Healthy Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Recipe

Last Thanksgiving, Emma asked if we could make "something different from regular pumpkin pie" for our family dinner since everyone brings pumpkin and nobody eats it all. I'd been seeing sweet potato pecan pie recipes combining two Southern classics into one spectacular dessert. Three hours later, including baking time, we had a golden pie with crunchy pecan layer over smooth sweet potato base that became the most requested dish at dinner, with three people asking for the recipe before dessert was even finished.

Why You'll Love This Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

This sweet potato pecan pie recipe soul food tradition has rescued countless holiday dessert tables when I needed something that would actually get eaten rather than just taking up space alongside six other pies that all taste vaguely similar and leave everyone with decision fatigue about which mediocre option to choose. The combination of rich custard filling from mashed sweet potatoes and crunchy pecan layer creates textural contrast impossible to achieve with single-purpose pies that are just one thing throughout – either all custard or all nut filling but never both simultaneously.

What really wins me over is how this old fashioned sweet potato pecan pie delivers two beloved Southern desserts in one slice, satisfying both the sweet potato pie lovers and pecan pie enthusiasts without needing to make separate pies that take up valuable oven space and cooling rack real estate during holiday cooking marathons. The smooth sweet potato base provides that distinctive orange color and earthy sweetness that differentiates it from pumpkin pie while being less divisive than pumpkin's polarizing flavor. These festive Southern dessert options work year-round but especially shine during fall and winter holidays when you need impressive desserts that taste homemade and special rather than store-bought or basic.

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
• Ingredients You'll Need For Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
• How To Make Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Step By Step
• Smart Swaps for Your Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
• Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Variations
• Equipment For Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
• Storing Your Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
• Top Tip
• How My Neighbor's Dish Became a Household Staple
• FAQ
• Sweet, Crunchy, Perfect!
• Related
• Pairing
• Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Ingredients You'll Need For Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

For the Sweet Potato Filling:

• 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ cup evaporated milk
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Pecan Topping:

• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the Crust:

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Optional Add-ins:

• Orange zest for brightness
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• ¼ cup mini marshmallows on top

How To Make Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Step By Step

Prepare Sweet Potatoes:

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and roast for 45-60 minutes until completely soft when squeezed gently – they should feel like they're about to collapse when properly cooked. Let cool until safe to handle, then cut open and scoop out the flesh, discarding skins. Measure out 2 cups of mashed sweet potato, mashing thoroughly with a fork or potato masher until completely smooth with no lumps remaining. Roasting concentrates sweetness far better than boiling which adds water and dilutes flavor.

Make Sweet Potato Filling:

In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, beaten eggs, evaporated milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Mix thoroughly with a whisk or electric mixer until completely smooth and well-combined with no sugar granules remaining – you want silky, uniform custard texture. Taste and adjust spices if desired, though be conservative since flavors intensify during baking. Pour this creamy sweet potato filling into your unbaked pie shell, spreading evenly and smoothing the top with a spatula. The filling should come about two-thirds up the crust, leaving room for the pecan layer.

Prepare Pecan Layer:

In a medium bowl, combine chopped pecans, brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, beaten egg, vanilla extract, and salt, stirring until pecans are evenly coated and mixture is well-combined. The consistency should be thick and sticky, coating the pecans completely. Carefully spoon this crunchy pecan layer over the sweet potato filling, spreading gently to cover the surface without mixing the two layers together – use the back of a spoon and work from the outside in to maintain layer separation. The pecan mixture will spread and settle during baking, so don't worry about perfect coverage initially.

Bake Until Set:

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F and place the pie on the middle rack. Bake for 45-55 minutes until the center is set but still has a slight jiggle when gently shaken – a knife inserted near the center should come out mostly clean with just a few moist crumbs. The pecan topping should be golden brown and caramelized, bubbling slightly around the edges. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil or a pie shield about halfway through baking. Don't overbake or the filling will crack and become dry rather than creamy.

Cool Completely:

Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 3-4 hours, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator, before serving. This resting period allows the filling to set properly and makes clean slicing possible – cutting into warm pie creates messy slices that fall apart rather than maintaining their beautiful layered structure. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for the ultimate warm pie with vanilla ice cream experience.

Smart Swaps for Your Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Sweet Potato Alternatives:

• Pumpkin puree → Sweet potato (pumpkin pecan pie variation)
• Butternut squash → Sweet potato (similar flavor)
• Mix of both → All sweet potato (complex flavor)

Sweetener Options:

• Maple syrup → Corn syrup (maple pecan topping, different flavor)
• Honey → Corn syrup (floral notes)
• Brown rice syrup → Corn syrup (less sweet)

Dairy Variations:

• Cream cheese → Just butter (tangy richness)
• Coconut milk → Evaporated milk (dairy-free sweet potato pie version)
• Regular milk → Evaporated (thinner consistency)

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Variations

Bourbon Pecan:

• Bourbon sweet potato pecan pie
• 2 tablespoons bourbon in filling
• Adult version
• Southern classic

Marshmallow Topped:

• Marshmallow-topped sweet potato pie
• Mini marshmallows on pecan layer
• Last 5 minutes of baking
• Kids love it

Maple Sweet Potato:

• Replace corn syrup with maple
• Maple pecan topping natural sweetness
• Fall harvest flavor
• Less processed

Spiced Praline:

• Brown sugar pecan glaze extra thick
• Add cayenne to pecans
• Southern praline style
• Complex heat

Equipment For Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

• 9-inch pie pan (glass or ceramic)
• Large mixing bowls (2)
• Potato masher or fork
• Whisk or hand mixer
• Baking sheet (to catch drips)

Storing Your Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Room Temperature (2 hours max):

• Serve and enjoy
• Don't leave out longer
• Egg-based custard spoils
• Refrigerate promptly

Refrigerator (3-4 days):

• Cover tightly with plastic wrap
• Bring to room temp before serving
• Or serve chilled if preferred
• Quality maintained well

Freezer (2-3 months):

• Better frozen before baking
• Wrap tightly in plastic then foil
• Thaw overnight in fridge
• Quality good but texture slightly different

How My Neighbor's Dish Became a Household Staple

My neighbor Mrs. Patterson has been making sweet potato pecan pie for her church potlucks and community gatherings for nearly thirty years, and over those decades her pie developed legendary status in our neighborhood where anyone who'd tasted it at holiday events would rave about how it was dramatically better than any sweet potato or pecan pie they'd made at home despite following what seemed like standard recipes with the same basic ingredients and proportions.

For over a decade, multiple neighbors tried replicating her pie using various sweet potato pecan pie recipes found online or in cookbooks, producing perfectly acceptable desserts that were good but somehow never achieved that same incredible smoothness in the sweet potato layer and perfect chewy-crispy texture in the pecan topping that made her version so memorable and frequently requested at every single gathering where desserts were involved. People would bring their attempts to potlucks hoping to recreate her magic, and while they tasted fine, nobody ever mistook them for Mrs. Patterson's signature pie.

FAQ

Sweet, Crunchy, Perfect!

Now you have all the secrets to creating this incredible sweet potato pecan pie that proves innovation and tradition can coexist beautifully. From the maple syrup upgrade to the bourbon depth enhancement, this recipe shows that hybrid desserts can be better than their single-purpose components.

Want more holiday pies? Our The Best Egg Roll In A Bowl Recipe delivers classic Thanksgiving flavor. Try our Healthy Chicken Piccata Recipe for easier serving. For more sweet potato desserts, our Delicious Salisbury Steak Meatballs Recipe satisfies completely.

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Pairing

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