Description

This Silky Sweet Potato Pie recipe delivers a luxuriously smooth and creamy custard filling that perfectly balances the natural sweetness of roasted sweet potatoes with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. The filling is simmered gently to reduce and concentrate flavors before being blended and baked in a flaky pie crust. It’s a classic dessert with a silky texture and rich depth, finished optionally with brown sugar whipped cream for an indulgent touch.

Ingredients

Scale

Sweet Potato Mixture

16 ounces sweet potatoes (3 1/3 cups; 455 g) from 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, roughly diced
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, seeds reserved for whipped cream topping
2 or 3 cinnamon sticks (about 6 inches total)
1 whole nutmeg
26 ounces milk (3 1/4 cups; 740 g), any percentage
6 ounces heavy cream (3/4 cup; 170 g)
7 ounces white or lightly toasted sugar (1 cup; 195 g)

Seasonings & Additions

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (use half as much if using iodized table salt)
1/2 ounce vanilla extract (1 tablespoon; 14 g)
3 large eggs

Crust & Toppings

Old-fashioned flaky pie crust, prepared ahead and blind-baked
Brown sugar whipped cream (optional, made with reserved vanilla bean seeds)

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Instructions

Combine Ingredients and Simmer: In a 3-quart stainless steel saucier, combine peeled and diced sweet potatoes, the empty vanilla pod, cinnamon sticks, whole nutmeg, milk, heavy cream, and sugar. Note the combined weight if possible to track reduction precisely.
Cook Sweet Potatoes and Reduce Mixture: Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Stir frequently with a flexible spatula to prevent milk solids from forming around the sides. Simmer until sweet potatoes are very tender and the dairy mixture has thickened and reduced by 19 ounces (535g), approximately 55 minutes. The final volume should be about 3 2/3 cups including the cooked potatoes.
Remove Spices and Blend: Adjust your oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Remove the vanilla bean pod, cinnamon sticks, and whole nutmeg from the saucier. Using an immersion blender, purée the sweet potato and dairy mixture until smooth. Transfer to a smaller container if needed to avoid splashing.
Season and Incorporate Eggs: Whisk into the purée the ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, kosher salt, vanilla extract, and then the eggs until fully combined. For an extra smooth texture, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before pouring it into the prepared and blind-baked pie crust.
Bake the Pie: Place the pie in the preheated oven and bake until the custard is gently set in the center and reaches an internal temperature of 195°F (91°C), roughly 40 minutes. The filling should have a silky, custard-like consistency.
Cool and Serve: Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing with a clean chef’s knife. Wipe the blade between cuts to keep slices neat. Serve as is or with dollops of optional brown sugar whipped cream made with the reserved vanilla bean seeds.
Storage: Wrap leftover pie tightly in plastic wrap. It will keep well at cool room temperature for up to 3 days.

Notes

Use true sweet potatoes like garnet yams for their bright color and ideal flavor. Avoid butternut squash or pumpkin as they create an undesirable vegetal flavor when boiled.
Even if you don’t typically enjoy nutmeg, it complements the custard beautifully by adding brightness and an herbaceous note due to myristicin, an essential oil common in parsley and dill.
Tracking the weight reduction helps ensure the custard attains the perfect concentration and texture.
Use Diamond Crystal kosher salt for best results; halve the amount if using iodized table salt to avoid over-salting.
The reserved vanilla bean seeds make an excellent aromatic addition to the optional whipped cream topping.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12th of pie)
Calories: 310 kcal
Sugar: 28 g
Sodium: 150 mg
Fat: 14 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 95 mg