This old-fashioned deep south Southern heirloom recipe for sweet potato pie is creamy, delicious, and full of flavor, made with simple ingredients loved for generations and perfect for Thanksgiving.
The use of brown butter, maple syrup, warm spices, and a hint of citrus adds a gentle kick and a subtle notch, lifting it to a whole new level without losing that old school soul, making it a lasting favorite.
Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie-The Short Answer
For me, it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever known, like a verse from my favorite songs, and that’s how I truly feel.
I still laugh at a question from my then 7-year-old niece, which still tickles me to this day—she’s biracial and was apparently needing a black people food fix. She’s 22 now, still asking and wants to know when I’m cooking something, and you gotta love her.
She’s just one person among many requesting it, with top requests and keywords on google like black folks sweet potato pie recipe, proving why this pie holds its place.
Ingredients
Sweet Potatoes
- Sweet potatoes should be slimmer, narrow, dark orange in color; big, bulky, or chunky ones from the grocery store still work fine—use about 3 medium sized, roughly 2 lbs (lb.), washed & dried, which equals cups when pureed, a method my family has traditionally used and baked to see the difference.
Butter & Base Flavor
- Brown butter made from 6 tablespoon (tablespoons) of salted butter or unsalted butter, cut into cubes or slices and softened, helps mix more easily and gives a rich, decadent, delicious flavor with super easy full steps and details.
Sweeteners & Spices
- A combination of 100% pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup, with brown sugar or granulated sugar (light, packed) creates perfect sweetness, balanced with ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ginger, tiny pinch of salt, clove (optional), and simple pantry spices.
Custard Filling
- Sweet potato custard filling uses vanilla extract rather than imitation flavoring to enhance taste, with large eggs at room temperature, lightly beaten, to set the texture along with ⅓ cup evaporated milk, or whole milk or heavy cream if you don’t want lower fat content.
Final Touches
- Optional orange juice or pineapple juice as a mixture, plus all-purpose flour, then bake in a pie crust—store bought 9-inch deep dish (1 9-in) or homemade from scratch, depending on what you prefer, and keep things practical as included later in the article recipe notes.
Step-By-Step Instructions (Clear & Practical)
- This step-by-step set of instructions gives a quick overview of the full recipe, with exact measurements in the card. I always start with step one by preheating the oven to 400°F.
- I wash, dry, and scrub the sweet potatoes, then prick or pierce them several times on all sides using a fork or toothpick.
- I place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 45–60 minutes until tender and easily pierced, then remove, set aside, and let them cool at room temperature until fully cooled.
Crust and Filling Prep
- For step two and three, I lower and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and blind-bake the pie crust.
- Whether unbaked or frozen, I line the shell with parchment paper, add pie weights or beans like garbanzo, and bake for 15 minutes, then return it for 10 more to prevent over-browning.
- I scoop the flesh from the skin into a large mixing bowl and mash it into a thick, smooth, creamy puree using a potato masher, hand or electric mixer, or a food processor with a quick pulse—a habit I picked up after many test bakes.
Building the Brown Butter Flavor
- In step four and five, I melt butter in a heavy-bottom skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat.
- It begins to foam and simmer for 4–5 minutes as I keep stirring and scrape the bottom until solids form golden bits and the aromas turn nutty with a caramel smell—true brown butter.
- I immediately remove it into a glass dish, then whisk in maple syrup, sugar (granulated or white), spices, salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and clove, followed by milk or evaporated milk, eggs, a bit of flour, and a splash of water or juice.
- I add this mixture to the bowl and blend until silky.
Baking and Serving
- For step six, I pour the filling into the crust, add a foil shield around the edge, and bake at 350°F for 55–60 minutes.
- The center should be set and firm with a gentle jiggle, while the top often looks domed and puffed.
- I remove the pie, let it cool on a wire rack, then serve warm or store it in the refrigerator or fridge for later. Personally, I love slicing it once fully ready with whipped cream or ice cream—a simple finish that still respects the important details and notes.
Notes & Nutrition Snapshot
- From my own baking habit, I always start with serving, slice, calories, 426, kcal, carbohydrates, 60, g, protein, 6, fat, 19, cholesterol, 67, mg, sodium, 262, fiber, 4, 27 to understand what I’m eating.
- This nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation; this note does not include topping.
- Even so, this version still provides vitamin a iu, c, calcium, iron, potassium, with 0 listed for saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and trans, which honestly surprised me the first time.
Plan Ahead for Less Stress
- I always plan ahead and bake sweet potatoes a day or the night before to get a head start.
- Once baked, I allow them to completely cool for about 1 hour, then place them in the fridge using an air tight container or wrapped in aluminum foil.
- Next theyll be ready go and will save you of cook time, which helps when I’m busy.
Flavor, Butter, and Oven Timing
- I prep all your ingredients, measure maple syrup, sugar, and spices, and set them side.
- When I make brown butter, I can add these to the same saucepan as the butter, so they blend together; it creates a beautiful aroma and helps sugar melt.
- I keep heat medium because butter can burn fast. I like to taste until it has a slightly nutty, unsweetened, caramel flavor and feels done—if it burns, smells like smoke, I toss it and try again.
- Dont forget the oven; sometimes we get distracted, but its best to check on the pie at the 55 minute mark, usually between 60 minutes.
Crust, Filling, and Adjustments
- I use a deep dish recipe that makes a lot of potato filling and make sure it will fit, or alternatively divide it into 2 regular size crusts.
- After the potatoes have been mashed, I confirm full cups as needed.
- A pie shield around the edges helps prevent the crust from over browning; there are great tutorials online, and I also purchase plastic shields, which are pretty convenient.
- I remove the pie from the oven, let it continue at room temperature, and when adding eggs, it’s important to adjust the mixture to your liking—if nervous about tasting raw egg, I add other ingredients except eggs once I’m content with the flavor.
Fun Serving Suggestions
When I’m setting out desserts alongside my Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie (Deep South Heirloom), I like to keep things easy but irresistible. No Bake Peanut Butter Fudge with Condensed Milk (So Creamy!) is my go-to when I don’t want to touch the oven, and Easy Apple Hand Pies With Flaky Butter Crust & Caramel always remind me of cozy kitchens and butter on everything.
I also love mixing in playful, crowd-pleasing desserts that feel fun but familiar. Crunchy-Chewy Caramel Marshmallow Rice Krispie Balls bring that chewy caramel joy folks ask for again and again, while Caramel Apple Grapes Made Easy in 20 Minutes give you all the fair-style flavor without the fuss. And when I want something that looks as good as it tastes, Cheesecake Strawberry Crunch Strawberries with Crunch Top always steal the show—sweet, creamy, and worth every bite.
FAQ’s
Do You Have to Blind Bake the Crust?
It actually depends on personal preference whether you want to blind bake the crust or not. If you want a golden, flaky, crisp crust versus a doughy one, then I recommend you blind-bake the crust before adding the wet custard sweet potato pie filling. This is more about how the brown filling sets when you add it to the pie, and how the crust supports the final pie of a good bake.
Can You Make It Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can easily make your pie ahead of time, and I think besides it tasting fabulous, this is another reason it stays a favorite recipe. It saves effort, such a relief when planning.
How to Store Sweet Potato Pie?
Once baked, allow the pie to cool completely, then store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days to keep texture right.
Can You Freeze Sweet Potato Pie?
Yes, it freezes beautifully. Allow the pie to cool completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container, covered well with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw the frozen pie in the refrigerator overnight, slice, serve as normal, and enjoy how well it holds.
