once all the spices have had time to meld together!

Freeze: You can freeze this pie for up to 2 months if you want to make it ahead for a special occasion. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Serve: This pie is delicious served cold straight from the fridge or at room temperature. If you froze it, just let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing. Top with fresh whipped cream right before serving for the best taste and texture.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 650-750
• Protein: 5-8 g
• Fat: 48-55 g
• Carbohydrates: 55-65 g

Ingredients

For the base:

• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 4 large crackers)
• 2 tbsp melted salted butter
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

For the sweet potato filling:

• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (about half a large sweet potato)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp salt

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Step 1: Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust

• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 4 large crackers)
• 2 tbsp melted salted butter
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C).

Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a rolling pin, food processor, or blender.

In a small bowl, mix the crumbs with the melted butter, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon until evenly incorporated.

Step 2: Form and Bake the Crust

• graham cracker crumb mixture from Step 1

Lightly butter a 5×5-inch baking dish.

Press the crumb mixture from Step 1 firmly into the bottom of the dish using the back of a spoon or a flat measuring cup.

Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 7–8 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 3: Make the Sweet Potato Filling

• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (about half a large sweet potato)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, combine the mashed cooked sweet potato, granulated sugar, large egg, heavy cream, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, and salt.

Stir until the mixture is completely smooth and all ingredients are well blended.

I like to make sure the sweet potato is still slightly warm—it helps make the filling extra creamy.

Step 4: Assemble and Bake the Pie

• graham cracker crust from Step 2
• sweet potato filling from Step 3

Pour the sweet potato filling from Step 3 over the baked graham cracker crust from Step 2.

Spread the filling evenly with a spatula.

Bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 45 minutes, or until the center of the pie is set.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Step 5: Make Maple Whipped Cream

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream and maple syrup together with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute.

I always chill my bowl and beaters first; it makes the whipped cream come together more quickly and gives it a fluffier texture.

Step 6: Serve the Pie

Spoon the maple whipped cream from Step 5 over the cooled sweet potato pie before serving.

Enjoy!

Mini Sweet Potato Pie for Two

Delicious Mini Sweet Potato Pie for Two recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 52 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 17 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 700 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the base:

• 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 4 large crackers)
• 2 tbsp melted salted butter
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

For the sweet potato filling:

• 1 cup mashed cooked sweet potato (about half a large sweet potato)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp salt

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs using a rolling pin, food processor, or blender. In a small bowl, mix the crumbs with the melted butter, granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon until evenly incorporated.
• Lightly butter a 5x5-inch baking dish. Press the crumb mixture from Step 1 firmly into the bottom of the dish using the back of a spoon or a flat measuring cup. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 7–8 minutes, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl, combine the mashed cooked sweet potato, granulated sugar, large egg, heavy cream, vanilla extract, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, ground ginger, and salt. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth and all ingredients are well blended. I like to make sure the sweet potato is still slightly warm—it helps make the filling extra creamy.
• Pour the sweet potato filling from Step 3 over the baked graham cracker crust from Step 2. Spread the filling evenly with a spatula. Bake at 350°F (177°C) for about 45 minutes, or until the center of the pie is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
• In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream and maple syrup together with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 1 minute. I always chill my bowl and beaters first; it makes the whipped cream come together more quickly and gives it a fluffier texture.
• Spoon the maple whipped cream from Step 5 over the cooled sweet potato pie before serving. Enjoy!