Southern Deep Dish Sweet Potato Pie

Finding a dessert that really wows people during the holidays without requiring a culinary degree can feel like an impossible task. After all, impressive pies are hard to pull off when you’re already juggling a dozen other dishes, managing oven space, and trying to keep everyone happy with their dietary preferences.

Luckily, this deep dish sweet potato pie checks all the boxes: it’s crowd-pleasing and flavorful, surprisingly straightforward to make, and works perfectly whether you’re celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just craving a comforting homemade dessert.

What Kind of Sweet Potatoes Should I Use?

For this deep dish pie, you’ll want to use orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which are sometimes labeled as “yams” at the grocery store (though they’re actually sweet potatoes). These have a naturally sweet, creamy texture that’s perfect for pie filling. You can use fresh sweet potatoes that you bake or boil yourself, or if you’re short on time, canned sweet potatoes work just fine – just make sure they’re plain and not the candied variety. If you’re going the fresh route, look for sweet potatoes that are firm with smooth skin and no soft spots, as these will give you the best flavor and texture once mashed.

Options for Substitutions

This sweet potato pie is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need them:

• Sweet potatoes: You can use canned sweet potato puree (about 15 ounces) instead of fresh ones. Just make sure it’s plain puree, not the pre-sweetened pie filling. If using canned, skip the mashing step and go straight to mixing.
• Milk: Any milk works here – whole milk, 2%, almond milk, or even evaporated milk will do the job. If using evaporated milk, your pie will be a bit richer and creamier.
• Salted butter: Unsalted butter works fine too, just add a pinch of salt to the filling. You could also use coconut oil for a dairy-free version.
• Spices: Don’t have all the spices? You can use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg combo. Or just use what you have on hand – cinnamon alone still makes a tasty pie.
• Sugars: You can use all brown sugar or all white sugar if that’s what you’ve got. Brown sugar will give you a deeper, more molasses-like flavor, while white sugar keeps it lighter.
• Pie crust: Store-bought is totally fine, but if you want to make your own or use a graham cracker crust, go for it. Just make sure it’s deep dish to hold all that filling.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making sweet potato pie is using undercooked or watery sweet potatoes, which will make your filling runny – make sure to bake or boil your sweet potatoes until they’re completely tender, then let them cool and drain any excess moisture before mashing.

Overmixing the filling after adding the eggs can create too much air and cause cracks on the surface, so mix just until everything is combined and smooth.

To prevent a soggy bottom crust, try blind baking your pie shell for about 10 minutes before adding the filling, and always check the center with a gentle shake – the pie is done when the edges are set but the middle still has a slight jiggle, as it will continue to firm up as it cools.

Let your pie cool completely at room temperature for at least 2 hours before slicing, which allows the filling to set properly and makes for cleaner slices.

What to Serve With Sweet Potato Pie?

Sweet potato pie is a dessert that really shines on its own, but a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream takes it to the next level. If you’re serving this for a holiday meal, it pairs beautifully alongside other classic desserts like pecan pie or apple crisp so guests can sample a little bit of everything. For a cozy finishing touch, try serving it with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea that complements the warm cinnamon and ginger flavors. Some people also love adding a sprinkle of toasted pecans on top for a little extra crunch.

Storage Instructions

Store: Sweet potato pie keeps really well in the fridge. Once it’s completely cooled, cover it loosely with foil or plastic wrap and store it for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better after a day or two, so it’s a great dessert to make ahead for holidays or gatherings.

Freeze: You can freeze this pie for up to 2 months if you want to make it way ahead of time. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then add a layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.

Serve: This pie is delicious served cold straight from the fridge, or you can warm individual slices in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds if you prefer it warm. I love topping mine with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	50-60 minutes
Total Time	70-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

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

• Calories: 2200-2500
• Protein: 30-35 g
• Fat: 75-85 g
• Carbohydrates: 350-380 g

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 deep dish 9-inch pie shell (unbaked, I use Pillsbury)

For the sweet potato filling:

• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 oz salted butter (melted and cooled)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (freshly grated for best flavor)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Step 1: Cook and Prepare the Sweet Potatoes

• 2 to 3 large sweet potatoes (about 2 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add the unpeeled, uncut sweet potatoes and cook at a steady boil for 35-45 minutes, or until a fork easily pierces them all the way to the middle.

Drain the potatoes and run them under cool water until they are cool enough to handle.

Once cooled, cut the potatoes in half and gently press to slide them out of their skins, or peel the skins off as needed.

Step 2: Mash Sweet Potatoes with Butter

• 2 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes (from Step 1)
• 2 oz salted butter

Place the peeled sweet potatoes in a large bowl.

Add the salted butter and mash together until the potatoes are as smooth as possible and the butter is fully melted.

I like to mash for a few extra minutes to ensure the filling turns out ultra creamy.

Step 3: Mix the Sweet Potato Pie Filling

• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• mashed sweet potatoes with butter (from Step 2)

Add the milk, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg to the mashed sweet potatoes and butter.

Use a hand mixer to beat everything together until the mixture is completely smooth and well combined.

Step 4: Bake the Sweet Potato Pie

• 1 deep dish 9-inch pie shell, unbaked
• sweet potato pie filling (from Step 3)

Preheat the oven to 350°F if you haven’t already.

Pour the prepared sweet potato filling into the unbaked deep dish pie shell.

Place the pie in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the center jiggles slightly like jello but doesn’t slosh when the pie pan is gently moved.

Step 5: Cool and Serve the Pie

Once the pie is fully baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool to room temperature.

Top with whipped cream just before serving or store the pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

I like to enjoy it slightly chilled for the best flavor and texture.