Begin by preheating your oven to 425°F and lining a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Poke the sweet potatoes several times with a fork, place them on the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 50–60 minutes or until they are tender enough to squeeze gently. Once cool enough to handle, slice them open, remove the skins, and transfer the flesh to a food processor or blender. Purée the sweet potatoes until the mixture is completely smooth.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweet potato purée and softened butter, mixing until well blended. Add both sugars and continue mixing. Beat in the eggs, then stir in the evaporated milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt until the filling is smooth and creamy. Place the prepared pie crust on a baking sheet for easy transfer and pour the filling into the crust, smoothing the top evenly. Bake the pie for 50–60 minutes, or until the filling is set around the edges with a slight jiggle in the center. Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes before adding your preferred topping.

If you choose the marshmallow topping, switch the oven to broil on high, cover the surface of the pie with mini marshmallows, and broil for 1–2 minutes, watching closely until the marshmallows are golden and toasted. For the whole pecan topping, simply arrange the pecans evenly over the warm pie; you may toast the pecans lightly in a skillet beforehand for extra flavor. If you prefer a classic sweet potato pie, leave the pie plain without any topping.

To serve, allow the pie to cool for 1–2 hours at room temperature, then refrigerate it for another 1–2 hours if you want the cleanest slices. The pie can be served chilled, warm, or at room temperature depending on your preference.