Desserts
Sweet Potato Pie
This year, step out of your dessert comfort zone and try this Southern classic — Sweet Potato Pie — at your holiday table. The rich flavor of the ultra-creamy filling baked in a buttery, flaky crust will definitely make you a convert.
Pumpkin is one of the most popular pies for the holidays, but sweet potato is just as good, and many would argue better, but why? Sweet potatoes make a smoother, creamier purée than pumpkin, plus they pack more flavor than their squash counterpart. Even though buying a can of pumpkin purée is convenient, it’s so easy to pierce a few sweet potatoes and roast them in the oven — roasting intensifies their flavor. Combined with the spice-and bay-steeped milk, their flavor is enhanced even more, without overwhelming the sweet spuds.
So, for a superior pie you’ll be proud to serve at the next family gathering, skip the can. And though you likely won’t have any leftover, if you do, store the pie in the fridge for up to one week.
Ingredients
FOR THE CRUST, PULSE:
FOR THE FILLING, WHISK:
WHISK:
Test Kitchen Tips
Roast 1½ lb. sweet potatoes in a 400-degree oven until very tender, about 1 hour, then cool, peel, and purée. You’ll need 2 cups of purée for this pie.
Sweet potatoes are often labeled as yams in the grocery store. Garnet and Beauregard are the most common types and have sweeter, moister flesh than their lighter-skinned and fleshed cousin.
Instructions
For the crust, pulse together flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor.
Add butter and shortening; pulse until pea-sized. Add water and pulse until dough starts to form clumps. Shape dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, then chill at least 1 hour.
Roll dough on a lightly floured surface into a ⅛-inch-thick round; transfer to a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim overhang to 1 inch, fold under, then crimp. Chill pie crust at least 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400° with baking stone on lowest rack.
Line crust with parchment, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Blind-bake crust until set, 20–25 minutes. Remove parchment and beans, then bake crust until slightly golden, 5–8 minutes more; cool completely. Reduce oven to 350°.
For the filling, whisk together milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a saucepan; add bay leaves and heat over medium until steaming. Off heat, let mixture steep 15 minutes; discard bay leaves.
Whisk together sweet potato purée, sugar, eggs, and milk mixture; pour into pie crust.
Bake pie until edges are set, top is puffy, and center is slightly jiggly, 45–50 minutes (shield crust if it starts to brown too much); transfer to a rack to cool completely, then cover and chill. Serve pie with whipped cream.
Nutritional Facts
Nutritional Facts
Per serving
Calories: 251
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 18%
Saturated Fat 6g 30%
Cholesterol 52mg 17%
Sodium 285mg 11%
Carbs 32g 10%
Protein 5g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.