Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie Ultimate Cozy Classic
Make black folks sweet potato pie with silky, spice-kissed filling and a flaky crust. Get make-ahead tips, easy steps, storage, and flavor variations.
Ingredients
- Here’s your ingredient roadmap for one 9-inch black folks sweet potato pie—creamy spice-kissed, and reliably slice-clean.
- Mashed sweet potatoes 450 g about 2 cups, from 700–900 g raw Jewel or Beauregard
- Unsalted butter melted and cooled 55 g (4 tbsp)
- Packed brown sugar 120 g ½ cup
- Granulated sugar 50 g ¼ cup
- Evaporated milk 180 ml ¾ cup
- Large eggs room temperature 2
- Vanilla extract 2 tsp
- Ground cinnamon 1½ tsp
- Freshly grated nutmeg ½ tsp
- Ground ginger ¼ tsp
- Ground cloves pinch
- Fine salt ½ tsp
- Lemon juice 1 tsp
- Cornstarch 1 tbsp 8 g
- Single 9-inch pie crust chilled homemade or quality store-bought
Flavor boosts (optional)
- Bourbon 1 tbsp for warm depth
- Orange zest 1 tsp for brightness
- Chopped pecans ½ cup for a subtle crunch on top or around the rim
- Maple syrup 1 tbsp; reduce granulated sugar by the same amount
Smart swaps and notes
- Evaporated milk vs half-and-half
- Use the same volume. Evaporated milk gives classic Southern sweet potato pie creaminess without heavy richness.
- Cornstarch vs flour
- Cornstarch keeps the custard silky. If using flour increase to 1½ tbsp (12 g).
- Weigh the mash
- The sweet potato amount is by cooked mash not raw weight. Accurate weight prevents a watery filling.
- Not yams
- In U.S. markets “yams” often label orange sweet potatoes. Choose true orange-fleshed sweet potatoes for the signature flavor.
- Spice freshness
- Warm spices fade quickly. If your cinnamon or nutmeg smells dull replace for best aroma.
- Room-temp eggs
- They blend smoothly and help the custard set evenly.
- Crust choice
- A buttery flaky pie crust complements the silky custard. Keep it cold for clean layers.
- Dietary options
- Dairy-free
- Swap evaporated milk for 180 ml full-fat coconut milk and butter for 55 g refined coconut oil. Expect a light coconut note.
- Gluten-free
- Use a gluten-free pie crust. The filling is naturally gluten-free when thickened with cornstarch.
Instructions
- You’re a few simple steps from a silky, slice-clean black folks sweet potato pie. Follow the cues, not just the clock.
Roast and mash for deeper flavor
- Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Scrub 700–900 g sweet potatoes, pierce, and roast on a sheet until very tender, 45–60 min.
- Cool just enough to handle, peel, and mash. Weigh 450 g (about 2 cups) of warm mash.
- Press the mash through a ricer or fine sieve to remove any strings for an ultra-smooth custard.
- Shortcut: Boiling works, but roasting concentrates flavor and avoids a watery filling.
Blind bake the crust to keep it flaky
- Lower the oven to 190°C / 375°F. Fit a 9-inch crust into a pie dish; dock the base with a fork.
- Line with parchment, add pie weights or beans, and bake 12–15 min. Remove weights and bake 5 min more until the base looks dry.
- Shield the rim with foil if it browns fast. Keep the crust warm while you mix the filling.
Mix a smooth, stable custard
- In a large bowl, whisk the warm sweet potato with brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a pinch of clove until glossy.
- Whisk in melted cooled butter, vanilla, and lemon juice.
- Add eggs one at a time. Whisk just to combine—no foamy bubbles.
- Stream in evaporated milk while whisking. The batter should be pourable and silky, not airy.
- Tip: If you see lumps, give the mixture a quick pass with an immersion blender, then tap the bowl to pop bubbles.
Fill and bake to the perfect jiggle
- Set the warm crust on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour in the filling.
- Bake on the middle rack at 175°C / 350°F until the edges are set and the center has a gentle 2–3 cm / 1-inch jiggle, 50–60 min.
- Rotate the pie at the 30-minute mark. Tent the edges with foil if needed.
- Doneness cues: The surface looks matte, not wet; a thin knife inserted 5 cm from the edge comes out clean.
Cool, chill, and slice clean
- Cool on a rack 2 hours to finish setting.
- Chill 3–4 hours (or overnight) for tidy slices. Wipe the knife between cuts.
Make-ahead, storage, and reheating
- Make-ahead: Bake 1 day in advance; flavors deepen like classic Southern sweet potato pie.
- Fridge: Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days.
- Freeze: Wrap well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat: Warm slices at 150°C / 300°F for 10–15 min, loosely covered with foil.
Notes
Nutrition Information (per serving, estimated)
- Calories: ~365 kcal
- Carbohydrates: ~47 g
- Protein: ~6 g
- Total Fat: ~17 g
- Saturated Fat: ~10 g
- Fiber: ~2 g
- Total Sugars: ~31 g
- Sodium: ~210 mg
- Cholesterol: ~75 mg