Grandma's Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie

Move over pumpkin pie, hello sweet potato pie! This old fashioned sweet potato pie is loaded with flavor from creamy pumpkin, warm spices, and a flaky buttery crust - all topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

Sweet potato pie is a southern classic that is a staple during the holiday season. The flavor is similar to pumpkin pie but with a slight twist in flavor - a delicious twist! 

So let me teach you how to make this old fashioned sweet potato pie - you won't believe how simple it is!

This sweet potato pie is:

• An old fashioned favorite.
• A southern classic for the holidays.
• Rich and velvety.
• Every bit as good as the one grandma made!

And it also makes an absolutely perfect Thanksgiving dessert!

How To Make Sweet Potato Pie

You'll start off by making a homemade pie crust. I made a cream cheese crust using cream cheese, butter and flour - it's so good! Shape the crust and press it in the pie pan. 

Then in a bowl, you will whip up the sweet potato pie filling. You will blend your filling until it's nice and creamy, and then carefully pour it into the pie crust.

Bake the sweet potato pie for 60 minutes in the oven, until it is cooked through and then allow it to cool before serving.

See the printable recipe card below for detailed instructions and measurements.

FAQs

What Does Sweet Potato Pie Taste Like?

A sweet potato pie is full of rich and warm spices and tastes very similar to pumpkin pie. But pumpkin pie is typically a denser pie, while sweet potato pie offers a lighter texture. 

Do You Eat Sweet Potato Pie Cold?

Sweet potato pie can be eaten warm or chilled- it's completely up to you. Most will chill it and serve cold, but I do enjoy a warm slice of pie with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream!

Can I Make Sweet Potato Pie Ahead Of Time?

Yes, you can make this pie a day in advance of serving. Just allow your pie to cool at room temperature, and then store in the fridge covered with aluminum foil or in an airtight container.

You can store your pie in the fridge for up to four days.

Does Sweet Potato Pie Freeze Well?

Yes, you can freeze your sweet potato pie. Make sure to wrap your pie up in aluminum foil or place in a freezer friendly container. Then store in the freezer for up to one month.

Thaw your pie in the fridge 24 hours before you plan to serve it. 

Can I Use Frozen Pie Crust Instead of Homemade?

Not for this pie. At least I wouldn't recommend it. This pie has more of a shortbread style crust, which is different from traditional pie crust. It adds a layer of flavor to the pie recipe that you really won't want to leave out.

The cream cheese pie crust recipe that I used for this offers a really creamy and buttery flavor. It's a versatile one that you can use for many other homemade pies as well.

Canned Sweet Potatoes vs. Fresh Sweet Potatoes

You are welcome to use canned sweet potatoes or fresh sweet potatoes. I tend to just boil up fresh potatoes, and then mash them, I find it offers great fresh flavor. See the recipe card for instructions on mashing your potatoes from scratch.

If you use canned make sure they are plain sweet potatoes and don't have other ingredients added in. You don't want to use the kind that are packed in syrup, as the pie will be much too sweet.

Can I Use Pumpkin Pie Spice?

Yes you can, swap out the spices in this recipe and use pumpkin pie spice instead. I love using the separate spices so I can tweak the flavor to my liking, but a pre-mixed pumpkin pie spice is still delicious and definitely convenient.

Craving More Holiday Pie Recipes?

• Apple Crumble Pie | This is a fantastic apple pie recipe with a delicious crumble on top. Bake and enjoy a fresh and tasty pie.
• Chocolate Pie with Meringue | Whip up a velvety chocolate pie that is topped with fluffy meringue. This is one of our favorite holiday pies.
• Derby Pie | Whip up this sweet and tasty Derby pie recipe. A chocolately delicious pie recipe that is loaded with pie.

Recipe

Grandma's Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie

This old fashioned sweet potato pie is loaded with flavor from creamy pumpkin, warm spices, and a flaky buttery crust - all topped with a dollop of whipped cream.

4.8 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Course Pie

Cuisine American

Servings 8 servings

Calories 395 kcal

Equipment

• 9" pie pan

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Crust

• 3 ounces cream cheese softened
• ½ cup butter softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Filling

• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes see notes
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves

For Topping

• whipped cream optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch pie pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix cream cheese and butter until combined. Add in flour and mix until the dough starts to clump together. If necessary, knead together to form a ball, and then press the dough down into the pie pan, covering the bottom and the sides of the pan.
• Peel the sweet potatoes and cut up into one-inch chunks. Place in a pot with boiling water just covering the potatoes, and cook until fork-tender. Puree the cooked sweet potatoes in a food processor to get smooth consistency.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed sweet potatoes and remaining ingredients, and stir to incorporate. Pour into pie shell, and bake for 60 minutes.
• Allow pie to cool, and serve topped with whipped cream.

Notes

To make the mashed sweet potatoes from scratch: Use one pound of sweet potatoes, which will be 3-4 small potatoes. Peel the potatoes. Add them to a pot of boiling salted water. Bring it back to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until fork tender. Drain, cool, and mash the potatoes. 

Alternatively, you can use precooked refrigerated mashed potatoes or canned sweet potatoes (without additional ingredients). 

 

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 395kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 3gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 171mgFiber: 2gSugar: 34g

Nutrition details are an estimate, per serving.

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