Why not try something new and different this holiday season? Bake an easy sweet potato pie! Lots of us begin to nest about this time of year. Autumn is the favorite season of many, and we get the itch to decorate, get cozy, and bake. The kitchen regains its appeal once cooler temperatures are here.
When you bake a sweet potato pie, your whole house will be filled with the most enticing fragrance of cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. This recipe uses sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar, so it's not overly sweet, and you may like it even better than pumpkin pie!
Begin by making a nine-inch deep dish pie crust using your favorite recipe. I've also added my super easy Pattycake Pie Crust recipe here. No cold butter, no rolling pin; pat the dough in place with your hands. And you know what? If you don't want to mess with it, a store-bought pie crust is A-OK, too, for this easy sweet potato pie!
You'll need about two cups of cooked, mashed sweet potatoes for a pie. There are several ways you can do this. You can peel and boil sweet potatoes until they are tender and mash them. You can bake or microwave the sweet potatoes, scoop out the flesh, and mash it. (Be sure you poke some holes in the skin with a fork before baking them.)
You can buy peeled, cubed sweet potatoes in the frozen food section and cook them, then mash them. (My research shows a one-pound bag should yield two cups of mashed sweet potato.) Easiest of all, you can use canned sweet potato puree. Your choice really depends on how much time you have.
Next, grab a big mixing bowl, put in the mashed sweet potatoes, butter, and sweetened condensed milk, and stir everything together until it's smooth.
Add the eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt, vanilla, and orange zest (optional) and mix until combined. Pour this mixture into an unbaked nine-inch deep-dish pie shell. You are ready to bake this marvelous pie!
Bake the pie, uncovered, on a center rack, at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for about 30-40 more minutes or until the filling has set and the crust is golden brown. If the pie crust edges get too brown, you can protect them using a pie crust shield. You can also cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil halfway through baking.
Let the pie cool completely before cutting it! I know! It smells so good it's hard to wait!
It may surprise you! Sweet potato pie has a unique sweet, rich, and slightly earthy flavor profile. The smooth, creamy texture is a delightful contrast to traditional fruit pies.
Sweet potatoes are a superfood, full of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They are rich in vitamin A, which is important for vision, immune system, and skin health.
This easy sweet potato pie is comfort food, a great dessert for gatherings, holidays, or when you're in the mood for something warm and cozy. You can get creative with toppings and vary the spices. You can do lots to make a sweet potato pie your signature dessert!
Sweet potato pie originates in the Southern United States and is closely associated with African-American cuisine. Its history is deeply rooted in both African and Native American culinary traditions. Over time, European settlers brought culinary traditions that included pies and pastries and adapted the recipes to their preferences.
Native Americans were cultivating and consuming sweet potatoes long before European settlers arrived. The use of sweet potatoes in traditional Native American cuisine likely influenced the development of sweet potato-based dishes in the Southern United States.
The fascinating fusion of these culinary influences resulted in sweet potato pie as it is known today. The dish became popular in the South due to the abundance of sweet potatoes and its association with local ingredients. Sweet potato pie became a cherished part of Southern cuisine, especially during holidays and special occasions.
Sweet potato pie shares similarities with other pie traditions, such as pumpkin pie. While both pies have similar flavors and textures, using sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin gives sweet potato pie its distinct identity we have grown to love. I sure hope you'll try this incredible pie.
There are so many delicious options! There's no limit to how many you can pick! This pie is perfect with a steaming mug of coffee and is best when shared with family and friends.
I'd choose pie over cake, hands down, any day of the week. I just love, love, love pie! My husband keeps hoping I'll get off the computer and into the kitchen and bake him one! I hate to admit how quickly two old people can demolish a whole pie!
Here are a couple of his favorites. Lemon Meringue Pie and Coconut Pie With Meringue. Since I love baking pies (and eating them), stay tuned for more pie recipes!
Super easy, flaky pie crust you pat in place with your fingers! No cold butter, no messing with a rolling pin!
A wonderful, perfectly spiced custard-type pie made with mashed sweet potatoes and sweetened condensed milk instead of sugar, so it is not overly sweet. It would be a fun addition to your holiday baking!
If you liked this recipe, you are my people! And if you like this recipe, please share it on your social media accounts like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! It would sure tickle me, and I would be ever so grateful!
If you haven't already, please look for me on Facebook and Pinterest, where I will share easy, delicious, family-friendly recipes every week!
Love, GB (Betty Streff)
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