Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

• 1 (23 cm) refrigerated pie crust (or frozen deep-dish)refrigerated pie crust
• 480 ml (2 cups)sweet potato purée
• 240 ml (1 cup)double cream
• 100 g (½ cup)granulated sugar
• 110 g (½ cup)light brown sugar
• 3 largeeggs
• 2 tsppumpkin pie spice
• 2 tsppure vanilla extract
• ¼ tspsalt
• 35 g (⅓ cup)crushed vanilla wafer crumbs
• 12 g (1 tbsp)granulated sugar
• ¼ tspground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
• 28 g (2 tbsp), cold and cubedunsalted butter
• 30 g (¼ cup)chopped pecans
• 45 g (¼ cup)English toffee bits
• 480 ml (2 cups), optionalfreshly whipped cream, to serve

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the crust

   Heat the oven to 175°C. Lightly spray a 23 cm deep-dish pie pan with cooking spray and press the crust firmly into it. Prick the base with a fork, set the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 7 minutes. Set aside.

2. 2

   Mix the filling

   In a medium bowl, whisk the sweet potato purée, cream, both sugars, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla and salt until evenly combined.

3. 3

   Bake the filling

   Pour the custard into the crust. Put it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Make the topping

   While the pie bakes, combine the vanilla wafer crumbs, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Work in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, then stir in the pecans and toffee bits by hand.

5. 5

   Finish baking

   After the first 30 minutes, scatter the pecan topping over the custard. Bake for another 30 minutes, until the custard is set when gently shaken and the topping is golden. If the crust edge is browning too much, cover it with foil.

6. 6

   Cool and serve

   Let the pie cool to room temperature, then chill it completely before slicing; chilling overnight is ideal. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

7. 7

   Prepare sweet potatoes

   To make the purée, bake whole sweet potatoes with their skins on at 190°C on a baking sheet for about an hour, or until fork-tender. Cool until safe to handle, cut them open and scoop the flesh from the skins with a tablespoon. Purée the flesh in a stand blender or with a hand mixer, then cool it before continuing with the recipe.

What is sweet potato pie?

Sweet potato pie is an American baked custard pie, especially associated with Southern cooking. Mashed sweet potatoes give the filling its colour and mellow sweetness, while eggs and cream help it set.

This version layers a spiced custard with a crunchy topping of vanilla wafer crumbs, pecans and toffee. The contrast between the smooth filling and crisp topping makes it a good make-ahead dessert.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 488 calories, 6g protein, 56g carbs, 27g fat.

The sweet potatoes and sugars provide most of the carbohydrates, while the cream, butter, pecans and toffee contribute much of the fat. Eggs add some protein, alongside smaller amounts from the other ingredients. Balance a slice with fresh fruit, or serve it after a meal that includes vegetables and a protein-rich main.

A smooth sweet potato filling

Sweet potato purée: use smooth, cooled purée so it blends evenly with the eggs and cream. If making it from baked sweet potatoes, scoop the flesh from the skins and purée it before measuring.

Spice and vanilla: pumpkin pie spice flavours the custard, while vanilla rounds it out. The small amount of salt helps balance the sweetness.

Getting the crust ready

Brief pre-bake: pricking the crust and baking it for 7 minutes gives it a head start before the wet filling goes in. Press the pastry snugly into the pan so it holds its shape.

Crust edge: the pie bakes for an hour in total after the filling is added. Cover the edge with foil if it is browning faster than the centre.

Making the pecan topping

Cold butter: cut it into the wafer crumbs, sugar and spice until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Keeping the butter cold helps the topping stay crumbly as it bakes.

Pecans and toffee: stir these in by hand after working in the butter. Add the topping only after the custard has baked for its first 30 minutes, as directed.

How to tell when it is ready

Set custard: after the final 30 minutes, gently shake the pie. The filling should look set rather than liquid, and the pecan topping should be golden.

Chill before cutting: cool the pie to room temperature, then refrigerate it until thoroughly chilled. An overnight rest is ideal for cleaner slices.

Serving and timing

This pie takes about 220 minutes in total, including cooling and chilling time, so plan ahead rather than treating it as a last-minute bake. The overnight chill is especially useful when preparing it for a gathering.

Serve slices plain or with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. Coffee or tea makes a simple accompaniment.

Recipe notes & tips

• Use fully cooled sweet potato purée before mixing the custard.
• Measure the purée after cooking and removing the skins.
• Cut the cold butter into the topping until coarse crumbs form.
• Keep an eye on the crust edge and shield it with foil if it browns too quickly.
• Chill the pie thoroughly before slicing for neater portions.
• Add the whipped cream just before serving.

Variations

• Cinnamon topping: use ground cinnamon in place of the pumpkin pie spice in the crumb mixture.
• Spiced topping: use pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon for a more unified spice flavour.
• No toffee: leave out the toffee bits for a less sweet, simpler crunchy topping.
• Homemade purée: bake sweet potatoes until fork-tender, scoop out the flesh and purée it smooth.
• Plain finish: serve without whipped cream to let the custard and crunchy topping stand on their own.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Lumpy purée: blend the cooked sweet potato until smooth before measuring and mixing.
• Warm purée: cool it before adding the eggs and cream so the filling mixes evenly.
• Overworked topping: stop once the butter mixture resembles coarse crumbs rather than a paste.
• Topping added too soon: wait until the custard has baked for 30 minutes before scattering it over the pie.
• Uncovered crust edge: cover it with foil if it is browning too quickly during the final bake.
• Cutting while warm: chill the pie completely before slicing so the custard has time to firm up.

How to store

Cover and refrigerate the pie once it has cooled; it is best eaten within 3–4 days. Serve chilled, or warm individual slices gently in the oven; add whipped cream after reheating.

Frequently asked questions