Sweet Potato Pie (Three Topping Options)

Three pies on a white wooden table: one pumpkin pie with a slice missing, one pecan pie, and one sweet potato pie topped with toasted marshmallows. Fall leaves, cinnamon sticks, pecans, and marshmallows are arranged nearby.

5 from 4 votes

A rich, creamy Southern sweet potato pie made with warm spices and finished with your choice of toasted marshmallows, whole pecans, or a classic plain topping.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2

Cooling and chilling (minimum)1 30

Total Time3 50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Southern

Keyword: sweet potato, sweet potato pie

Servings:

Ingredients

For the Pie
1 frozen or homemade 9-inch pie crust
3 medium sweet potatoes about 2 cups mashed
¼ cup butter room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup brown sugar packed
2 large eggs beaten, room temperature
¼ cup evaporated milk room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon salt
Topping Options Choose One
Mini marshmallows
Whole pecans
No topping plain classic pie

Instructions

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 30 minutes before adding your preferred topping. Count this toward the total 2-hour limit before refrigeration (1 hour above 90°F).
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.
Refrigerate the pie within 2 hours of oven removal, including the 30 minutes before topping (within 1 hour above 90°F). Finish cooling in the refrigerator at 40°F or colder, then chill for 1–2 hours for clean slices. Serve chilled, or briefly bring individual slices toward room temperature if preferred.

Video

Notes

Plan on at least 3 hours 50 minutes using the longer baking estimates: 20 minutes preparation, 50–60 minutes to roast the sweet potatoes, 50–60 minutes to bake the filled pie, 30 minutes before topping, and at least 1 hour of refrigerated chilling after cooling. Allow additional time for the potatoes to cool enough to handle, the pie to finish cooling in the refrigerator, the optional topping, and up to 2 hours of chilling for clean slices. Refrigerate the pie within 2 hours of oven removal, including time before topping (within 1 hour above 90°F). The total is a minimum planning estimate, not a promise that the pie will be fully chilled.

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