Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Sweet potato pecan pie combines two classic fall desserts into one amazing treat. And it’s so easy to make you won’t believe it!

This post was originally published in October 2017.  I’ve updated the photos and added more information to the post but the recipe remains the same.

OMG!  This is my first updated post.  I couldn’t tolerate the original photos so I had to give this beauty a facelift because, if you make one dessert from this blog, MAKE IT THIS PIE!

That’s strange for me to say because I’m so much more a cake person than a pie person. But oooohhhh baby. This pie! A creamy and lightly spiced sweet potato layer topped with a sticky-sweet, crunchy pecan layer. It’s two classic pies combined into one perfect dessert.

Serve it for Thanksgiving, for Christmas, for breakfast one stormy day in October when you skipped your morning oatmeal so you could take pictures during the only good light you saw all day. (That last one might only apply to me.)

Whenever you serve this sweet potato pecan pie, though, it will be a hit.

Why you’ll love this sweet potato pecan pie:

• It’s easy to make and doesn’t require any special equipment
• The ingredients are all simple and easy to find
• You can make it the day before and store it in the fridge so you don’t take up oven space on a holiday

Sweet potato pecan pie, step by step

Like so many pies, this sweet potato pecan pie is super simple to make—especially if you buy your pie crust rather than make it. I opted to do that because I really don’t like making my own crust. But you certainly can make your own crust if you prefer!

First, roll out your crust to an 11-inch circle, fit it into a 9-inch pie plate and flute the edges. Pop the crust into the fridge to chill while you make the filling.

Baker’s tip: When working with pie crust, take care not to stretch the crust when you’re fitting it into the pie plate—if you stretch the crust, it will shrink when it bakes. Instead, work the crust into the bottom of the plate by lifting the edges gently and allowing it to drape naturally.

For the sweet potato layer, combine mashed baked sweet potato (bake them in the oven or the microwave—it doesn’t matter) with butter, sugar, heavy cream, egg yolk, and some spices in a mixing bowl and beat them until they’re smooth. Set that aside.

Combine sugar, dark corn syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and melted butter in a mixing bowl and beat (with clean beaters!) until it’s thick. Fold in the pecans with a rubber spatula.

And that’s it for the filling! See how easy it is? Next you’ll spread the sweet potato filling into the chilled pie crust, spread the pecan filling over that, and bake 1 hour and 45 minutes. And you’re done!

Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes before you serve it. If you want to bake your sweet potato pecan pie the day before you serve it, let it cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Serve your pie with a dollop of whipped cream or a big ol’ scoop of ice cream. Or just serve it alongside a cup of coffee because that makes it a complete breakfast. Right?

Honestly, that slice those two slices I had for breakfast were easily the best breakfast I’ve had all year. And I don’t even like sweets first thing in the morning. . .

More fall desserts (in case you’re hungry)
Cinnamon Apple Pie
Sweet Potato Cake
Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownie Pie
Chocolate Chip Pie
Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake

Did you make this sweet potato pecan pie? Great!  Post a pic on Instagram and tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see your gorgeous creations!

5 from 4 votes

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Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 45 mins

Total Time

2 hrs 15 mins

 

Sweet potato pecan pie combines two classic favorites into one delicious Thanksgiving dessert!

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 10

Author: Kelsie

Ingredients

Crust and sweet potato filling

• single pie crust for a 9-inch pie
• 2 to 3 sweet potatoes baked and peeled (enough to make 1 cup mashed sweet potato)
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Pecan topping

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans
• whipped cream for serving

Instructions

Crust and sweet potato filling

1. Roll dough out to a 11-inch circle and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie pan. Press into the pan and flute the edges; trim off excess dough. Refrigerate while you make the filling.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, sugars, egg yolk, heavy cream, butter, vanilla, salt, and spices.  Beat on medium speed with an electric mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, until smooth, about 2 minutes. Set aside.

Pecan topping

1. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT pecans in a medium mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer set to low until mixture is thick and opaque, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat on low for a few seconds more. Fold in pecans with a rubber spatula.

2. Spoon the sweet potato mixture into the refrigerated pie crust and smooth the top. Pour the pecan syrup over the sweet potato. 

3. Bake 1 hour and 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the pie comes out clean. Cool and serve with whipped cream.

Recipe Notes

• When working with pie crust, take care not to stretch the crust when you’re fitting it into the pie plate—if you stretch the crust, it will shrink when it bakes. Instead, work the crust into the bottom of the plate by lifting the edges gently and allowing it to drape naturally.
• Let the pie cool for at least 30 minutes before you serve it. If you want to bake your sweet potato pecan pie the day before you serve it, let it cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Adapted from Stop and Smell the Rosemary