Ingredients (~8 servings)
Pie Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter, cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup ice cold water
Sweet Potato Filling
- 3 cups mashed sweet potato (~3 large sweet potatoes)
- 1/2 cup salted butter, for browning
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp white sugar
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
Brown Sugar Meringue (Optional)
- 2 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
Prepare Pie Crust
Place butter in the refrigerator and cut it into cubes so that it stays chilly while you prepare the flour mixture.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and salt with a whisk.
Take the cubes of butter from the refrigerator and add to the flour mixture.
Using your fingertips, pinch the butter into the flour until you have small pieces about the size of a pea mixed in with your flour mixture; all of the pieces of butter should have a coat of flour on them.
Create a well in the center of flour mixture and pour in enough ice water (1 to 2 tablespoons at a time) and mix together until you have a shaggy dough.
Transfer the shaggy dough onto a lightly floured counter and use your hands to gather the pieces together into a single ball of dough.
Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Roast and Brown Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
Spread sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for approximately 35 to 45 minutes or until tender.
Once cooked, cool sweet potatoes completely.
While waiting for the sweet potatoes to cool, brown a stick of butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Swirl the pan until the butter turns a golden brown color and has a nutty aroma.
This will take about 3 to 5 minutes.
After browning, set aside to cool.
Making The Sweet Potato Filling
When sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle, peel the skin off and add the soft flesh to a large bowl.
Mash with a fork until smooth, removing any stringy fibers.
You can also use a food processor for a super smooth filling.
Once the sweet potatoes are mashed, add in the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves), and evaporated milk and mix well.
Next, add in the vanilla extract, flour, and eggs and combine until all eggs are completely mixed into and incorporated with the filling.
Roll the Dough and Par-Bake
Roll out the chilled dough into a 10-inch round circle, approximately 1/4-inch thickness.
Transfer rolled-out pie crust into pie pan; trim off excess dough that overhangs the pie plate.
To make it more decorative, crimp the edges.
Place assembled crust into freezer for about 20 minutes to help reduce shrinkage.
To prevent the bottom of the pie from having air bubbles, poke holes in the bottom using a fork.
Place piece of parchment paper over bottom of pie crust and fill with pie weights.
Place the pie crust into the oven for approximately 17 to 20 minutes; check halfway and remove from oven once edges are golden brown.
After removing pie weights and parchment from the pie crust, place back in oven for about another 12 to 13 minutes until the bottom of the pie crust is also golden brown.
Fill and Complete Pie Baking
Pour sweet potato filling into the pie crust after it has par-baked.
Reduce temperature of oven to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 35 to 40 minutes.
The center should still jiggle a little bit when shaken.
After the pie has cooled completely (approximately 2 to 3 hours), add meringue (if using) and serve.
Making Brown Sugar Meringue (Optional)
The meringue must be added to the pie once the pie has cooled completely; otherwise, the heat from the pie will melt the meringue.
Using a hand-held mixer, whip egg whites on medium speed.
After 1 minute, increase speed to high and add cream of tartar to egg whites.
Continue to whip egg whites for 1 additional minute and slowly add brown sugar while whipping.
Whip until the egg white and brown sugar mixture is firm and glossy and add vanilla extract.
Pipe or drop meringue onto the top of the cooled pie; if you like, use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue peaks and give them their classic streaking.
Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup salted butter cut into chunks
- 1/4 cup ice cold water
Sweet Potato Filling
- 3 cups mashed sweet potato ~3 large sweet potatoes
- 1/2 cup salted butter for browning
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp white sugar
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
Brown Sugar Meringue (Optional)
- 2 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
- Pinch cold butter chunks into flour mixture until pea-sized pieces form.
- Add ice water 1-2 tablespoons at a time until shaggy dough forms.
- Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 425F and roast sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 35-45 minutes until fork tender.
- Brown butter in a skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes until golden and nutty, then set aside to cool.
- Remove skins from cooled sweet potatoes and mash flesh until smooth, removing any stringy fibers.
- Mix mashed sweet potatoes with cooled brown butter, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and evaporated milk.
- Add vanilla extract, flour, and eggs, mixing until smooth.
- Roll chilled dough into a 10-inch circle and place in pie pan, trimming excess and crimping edges.
- Freeze shaped crust for 20 minutes.
- Poke holes in bottom with fork, line with parchment paper, and add pie weights.
- Bake at 425F for 17-20 minutes until edges are golden.
- Remove weights and parchment, then bake another 12-13 minutes until bottom is golden.
- Pour sweet potato filling into par-baked crust.
- Reduce oven to 350F and bake for 35-40 minutes until center has a slight jiggle.
- Cool completely on wire rack for 2-3 hours before serving.
- For meringue, whip egg whites on high speed with cream of tartar for 1 minute.
- Slowly add brown sugar while mixing until glossy peaks form, then add vanilla extract.
- Pipe or spoon meringue onto cooled pie and torch to brown if desired.
