A staple of holiday dessert tables, sweet potato pie is celebrated for its unique flavor and rich texture. This recipe produces a pie with a smooth, velvety custard filling, enhanced by the natural sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes and warming notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. To make the process more efficient, this guide utilizes a pre-made frozen crust, allowing you to focus entirely on perfecting the filling. We'll walk you through the essential steps for concentrating the potatoes' flavor and achieving a smooth custard, ensuring a perfectly set pie with a crack-free surface.
Ingredients
- 1 (9-inch) frozen pie crust
For the Filling:
- 2 lbs sweet potatoes
- 1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 c granulated sugar
- 1/2 c packed light brown sugar
- 1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Wash the 2 lbs of sweet potatoes and pierce them with a fork. Bake on a baking sheet for 45-60 minutes until very tender.
- Allow the sweet potatoes to cool slightly, then peel and discard the skins.
- In a large bowl, mash the sweet potatoes until smooth.
- Add the 1/2 c of softened butter, 3/4 c of granulated sugar, and 1/2 c of light brown sugar. Beat with a mixer until well combined.
- Beat in the 1 (12-oz) can of evaporated milk, 2 large eggs, 1 tsp of ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp of ground ginger, 1 tsp of vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp of salt until the filling is smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the 1 (9-inch) frozen pie crust.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for another 40-50 minutes. The pie is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack before serving.