An old-fashioned Sweet Potato Pie scented with brandy, lemon, vanilla and a whisper of fresh nutmeg. The filling is smooth and creamy, baked inside a flaky cream cheese crust for the perfect slice.
This classic sweet potato pie relies on simple, complementary flavors—brandy, vanilla and lemon—that enhance the natural sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes. The recipe is adapted from Mary Randolph’s The Virginia Housewife (1824) and appears in several traditional Southern pie collections.
Unlike many pumpkin pies, authentic sweet potato pie doesn’t need heavy spice. The lemon and brandy add brightness and lift the potato’s subtle floral notes. If you prefer a spicier profile you can stir in a teaspoon of pumpkin spice, but I recommend letting the sweet potato flavor shine for holiday dinners or anytime you crave a creamy, comforting dessert.
Table of Contents
- Why You Will Love this Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
- Professional Tips for Making Sweet Potato Pie
- Ingredients Needed
- Variations & Substitutions
- Why is my sweet potato pie dry?
- How to Make Sweet Potato Pie
- How do you know when sweet potato pie is done?
- Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
- Before You Go
Why You Will Love this Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
- The sweet potato flavor is central. Roasting brings a deep, caramelized sweetness; brandy and lemon lift those flavors without masking them.
- Light, creamy texture. The filling is made using a creaming method similar to cake batter, producing a rich but airy custard-like filling.
- Unique cream cheese crust. The crust combines cream cheese and butter for a tender, flaky shell with a subtle tang—an elegant base for this classic pie.
Professional Tips for Making Sweet Potato Pie
- Use room-temperature mashed sweet potatoes. Warm or room-temperature potatoes keep the butter from melting into the puree and help the filling hold together smoothly.
- Roast sweet potatoes for best flavor. Roasting them whole in their skins concentrates sugars and gives a more complex taste than boiling, though boiled or microwaved potatoes will work.
- Use a ricer or fine sieve for a silky puree. Pass warm potatoes through a ricer or press them through a sieve after pureeing for the smoothest texture.
- Par-bake the crust. Blind-baking the crust prevents a soggy bottom while allowing the filling to remain creamy.
Ingredients Needed
- Granulated sugar: Provides sweetness and aeration when creamed with butter for a light filling.
- Sweet potatoes: Choose firm, blemish-free tubers. Avoid old, dried-out potatoes; canned sweet potato puree is an acceptable shortcut.
- Whole eggs: Use at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly and the filling stays emulsified.
- Brandy: Pick a brandy you enjoy—the flavor is noticeable in the finished pie. You may substitute or omit if preferred.
- Lemon: Both zest and juice add brightness. Zest before juicing and avoid the bitter white pith.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds and complements the other flavors.
- Fresh nutmeg: A very small amount adds warmth; freshly grated is best.
- All-purpose flour, kosher salt, cream cheese, butter (for the crust and filling).
See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.
Variations & Substitutions
- Try a different spirit or omit it: Bourbon, dark rum, or orange liqueur will change the profile; leaving alcohol out is fine too.
- Switch the squash: Substitute butternut, honeynut, or sugar pumpkin puree if you prefer.
- Use brown sugar for a deeper flavor. Add a pinch of cinnamon or ginger for a warmer, spicier pie; a lemon-scented whipped cream or lemon buttercream makes a bright finishing touch.
- Change the crust: An all-butter crust, vodka crust, or sweet tart crust can be used in place of the cream cheese pastry.
Why is my sweet potato pie dry?
Sweet potato pie becomes dry if it’s over-baked or if the potatoes used are old and dehydrated. Choose firm, smooth-skinned sweet potatoes and store them in a cool, dry place (not the refrigerator). Old potatoes can yield a lumpy, dry puree that affects the final texture.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pie
Follow these steps for a reliable, delicious pie. Exact measures and timings are in the recipe card below.
Prepare the cream cheese pie dough:
Step 1: Beat cream cheese and butter together with a stand or hand mixer until fully combined and creamy, about 3–5 minutes.
Step 2: Reduce mixer speed and add flour and salt. Mix until a dough forms. If it won’t come together, add ice water a tablespoon at a time until cohesive.
Step 3: Flatten into a disk, wrap and chill until firm—at least 4 hours; overnight is best.
