You can actually taste the wonderful flavor of sweet potato in this pie, which is only enhanced, not supplanted by the additions of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla.
Add a Splash of Bourbon
We’ve also added a splash of bourbon to the filling (of course, right?). You can skip the bourbon if you want, but if you have some bourbon in the house, by all means use it.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pie
Making sweet potato pie is a two part process: First, roast the sweet potatoes in the oven. Then, scoop out the soft insides, mix the mashed sweet potato with the other pie filling ingredients, and pour it into a pie crust to bake in the oven. Bake your pie for about an hour at 350°F. When done, the filling should be set with just the barest bit of wobble in the middle. If the crust starts to brown before the pie is done, tent the edges with foil.
Caramel Pecan Topping Makes It Special
A sweet potato pie is fantastic adorned with nothing but a dollop of whipped cream, of course. But add a caramel pecan topping, and this pie becomes irresistible. The topping is very simple. Just melt butter and brown sugar, then toss with the pecans until coated. Spread this over the pie and it’s ready for the dessert table.
Serve Warm or Room Temperature
You can serve this pie while it’s still warm from the oven, or after it’s cooled to room temperature. You can also make this pie a few days ahead and keep it chilled in the fridge, but wait to top it with the pecans until you’re ready to serve. Warm the pie briefly in the oven before topping with the pecans and serving, or let it sit out while you’re eating dinner so that it comes to room temperature in time for dessert. Leftovers should be kept refrigerated and will last for about five days.
Looking for More Ideas for Thanksgiving Pie?
Our All-Time Best Thanksgiving Pies from Simply Recipes Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie Apple Pie Pecan Pie Apple Slab Pie
This recipe is revised and updated from one we originally posted in 2006, which we adapted from Martha Stewart. We’ve changed everything except the pecan topping, which is crazy good. I’ve adjusted the pecan topping instructions a bit from the original. I find that as soon as the pecans are coated with the brown sugar caramel sauce they need to be poured over the pie, no waiting or they will seize.
1 1/4 cups (160g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (skip the salt if using salted butter)
10 tablespoons (140g) cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons ice water
Pie Filling:
2 eggs
2 pounds (900g) sweet potatoes (about 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes)
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup (55g) brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar (can reduce to 1 tablespoon if you want less sugar)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon whisky, optional
7 ounces (210ml) sweetened condensed milk
Pie Topping:
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup (64g) brown sugar
1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
1 cup (110g) pecans, half of them roughly chopped, the other half whole
Add half of the butter and pulse several times. Add the rest of the butter and pulse several more times, until the butter pieces are not bigger than the size of a pea. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and pulse a couple of times. Add another tablespoon, and maybe just a teaspoon more if needed, and pulse, just enough so that the dough holds together when you pinch it with your fingers. Empty the food processor bowl onto a clean surface and gather the dough into your hands and form a ball. Flatten to a smooth disk about 6 inches wide. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Put on a foil lined baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 1 hour, or until cooked through and soft. Remove the sweet potatoes from oven when done and let cool. Place on dough on and in the pie dish, turn the edges under and crimp the edges. Poke the bottom of the crust a few times with tines of a fork. Place into the freezer to chill. Stir in 1 Tbsp of heavy whipping cream. The mixture should bubble up a lot. As soon as you’ve mixed in the cream, add the pecans. Stir to coat the pecans with the sugar mixture. As soon as the pecans are coated with the sugar mixture, pour them over the top of the pie. Use the back of a metal spoon to spread them out in an even layer on the top of the pie. Let the pie cool for a few minutes before serving.
