Grandma’s Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
The holiday season isn’t complete without Grandma’s Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie on the table! This homemade sweet potato pie is super simple, just like my grandma used to make hers. Wonderful warm spices are combined with fresh sweet potatoes and sweetened with brown sugar. This pie is the real deal, straight from grandma’s kitchen!
What readers are saying...
This recipe is pretty much exactly the same as the one handed down through the generations in my family. Absolutely delicious! Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.”
– KIM
This sweet potato pie recipe is one that has been passed down from my grandmother — our Thanksgiving table is never complete without it.
Of course, one pie was never enough for Grandma, so if you need more pie recipes, grab my perfect pumpkin pie recipe, this easy pecan pie, or this rich caramel apple pie.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe:
INGREDIENT NOTES
- Sweet Potatoes: Look for sweet potatoes that are even in size, if possible so they bake evenly.
- Heavy Cream: This adds a complete richness to the pie and was my grandma’s “secret ingredient.” You can use whole milk or evaporated milk, too.
- Frozen pie shell or pie crust: I like using pre-formed frozen pie shells (these or the Marie’ Callendar’s brand are my faves). You can also use just a regular refrigerated pie crust like these. A homemade pie crust works, too of course! This is my favorite pie crust recipe and check out these tips for the perfect homemade pie crust!
HOW TO MAKE GRANDMA’S OLD-FASHIONED SWEET POTATO PIE: STEP-BY-STEP
Here are some quick visual instructions. Remember that full instructions with exact ingredients will be in the recipe card below!
Prep: Boil or bake sweet potatoes until fork tender. Note: Baking them really makes the sweetness shine and was how my grandma would always make hers!
Step 1: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and place them into a large bowl. Add softened butter. Mix well using a potato masher or hand mixer.
Step 2: Add vanilla extract, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. With an electric mixer (or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment) mix until well incorporated.
Step 3: Add eggs and heavy cream and mix until smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Pour the mixture into your unbaked pie crust and smooth out the top.
Step 5: Bake for 45-50 minutes (or longer), or until lightly golden brown around the edges and *almost* set through the middle. It’s OK if it’s a LITTLE jiggly in the center. The pie will continue to bake as it cools. The internal temperature of the pie should be 170°F.
RECIPE TIPS & TRICKS
- Bake your potatoes for maximum sweetness: While most people boil cubed sweet potatoes, my grandma would always bake hers whole. Baking allows the potatoes to reach a higher temperature which maximizes their sweetness.
- Mix well! You should aim to get the sweet potato pie filling mixture as combined as possible, without lumps. Some people use a food processor to get everything super smooth, but my grandma wouldn’t approve of that 🙂 She was more of a rustic gal. A hand mixer works great!
Casey’s Top Tip: Be sure to allow the cooked sweet potatoes to cool for at least 20 minutes to ensure that the eggs do not scramble from the heat of the potatoes while mixing. Even better, cool to room temperature before adding the other ingredients, if possible.
STORAGE & REHEATING
- Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge covered tightly with plastic wrap or foil for up to 4 days. You can also store individual slices in an airtight container in the fridge. Note: Because sweet potato pie contains both milk and eggs, it needs to be refrigerated after being at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Freezing: This pie can be frozen whole, just keep in mind the crust may get slightly soggy during the process. To freeze, cover with several layers of plastic wrap or foil. Place the pie in a large plastic Ziploc freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
ADDITIONS & SUBSTITUTIONS
ADDITIONS:
- Sugar: I love the combo of both white and brown sugar, but in pinch, you can use one or the other. Light brown or dark brown sugar both work.
SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Heavy Cream: Whole milk or evaporated milk works great, too.
- Pie Crust: My grandma would always make a homemade pie crust (with lots of Crisco!), but feel free to use a store-bought pie crust or pie shell.
- Canned Sweet Potatoes: I have not tested grandma’s recipe with canned sweet potatoes. If you decide to use them, just make sure they are PLAIN with no sugar or spices added!
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I hope you love my recipe for Grandma’s Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie!
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Thank you! ~ Casey
Grandma’s Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Equipment
- pie shield optional
Ingredients
- 1 frozen unbaked 9-inch pie shell or pie crust, thawed, at room temperature or homemade pie crust
- 1-1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup brown sugar light or dark brown sugar both work
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup heavy cream evaporated milk or whole milk will also work
Instructions
- Prep + Cook Sweet Potatoes: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap sweet potatoes in aluminum foil. Place wrapped sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender (exact time will depend on the size of your potatoes ). Unwrap the potatoes and let them cool completely (See Note 1)Decrease oven temperature to 350°F.
- Prepare Pie Crust: Make sure your pie crust is thawed completely if using a frozen crust. If you are using a homemade pie crust, press the crust into a 9-inch pie pan. Use a fork to poke holes into the bottom of the crust.
- Combine & Mix: Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and place into a large mixing bowl. Add softened butter. Using a potato masher or hand mixer, mix well.
- Add: Add vanilla extract, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and salt. With an electric mixer (or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment) mix until well incorporated. Add eggs and heavy cream and mix until smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula as you mix.
- Pour: Pour the sweet potato filling into your unbaked pie shell and smooth it out on top (I use a rubber spatula for this).
- Bake: Bake for 45-50 minutes (or longer), or until lightly golden brown around the edges and *almost* set through the middle. It's OK if it's a LITTLE jiggly in the center. The pie will continue to bake as it cools (See Note 2). The internal temperature of the pie should be 170°F.
- Cool: Turn the oven off and crack open the oven door, but do not remove the pie. Let the pie cool, gradually for about 10 minutes before removing it from the oven. Cooling the pie SLOWLY will help avoid cracks in the top of your pie. After about 10 minutes, remove pie from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack (or on the counter) for about 2 hours.
- Serve: Slice and serve with cinnamon whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
yum! what a great holiday pie. It’s so good with some whipped cream and cinnamon on top
This pie turned out perfect for our Canadian Thanksgiving dessert, a nice change from the usual pumpkin pie. I plan to make it again. Thanks for a great recipe!
Oh yum! Definitely a fantastic addition to the holiday table. That texture looks absolutely amazing.
This came out so beautifully creamy and smooth! And the flavors were bang on. Such a great fall dessert for the holidays!
I love sweet potato pie. This recipe is very similar to my grandmas pie. Grandma always know best.
I love how you have used frozen pie shell for this recipe. I am a huge fan of semi home made. This pie sound sso delicious. I wish I could grab a slice from the screen.
This recipe is pretty much exactly the same as the one handed down through the generations in my family. Absolutely delicious! Perfect for Thanksgiving dinner.