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Old Fashioned Southern Sweet Potato Pie with Cinnamon and Nutmeg

Southern sweet potato pie is baked in a flaky refrigerated crust with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a smooth, buttery filling. Cool it until set for clean slices and classic Southern flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Cooling 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 1 refrigerated pie crust 9-inch, unbaked
For the filling
  • 1.5 lb sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.5 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt
  • water for boiling

Equipment

  • 1 9-inch pie plate
  • 1 4-quart saucepan

Method
 

Prepare the crust
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Fit the crust into a 9-inch pie plate.
  3. Crimp the edge.
  4. Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.
Cook the sweet potatoes
  1. Place the sweet potato chunks in a 4-quart saucepan.
  2. Cover with water and bring to a boil.
  3. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.
  4. Drain the sweet potatoes well.
  5. Transfer them to a large bowl.
Make the filling
  1. Mash the sweet potatoes until smooth.
  2. Whisk in the melted butter, sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. Pour the filling into the chilled crust.
  4. Smooth the top.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake at 350°F for 50–60 minutes, until the edges are set, the center has a slight wobble, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 160°F.
  2. Loosely cover the crust edge with foil if it browns too quickly.
  3. Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Notes

For the smoothest filling, mash the sweet potatoes thoroughly before whisking in the remaining ingredients. Refrigerate covered for 3–4 days; the pie can be frozen. For a dairy-free variation, use dairy-free butter and evaporated coconut milk.