Step 4: Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll pastry to 1/8 inch thick, chill 30 minutes, line a 9″ pie dish, trim and crimp the edges.
Step 5: Line the shell with parchment and pie weights; bake 12–15 minutes until the center looks matte and the bottom shows slight color. Remove and cool or use warm for filling.
The par-baked crust can be made a day ahead and stored at room temperature.
Prepare the pie filling:
Step 6: Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash whole sweet potatoes, prick them a few times, and bake on a parchment-lined sheet until very tender. Cool enough to handle, then peel.
Step 7: Mash or puree the potatoes. For the smoothest texture, press them through a ricer or blend while warm and then strain if desired.
Canned sweet potato puree works well if you want to skip roasting and peeling.
Step 8: Warm the brandy briefly in a small pan and keep it warm—this helps the filling stay emulsified when mixed.
Step 9: Cream the butter and gradually beat in the sugar. Add the sweet potato puree and mix until smooth and well blended.
Step 10: Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until fully incorporated.
Step 11: Stir in warm brandy, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and freshly grated nutmeg. Pour the filling into the prepared pastry shell and smooth the top.
Step 12: Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven to 350°F and continue baking until the center has puffed and jiggles like gelatin when gently shaken, about 25 more minutes.
How do you know when sweet potato pie is done?
The pie is set when the center no longer appears liquid and moves as one mass when the pan is gently shaken. Piercing the center can cause cracking, so a gentle jiggle test is preferred.
Chef Lindsey’s Recipe Tip
For the creamiest texture, use fresh, firm sweet potatoes. Bake them whole until soft, mash and pass the flesh through a ricer or blend while still warm for the smoothest puree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store a baked, cooled and wrapped sweet potato pie at room temperature for up to 5 days, refrigerated for up to 10 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Puree the cooked sweet potatoes while still hot, then press them through a ricer or blend thoroughly to eliminate fibers.
Partially bake the crust before adding the filling and be sure to bake the filled pie fully to avoid a soggy bottom.
Both methods work, but roasting whole sweet potatoes concentrates their natural sugars and gives a more complex flavor.
Serve cold, at room temperature, or warm. Popular accompaniments include vanilla crème anglaise, lemon whipped cream, or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
If you try this recipe and enjoy it, please leave a star rating and share a comment—feedback is always appreciated.
Sweet Potato Pie
45 mins
35 mins
1 hr 20 mins
12 people
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Ingredients
For the Cream Cheese Crust:
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ice water, as needed
For the Sweet Potato Filling:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups sweet potatoes, cooked & mashed, room temperature
- 3 whole eggs, room temperature
- ¼ cup brandy
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
9 inch
Instructions
To Prepare the Cream Cheese Pastry:
- Beat cream cheese and butter until fully incorporated and creamy (3–5 minutes).
- Reduce mixer speed and add flour and salt. Mix until dough comes together, adding ice water a tablespoon at a time if needed.
- Flatten into a disk, wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll the pastry to 1/8 inch, chill 30 minutes, line a pie dish, trim and crimp the edges.
- Line the shell with parchment and weights; bake 12–15 minutes until the bottom begins to brown and the surface looks matte. Cool or use warm.
To Prepare the Filling:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash and prick sweet potatoes, roast until very tender, then peel when cool enough to handle.
- Mash or puree the sweet potatoes. For the smoothest result, press through a ricer or blend while warm.
- Warm the brandy slightly and set aside.
- Cream the butter, gradually add sugar and beat well. Add the sweet potato puree and mix until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Stir in warm brandy, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla and nutmeg. Pour filling into the pastry shell and smooth the top.
- Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake until the center jiggles like gelatin, about 25 more minutes.
Notes
Variations – Substitute another spirit, try a different winter squash, or use brown sugar and cinnamon for a different profile.
Storage – Store baked, cooled and wrapped pie at room temperature up to 5 days, refrigerated up to 10 days, or frozen up to 3 months.
Note – This recipe makes one regular 9″ pie. For a deep-dish pan, increase the recipe by 1.5× and bake closer to 50 minutes.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 40 g |
Protein: 6 g |
Fat: 27 g
Before You Go
I hope you enjoyed this chef-tested sweet potato pie recipe. Try other favorite pie recipes and seasonal ideas to expand your dessert repertoire—this pie is one of many classic, satisfying options for fall and holiday menus.
