Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping

If sweet potato pie and pecan pie had a baby, this would be the result.

A Sweet Potato-Based Holiday Pie

Have you ever eaten sweet potato pie? It’s the Land Cruiser of Holiday Pies. Heavy and thick, it can feed a large number of people. Sweet potato pie is similar to pumpkin pie in certain ways, but unlike pumpkin pie, it is all about the sweet potato.

This pie has a great sweet potato flavor that is complemented rather than displaced by the additions of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla.

Add a Splash of Bourbon

We also added a dash of bourbon to the filling. You may omit the bourbon if you like, but if you have any on hand, go ahead and use it.

How To Make Sweet Potato Pie

Making sweet potato pie is a two-step process. First, cook the sweet potatoes in the oven. Scoop out the soft insides, combine the mashed sweet potato with the remaining pie filling ingredients, and pour into a pie shell to bake in the oven.

Bake the pie for about one hour at 350°F. When finished, the filling should be firm with just a hint of wobbling in the center. If the crust begins to brown before the pie is finished, tent the edges with foil.

Caramel Pecan Topping Makes It Special

Of course, a scoop of whipped cream is the perfect topping for a sweet potato pie. But with a caramel pecan topping, this pie becomes tempting.

The topping is quite easy. Simply melt the butter and brown sugar, then toss in the pecans until covered. Spread this over the pie, and it will be ready for the dessert table.

Serve Warm or Room Temperature

You may serve this pie warm from the oven or when it has cooled to room temperature.

You may also bake this pie a few days ahead of time and refrigerate it, but don’t top it with pecans until ready to serve. Warm the pie briefly in the oven before topping with pecans and serving, or leave it out while you eat supper to reach room temperature in time for dessert.

Leftovers should be refrigerated and will last for approximately five days.

Recipe Card

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping

Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

Pie Crust:

  • 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

Notes

We’ve included instructions for preparing a handmade crust using a food processor. If you like, you may use a pre-made frozen crust. Look for a deep dish option. If you use a shallow frozen crust, the filling may be enough for two pies. In this scenario, you may need to lower the cooking time.
Keyword Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping
  • Stuffed Cabbage Rolls on a Vegetable Bed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Classic

    Stuffed Cabbage Rolls on a Vegetable Bed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Classic

    There are some dishes that simply taste like home. Stuffed cabbage rolls are one of them. For generations, this humble yet elegant dish has graced tables across Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and beyond—each culture adding its own twist, each family guarding its own recipe like a treasured secret. I grew up eating my grandmother’s cabbage…

  • Creamy Coconut Cake: The Four-Ingredient Dessert That Tastes Like Paradise

    Creamy Coconut Cake: The Four-Ingredient Dessert That Tastes Like Paradise

    There are some desserts that simply transport you. One bite, and you’re somewhere else entirely—a tropical beach, a summer breeze, a hammock strung between two palm trees. Creamy Coconut Cake is that dessert. I first discovered this magical creation at a potluck years ago. A co-worker brought what looked like an unassuming white cake, but…

  • Slow Cooker Pasta Bake: The Set-It-and-Forget-It Dinner That Feeds a Crowd

    Slow Cooker Pasta Bake: The Set-It-and-Forget-It Dinner That Feeds a Crowd

    There are some dinners that just make life easier. Slow Cooker Pasta Bake is one of them. It’s the kind of meal that requires minimal effort but delivers maximum comfort—a hearty, cheesy, saucy pasta dish that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, when really, your slow cooker did all the work. I first…

Leave a Comment

Rate This Recipe!