This old-fashioned southern brown butter sweet potato pie recipe is full of flavor, southern grandmas would be proud. The filling has only 5 ingredients including oven-roasted fresh sweet potatoes, brown butter, and creamy condensed milk. Pour the filling into a buttery no-roll pie crust that can be made in the pie pan in 5 minutes, it’s perfection.
If you love sweet potatoes try this amazing Sweet Potato Casserole with Crumb Topping and Sweet Potato Bites Appetizer.
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Sweet Potato Pie vs Pumpkin Pie
Homemade sweet potato pie taste like a sweet starchy, creamy, velvety filling that is fluffy but firm with warm spices baked into a buttery pie crust. Served throughout the United States mostly during holiday dinners, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
It is similar to pumpkin pie but sweet potato pie has a deeper sweeter and creamier flavor. Comparing sweet potatoes versus pumpkins, pumpkins are lighter, lower in sugar, and less starchy. When it comes to pie-filling ingredients that are the same in most recipes, you will see similarities with the addition of eggs, warm spices, sugar, and creamy enhancers like milk and butter.
Ingredients
To keep this traditional sweet potato pie filling simple we are using only five ingredients, each ingredient is flavor-packed.
Butter Pie Crust
This recipe uses a single-layer pie crust. I recommend using my all-butter no-roll recipe that can me be made right in the pie pan in 5 minutes. To make life a little easier during the holidays a pre-made frozen pie crust purchased from the grocery store would work perfectly.
Sweet Potatoes
Fresh oven-roasted sweet potatoes are the best method for this recipe. It prevents the addition of moisture versus boiling, you do not want a watery or soggy filling. When roasted in a dry environment the natural sweet potato flavor concentrates almost like sweet caramel notes.
To oven roast or bake your sweet potatoes, wash and pierce them with a fork. Place them whole on a baking tray lined with foil. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake on the middle rack for 40-60 or until fully cooked, and can easily be pierced through with a knife. Let them fully cool, remove the skin, and mash until smooth.
If you want to prevent stringy sweet potato pie make sure to mash your sweet potatoes well, using a hand mixer or food processor.
Brown Butter
Butter is the secret ingredient in amazing baked goods. When you brown it the milk solids in the butter become toasted and the flavor note is almost nutty.
To make brown butter, grab a stick of butter from the fridge and place it in a heavy-bottom saucepan. On medium heat, the butter will begin to melt and brown, stir about every 30 seconds it takes about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to over-brown or burn the butter, it’s so easy to do so (don’t walk away from the stove). Immediately remove it from the saucepan into a heat-proof bowl or cup.
Condensed Milk
My shortcut to use in baking and desserts is condensed milk. It has that rich creamy sweet texture that adds so much flavor. When you look at the ingredients for condensed milk it’s just two, milk and sugar. Most of the water from the milk is removed and sugar is added to form this concentrated creamy thickened sweet delight.
If you would like an extra sweet deep south sweet potato pie, add a few tablespoons of dark brown sugar, it will add a richer darker color and sweeter flavor.
Spices and Eggs
The last two ingredients for the filling are eggs and warm spices. Spices can be a ground mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. I love to make my mixed spice blend during the fall and holiday seasons. If you prefer not to use spices, a good substitute would be vanilla extract.
Baking and Serving Sweet Potato Pie
Bake this sweet potato pie at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-55 or until fully set in the middle, with no jiggling. Fully cool for about an hour and chill if preferred.
Don't forget to tent the edges of your pie crust with foil, to prevent the pie edges from over-browning.
How to eat sweet potato pie?
Sweet potato pie is typically served slightly warm or at room temperature, but it can be served chilled. Toppings include whipped cream, marshmallow fluff, pecans, caramel sauce, or a dusting of warm spices.
Make Ahead and Storage
Around the holidays there are so many things to make, a baked sweet potato pie can last up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Make it a couple of days before, fully cool, and wrap it well with plastic wrap.
Can you freeze sweet potato pie?
Whether you want to make ahead a couple of sweet potato pies or you have leftover pie slices, they can be easily stored in the freezer. Make sure to wrap the whole pie or slices very well in plastic wrap and a layer of foil on the outside, can be frozen for up to 3 months.
To defrost a whole pie place it in the refrigerator overnight and then on the kitchen counter until room temperature. For slices of sweet potato pie, it can be easily warmed in the microwave, anywhere from 30-45 seconds.
Step by Step Photos
1. Make No Roll Butter Pie Crust or remove pre-made pie crust from freezer if frozen. Brown butter in saucepan, remove from heat and cool.
2. In large mixing bowl add mashed sweet potatoes, cooled brown butter, condensed milk, eggs, and mixed spices.
3. Mix well with whisk or hand mixer.
4. To prevent he pie crust edges from browning too quickly. Tent the pie crust with foil.
5. Pour filling into pre-tented pie crust and smooth with rubber spatula.
6. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-55 minutes or until fully set in the middle. Remove foiled tent about 5-7 minutes toward the end of baking to brown up.
7. Remove from oven and fully cool about 1 hour. Ready to serve.
8. Serve with whipped cream and topping of your choice.
Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie with Condensed Milk
Equipment
- Pie Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Baking Sheet Tray
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Foil
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 No Roll All Butter Pie Crust (or pre-made store bought)
- 2 cups Mashed Sweet Potatoes (About 3 Medium Sized) (Oven Roasted-See Blogpost)
- ⅓ cup Salted Brown Butter (or melted salted butter- See Blogpost)
- 14oz can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 2 Eggs
- 1 tsp Mixed Spices Blend (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice)
Instructions
- Make No Roll Butter Pie Crust or remove pre-made pie crust from freezer if frozen. Tent pie crust edges with foil.
- Brown butter in saucepan, remove from heat and cool.
- In large mixing bowl add mashed sweet potatoes, cooled brown butter, condensed milk, eggs, and mixed spices. Mix well with whisk or hand mixer.
- Pour filling into pre-tented pie crust and smooth with rubber spatula.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50-55 minutes or until fully set in the middle. Remove foiled tent about 5-7 minutes toward the end of baking to brown up.
- Remove from oven and fully cool about 1 hour. Enjoy or chill.
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