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Move over sweet potato casserole – let’s put this amazing holiday favorite where it belongs … on the dessert table!
Praline Sweet Potato Pie – oh my. This is a dreamy combination of crunchy pecans, brown sugar, buttery caramel and soft maple-infused mashed sweet potatoes. Even with the praline topping I still believe this pie is not as sweet as many sweet potato casseroles I’ve tried over the years. Does your family have the annual heated debate about what’s better on the sweet potato casserole; a pecan topping or toasted marshmallows? No worries. I’ve got you covered. To satisfy all your holiday food critics, note the optional marshmallow topping in the recipe instructions. I’ve made this pie many times, but most often without the marshmallows. It’s all good!
Why is it that Sweet Potato Pie is not as beloved as pumpkin pie? This pie is so much better!Â
Sweet potatoes are so good and make the perfect base for this creamy pie filling. Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber and beta-carotene. They’re easy to cook, inexpensive and filling. And they’re so delicious whipped into a smooth creamy concoction flavored with real maple syrup. Did I mention how perfect they are paired with pecans and caramel? Oh goodness, this is a moan-worthy treat for sure!
If you don’t want to make your own pastry, buy refrigerated pie dough or a frozen crust and you’re halfway there.
If you haven’t tried it yet, check out our Perfect Pie Crust Recipe made in 3 Easy Steps complete with video! Click HERE to get the recipe for our pie crust.
This Praline Sweet Potato Pie is easily made ahead and stored until needed.
It keeps well for several days but, of course, is at it’s best served within about 24 hours. The crust will get a little soft over time, but nothing drastic or off-putting. The pie holds together beautifully and travels well. If you’re looking for a new no-fail recipe to try this Thanksgiving, you can make this pie recipe with confidence. Even your pumpkin pie hating peeps will love this pie. It’s that good!
With or without marshmallows, this is one terrific Sweet Potato Pie!
If your loved ones dig the marshmallow topping on sweet potato casserole, perhaps you could add a few toasted marshmallows to your pie. The marshmallows are best added just before serving so they’ll be all toasty warm and melty. Just saying – we aim to please and want everybody to be happy for the holidays!
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Praline Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
For the pie filling:
- 1 pastry for a single crust pie (SEE NOTES)
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes about 5 medium
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 whole egg
- â…“ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup buttermilk
For the praline topping:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons milk
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
- 1 cup mini-marshmallows (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the pastry and line a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the dough and crimp the edges as desired. Place the pie shell in the refrigerator for 60 minutes. This will help control shrinkage during the blind bake.
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Line the chilled pastry with two sheets of heavy-duty foil, then fill with 2 cups dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil, beans or weights and return the pastry to the oven. Bake until light golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
To make the pie filling:
- Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and place on a double layer of paper towels in the microwave. Cook at full power for 5 minutes then turn each potato over and cook another 5 minutes or until tender, but not mushy. Cool the potatoes for 10 minutes then cut each one in half crosswise. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Discard the skins. You should have 2 cups of flesh. Add 2 tablespoons butter and mash with a fork while the potatoes are still warm. A few small lumps of potato are fine.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the egg yolks, egg, sugar, maple syrup, salt, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon vanilla and buttermilk. Add the egg mixture to the sweet potatoes and fold together gently with a rubber spatula until combined.
- Place the pie crust on a foil lined baking sheet. Pour the sweet potato filling into the pie crust. Use little strips of foil to create a collar and shield the edges of the crust to prevent over-browning. Bake for 40 minutes.
- After the pie is in the oven for 30 minutes, make the praline topping. In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, maple syrup and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. With the pie still in the oven remove the foil from the around the edge of the crust. Sprinkle the pecans over the partially baked pie then carefully pour the hot brown sugar mixture over the pecans. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes or until the center of the pie appears set when shaken.
- Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Pie keeps up to 4 days.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Here are a few more holiday pie recipes you might enjoy:
Our Classic Double Crust Apple Pie Recipe – made with tart, juicy apples piled high and wrapped in a buttery, flaky, double crust pastry. To me, nothing says ‘home’ like Apple Pie! Click HERE to get the recipe for Apple Pie.
Chocolate Pecan Pie – Fudgy and rich, this is an easy pie to make and a favorite of everyone during the holidays. Click HERE to get the recipe for Chocolate Pecan Pie.
Pumpkin Tart with Pecan Crumble ~ a surprisingly unique and delicious tart with a cream cheese pumpkin base and a sweet, crunchy crumble top loaded with toasted pecans. Click HERE to get the recipe for the Pumpkin Tart.
Featured Ingredient: Pure Maple Syrup
This recipe calls for pure maple syrup in the filling and in the pecan praline topping. Don’t substitute any old syrup – use only the best, real-deal maple syrup. Amazon carries some good brands if your local grocery store does not. Enjoy!
 *Saving Room for Dessert is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog. Thanks for supporting SRFD!
Thanks so much for stopping by! Tricia
Jennifer
I’m excited to try this. But please note…2 C of mashed sweet potatoes is actually ONE pound of potatoes, not 2. I looked it up online.
