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–+ servings
A slice of sweet potato pie sitting on a white dessert plate next to the pie in a pie dish.

Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Cooling: 2 hours
Total Time: 4 hours
Servings: 8
Calories: 494kcal
Author: Kris Longwell
Sweet Potato Pie is just so comforting and the perfect holiday pie. Top it with a sweet, crumbly pecan topping, and you'll have one of the most delicious pies you've ever tried or served.
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Ingredients

For the Pie

  • 1 pie dough
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes 2 cups cooked
  • 3 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
  • ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon ground
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg ground
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Pecan Topping

  • ½ cup brown sugar light or dark
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup pecans chopped
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
  • whipped cream for topping (optional)

Instructions

Blind Bake the Pie Dough

  • Roll the dough out to a 12 to 13-inch diameter. Gently roll the dough onto your rolling pin and then roll it out over a 9-inch pie dish. Gently press the dough against the side of the dish. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes.
    1 pie dough
  • Trim away excess dough that hangs over the dish. Use your fingers to flute the edge of the dough, if desired.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Remove the dish from the freezer and puncture the dough all over with a fork. Add a layer of parchment paper or foil over the dough. Add pie weights, dried beans, short-grain rice, or pennies on top of the parchment or foil. Bake for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the dish from the oven and carefully remove the parchment or foil with the weights. Place the dish back into the oven for another 15 minutes, or until lightly golden all over. Remove from oven and allow to completely cool. This can be done hours in advance.

Make the Filling

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Pierce each sweet potato a few times all over with a fork.
    2 medium sweet potatoes
  • Place the sweet potatoes directly on the center rack of the oven and place a baking sheet on the rack beneath them (the sweet potatoes will seep a little as they roast).
  • Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool enough to handle.
  • Pull the skin from the roasted sweet potatoes and add them to a large bowl. Pour the melted butter over them and use a masher to work the butter into the potatoes. Do this for about 1 minute. This will help to smooth the sweet potatoes, too.
    3 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Add the brown sugar, heavy cream, eggs, spices, and vanilla to the bowl. Use a hand mixer to mix the ingredients together. Mix for about 1 minute until fully combined and smooth (there will still be some small bumps from the sweet potatoes; this is good).
    ½ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup heavy cream, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Transfer the filling into the prepared pie crust.

Make the Pecan Topping and Finish the Pie

  • In a medium-sized bowl, add the brown sugar, flour, and pecans. Pour the melted butter into the bowl and use a fork to mix until fully combined.
    ½ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour, ¾ cup pecans, ⅓ cup unsalted butter
  • Add the pecan mixture to the top of the filling. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes, adding foil along the sides of the crust to prevent them from getting too brown.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to sit for at least 2 hours. The filling will continue to set during this time. Then, chill for another hour or so. Serve with whipped cream, if desired.
    whipped cream

Video

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance.  If you like the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.  
We love going with our homemade pie dough, but store-bought is perfectly fine and will still be delicious. 
To save time, you and heat the sweet potatoes in the microwave for about 10 minutes, wrapped in paper towels, or long enough until the flesh is very soft.   We don't recommend boiling them as the texture becomes too soft and a bit soggy. 
The pie will keep covered on the counter for several days, and up to 1 week in the fridge.  The pie can be frozen, cooked, or uncooked for up to 2 months.  Allow to completely thaw before baking or re-warming. 

Nutrition

Calories: 494kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 323mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 8603IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg