Sweet Potato Pie

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Sweet potato pie is a delicious and even more flavorful cousin of pumpkin pie; the filling is slightly denser but should be just as creamy and it is perfect with a big dollop of whipped cream at the end of a meal. 

I used orange zest, a healthy touch of bourbon and a dash of several spices to take my sweet potato pie to the next level. This is definitely a make ahead pie as the extra time will help everything set and be more stable when cutting. I couldn’t wait… but that’s fine too!

Pro Tips for the Best Sweet potato Pie

• Glass pie tine are very durable but so slippery; be prepared for some slippage during baking.
• TENT your Pie crust! You really want the center of the pie to bake all the way through and set but the crust should be golden brown at the edge. Tenting with foil like you see in the process shot further down will keep your crust from singeing.
• If you want to speed things up you can use a graham cracker crust and you will not be disappointed.
• Use a food processor and whiz, whiz, whiz! Those blades will chop up all the fibrous strings you find in some sweet potato pies and give you a wonderful silky filling.
• For a PERFECT surface put the pie on a turntable and use a large pastry brush to create a swirl.
• I used a pastry stamp for the decorative edge but honestly it was more work than it’s worth. I recommend going with a simple crimped edge.
• If you want to go for a shocking twist then use purple sweet potatoes and watch your guests do a double take.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you know when your pie is ready?

The center of your pie should read 175F on a thermometer or a knife will come out clean from the center. 

Can you make the filling without a food processor?

You can make this in a stand mixer or even by hand but I might recommend pressing the sweet potato through a large sieve to eliminate some of the strings and ensure a smoother texture. 

How do you get a smooth top?

You can use a spatula to smooth the top out but the best results from from using a turntable and a large pastry brush. Place the pie on the turntable and give it a spin. Use the brush to create a swirl.

How long does the pie keep for?

Your sweet potato pie will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator. You can also leave it out overnight at room temperature if covered.

How to Make an Easy Pie Dough

1. Add the flour, sugar, spices, and salt to the bowl of your food processor. Pulse several times to combine the ingredients.

2. Add the COLD cubed butter the the dry mixture and pulse until you have a crumbly mixture with small lentil-sized pieces of butter. Drizzle in the ice water and vodka while pulsing.

3. Dump the mixture out onto a pastry mat or piece of parchment paper and press together. knead the mixture just a couple of times to help bring it together then cover in plastic. Give the dough a quick roll to form into a disk and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

How to Make Pie crust without a food processor

• Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl and whisk together. 
• Grate one cup of FROZEN butter into the dry mixture. Toss with flour as you go so the butter doesn’t clump up.
• Use two knives to mix the butter and flour mixture.
• Drizzle in the ice water and vodka and mix together with the knives or forks.
• Press the shaggy dough into a disk and knead a couple of times.
• Cover in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

How to make Sweet Potato Pie

1. Pierce your sweet potatoes and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375F for an hour. While the potatoes are baking make your pastry dough using the steps above.

2. Once your sweet potatoes have baked and cooled for about 20 minutes peel and cut off the tops and bottoms. 

3. After your pie dough has chilled for at least 20 minutes, roll out on a well-floured surface and transfer to your pie dish. Gently press into place.

4. Finish the edge of the pie. I usually like to go for a simple crimped edge. Trim the edge of the dough so you have about an inch of excess. Fold the edge under itself then use your fingers to crimp the edge.Chill while you work on the filling.

5. Transfer the sweet potatoes to a food processor and whiz, whiz, whiz.

6. Add the remaining pie filling ingredients to the processor and pulse until well mixed.

7. Pour the filling into the pie crust. In this image you see the unfinished pie crust edge because I added a decorative leaf border at the very end.

8. Mix your egg wash and brush onto the pie’s edge. Tent with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350F. Remove foil and continue baking until done.

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE TRY THESE OUT!

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

Apple Pie

Silky Chocolate Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie

If you’ve tried this sweet potato pie recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

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5 from 1 vote

Sweet Potato Pie

Every holiday gathering needs this fragrant sweet potato pie with fluffy whipped cream! 

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Servings 8

Calories 390kcal

Author John Kanell

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust:

• 2 1/2 cups flour plus more for rolling 300g
• 4 tbsp granulated sugar 50g
• 1/2 tsp sea salt 3g
• 1 cup unsalted butter 227g, chilled
• 1/4 cup ice water 60mL
• 1 tsp cinnamon 2g
• 1 tsp all-spice 2g
• 1/4 tsp ginger 500mg

For the Filling:

• 1.75 lb sweet potatoes 794g
• ½ tsp cinnamon 1g
• ¼ tsp allspice 500mg
• ¾ cup brown sugar 150g
• ½ cup heavy cream 118mL
• ¼ cup bourbon 60mL
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 5mL
• 1 tbsp orange zest
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp heavy cream 15mL

Instructions

For the Pie Filling and Crust

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a knife and place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375F for an hour or until softened through.
• Prepare the pie crust while the sweet potatoes bake. If you'd doing some decorative pastry work on the edge you will want to make an extra half batch of pastry dough.

  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add in spices. Whisk together. Grate in chilled butter and drizzle in ice cold water. Mix using a fork.
• Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
• Cut the dough in half, set one half to the side. With a rolling pin, flatten out on a well-floured board, into a circle at least 1 inch larger than the pie pan, rolling from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough so it doesn't stick to the board. (You should see bits of butter in the dough.) Fold the dough in half, ease it into the pie pan without stretching at all and unfold to fit the pan.
• With a small sharp paring knife, cut the dough 1 inch larger around than the pan. Fold the edge under and crimp the edge with either your fingers or the tines of a fork. Chill pie crust while the filling is prepared.
  
• Once sweet potatoes are baked, remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes.
• Cut tops and bottoms of the potatoes and peel skins off. Transfer sweet potatoes to a food processor and process until completely smooth. This step eliminates those fibrous strings you find in some pies.
• To the bowl of your food processor add spices, bourbon, egg, orange zest, sugar, vanilla, and cream to the sweet potatoes. Pulse until well-incorporated.
• Pour filling into the pie crust.
  
• Mix egg and cream together in a small bowl and brush over the exposed crust.
• Fold a length of foil slightly longer than the diameter of your pie dish and fold in half. Wrap around the pie's edge and carefully fold the top in a bit to protect the crust during baking
• Bake for about 50 minutes or until the center is set. Allow to cool for at least and hour.
• Top with whipped cream and serve.

Notes

• Glass pie tine are very durable but so slippery; be prepared for some slippage during baking.
• TENT your Pie crust! You really want the center of the pie to bake all the way through and set but the crust should be golden brown at the edge. Tenting with foil like you see in the process shot further down will keep your crust from singeing.
• Use a food processor and whiz, whiz, whiz! Those blades will chop up all the fibrous strings you find in some sweet potato pies and give you a wonderful silky filling.
• For a PERFECT surface put the pie on a turntable and use a large pastry brush to create a swirl.
• If you’d like a more decorative edge use a pie crust stamp or cookie cutter. I used an oak leaf stamp! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 4.6g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 215mg | Fiber: 2.3g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 10050IU | Vitamin C: 10.7mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1.3mg

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