Tricia Buice
Hi Jennifer. I usually measure everything while creating recipes so I went back and checked my notes. It’s correct as written. However, just to make sure I baked a large 14.5 ounce sweet potato and ended up with about 1 cup of mashed. Therefore I think you’ll need more than one pound so I’d buy extra just to make sure you have enough. Enjoy!
Estela Padilla
It appears based on ingredients, it will be delicious. Thanks I will try it for Thanksgiving, can’t wait to see my family’s reaction. Thanks
Tricia Buice
Hope you enjoy this wonderful pie Estela. I always recommend making a new recipe at least once to practice especially if it’s for an important dinner or holiday. Thanks!
Postuleo Jones
I made this recipe over the Thanks giving holiday, and I must say, it turned out great. I’d never cooked a sweet potato in the microwave before, and I’ll admit, I was bit unsure/curious how it’d turn out. But sure enough, microwaving really is a ridiculously simple way to prepare a sweet potato, and the resulting flesh was nice and soft and easy to mash. Here’s where I messed up. I anticipated I’d be a lazy scooper when it came time to remove the flesh from the skin. I really wanted to reach the 2 cups the recipe called for, so I thought I’d be clever and cook 2lbs 2oz of potato instead of just 2lbs. I ended up being much more thorough with my scooping than anticipated, and I had much more potato than I needed. I had the opportunity to do the smart thing and measure out the 2 cups, but that’s when the laziness finally came into play. I decided to use all of the potato and wound up with more filling than I needed. Which sucked because the praline sauce on top was DELICIOUS!!!
I almost didn’t make it on time. Reading the instructions (step number 4 to be precise), I was under the impressiom I was supposed to let the pie bake for 30 minutes THEN start making the praline sauce. Luckily, I realized that wasn’t the case and that the sauce was supposed to go on top after the 30 minutes of bake time. I was able to get the sauce ready in time, but I couldn’t really use as much of it as I wanted since I’d overfilled the pie and didn’t want things spilling over.
Even with my mistake, the pie turned out great! The filling was smooth, you could taste the spice, it wasn’t overly sweet, and the maple flavor really did shine through to pair well with the nuttiness of the pecans on top. Only thing I needed more of was the praline lol, so I’ll be sure to not overfill the pie next time so I can properly sauce it. Thanks for the recipe! ?
Tricia Buice
Thanks for the feedback Postuleo! So happy this pie turned out for you. This is a wonderful holiday pie and a personal favorite of mine. Bravo!
Monie
If you brought dough from the store, does it still have to be baked before you cook the pie?
Tricia Buice
Hi Monie. Whether you use a frozen crust, store-bought refrigerated crust or homemade, I recommend blind-baking the crust to prevent it from getting soggy. It’s simple to do and will make a big difference in the final product. You can line the pie shell with foil or parchment paper. Send me an email if you want to discuss in more detail. Thanks!
Abbe@This is How I Cook
You are the pie queen! This looks divine!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Abbe!
mae
Looks like a delicious pie! I usually like sweet potatoes and pumpkin to be made less sweet, not more. But the flavors here are appealing.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Tricia Buice
Thanks Mae.
Susan
You know, I’ve never had nor made sweet potato pie! My mother always made pumpkin pie so, naturally, that’s what I still make 🙂 We would always eat sweet potatoes baked right in their jackets with a dollop of fresh butter and love the taste so I know I would love them made into a pie too. That pecan praline topping looks right up my alley!
Tricia Buice
Thanks Susan – this pie is worth a try – especially for anybody who loves pumpkin pie too. Thanks again!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I have never had the pleasure of eating a sweet potato pie (northern girl!). I’ve always tried to imagine the taste, but I now realize I just need to make one and experience it first hand 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration.
Tricia Buice
With your wonderful maple syrup I know this pie would be a star on your table. It’s so good with just the right amount of sweetness and flavor. Thank you Jennifer!
Pam
Woo hoo, Tricia! You got me on praline! My, my, my, what a fine dessert, perfect for Thanksgiving! I’d make a meal of it, after all, sweet potato is a veggie! Thanks for the recipe!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Pam – this is a delicious pie and everybody loves it. Hope you get the chance to make it! Thanks again 😉
Chris Scheuer
I want this on my Thanksgiving dessert table! It looks like a wonderful combination of sweet potato and pecan pie, two of my favorites! Such enticing pics too!
Tricia Buice
Thank you Chris – this pie is a keeper 🙂 I know you’re looking forward to having the family all together this year. Enjoy!
mimi rippee
wow. I might have to make this pie for Thanksgiving! It’s like a cross between pumpkin and pecan pies. almost. Fabulous!
Tricia Buice
Hi Mimi – This is a delicious pie and so easy to make too. It’s been well tested and is foolproof! Enjoy!
Larry
Wow this looks delicious as I would expect from a southern girl. I’d never heard of sweet potato pie until I moved to TN.
Tricia Buice
This is the best sweet potato pie I’ve ever had Larry – maybe Bev will make one for you soon 🙂