Leave the pumpkin pie at home this year and try this amazing Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Recipe with Marshmallow Meringue!
When it came to dessert time over the holidays there were always the usuals, apple pie, pumpkin pie, ice cream, etc. However, I do remember one time someone, can’t quite recall who it was (maybe my Uncle Jack), who brought a sweet potato pie.
I couldn’t quite grasp the concept of a potato pie because to this point all I had been used to seeing was a sweet potato baked or sliced up and cooked. It took several years after that for me to even try it. After that first bite, I was so mad at myself for consistently passing on such a delicious dessert for all this time.
What Does It Taste Like
Sweet potato pie tastes similar to pumpkin pie but the textures are different and the flavors far more intense. While a pumpkin pie is a bit dense, sweet potato pie are quite fluffy. This pie offers the perfect flavor combination of sweet and savory and once you eat it, you’ll forget all about pumpkin pie.
If you consider that most pumpkin pies come from a canned pumpkin that has very subtle pumpkin flavors in comparison to this one that is bursting with deliciousness.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet potato pie has very similar ingredients to pumpkin pie except the canned pumpkin is replaced with fresh mashed sweet potatoes. Here is how you make it:
1. Add the sweet potatoes to the oven and bake them at 375° for 60 minutes. I like to add a cookie sheet tray to the rack under the sweet potatoes in case they open up a bit and leak out some juice.
2. While the sweet potatoes are cooking it’s the perfect time to make the crust. Add the butter, flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse on high while slowly drizzling in water until it forms a meal. The mixture will hold together if you squeeze it.
3. Roll out the dough until it is about ¼” thick and form it to a 9” baking dish and keep it cool in the refrigerator until it’s time to use it.
4. Once the potatoes are done cooking you want to peel them and mash them. You can absolutely do all this in a standing mixer, using a hand mixer or a potato mill, which is what I do. Sweet potatoes also mash pretty easy so don’t worry about being able to get them broken down.
5. Mix in the sugar, eggs, butter, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg until completely combined and pour it into the chilled pie crust shell.
6. Place on a cookie sheet tray and bake in the oven at 375° for 60 to 65 minutes. The pie will become firm in the center with little to no jiggle.
7. Remove the pie from the oven and set on a cooling rack to get ready for the marshmallow meringue.
Is Marshmallow the Same as Meringue
Marshmallow is not the same as meringue. Marshmallow whip which comes in the form of a fluffier easy to mold mixture since it does not have gelatin in it as marshmallows do.
Merengue, on the other hand, is simply egg whites whipped with a stand mixer or hand mixer with cream of tartar and sugar to form soft to stiff peaks. Marshmallow is not similar to merengue but can be combined to make marshmallow meringue.
How to Make Marshmallow Meringue
Start by adding the egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar to a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until medium peaks have formed, which takes about 3 minutes. You will know they reach medium peaks when you pull out the whisk attachment and the merengue hold but at the top peak fold over a bit.
Now you want to add the marshmallow fluff and whisk on high speed until stiff peaks are formed which means when you remove the whisk attachment the tops of the marshmallow meringue will stay perched.
Transfer the meringue to a piping bag and add 1” tall dollops of the marshmallow meringue to completely cover the top of the sweet potato filling.
Bake the pie at 400° for 10 minutes until the marshmallow meringue becomes browned. You could also use a hand torch and simply brown the marshmallow merengue with that technique
Can You Freeze It
Sweet potato can be frozen, and it would be best to do so without the marshmallow meringue on top. Cover it completely in plastic wrap or in a container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before adding on the merengue and browning it.
How Long Does It Last
This pie will last covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It’s important to keep it completely covered or else it will absorb any unwanted refrigerator smells.
This recipe is nothing short of delicious and is guaranteed to be a people pleaser!
Recipe Chef Notes + Tips
How to Serve: Most of the time sweet potato pie is served cold, but if you are one of those who like warm sweet potato pie, simply heat up a slice in the microwave for 30 seconds.
How to Store: This will hold in the refrigerator, covered for up to 5 days. Likewise, sweet potato pie freezes well covered in plastic for up to 3 months. Be sure to freeze without the meringue. Completely thaw in the refrigerator for 1 day before slicing and serving.
More Pie Recipes
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Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Recipe with Marshmallow Meringue
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups of flour
- 1/2 teaspoons of Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1/2 cups of ice cold unsalted butter cut up
- 1/4 cup of ice cold water
For the Filling:
- 3 large sweet potatoes baked and skins removed
- 1 cup of brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
- ½ cup of whole milk
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon of nutmeg
For the Marshmallow Merengue:
- 3 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon of cream of tartar
- ¼ cup of sugar
- 1 8 ounce jar of marshmallow whip
Instructions
- Sweet Potatoes: Wash the potatoes and bake at 375 for 60 minutes.
- Crust: Add the ingredients, except for the water, into a food processor and pulse until it becomes like a meal. Slowly drizzle in the water until the dough begins to slightly come together.
- Remove the dough and roll it out on a clean flour dusted surface so that it will fit into a 9” pie tin.
- Form the dough to the pie tin and trim any access. Chill in the refrigerator until the sweet potatoes are done baking.
- Filling: Peel the sweet potatoes and add them to a large bowl along with all the other ingredients and mix until combined.
- Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 60 to 65 minutes at 375° or until it becomes firm on top and in the center.
- Merengue: While the pie is cooking add the egg whites, cream of tartar and sugar to a standing mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk on high speed until they’ve reached medium peaks, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Next, add in the marshmallow whip and mix on high speed until it reached stiff peaks.
- When the pie is done cooking add the marshmallow merengue to the top of the pie in any decoration that you’d like and bake at 400° for 10 minutes or until they are browned.
- Serve the pie warm or cool and enjoy!
Notes
- I like to add a cookie sheet tray to the rack under the sweet potatoes in case they open up a bit and leak out some juice.
- You’ll know the pie crust is ready to roll out as the mixture will hold together if you squeeze it.
- You can add all of the filling ingredients to a standing mixer, using a hand mixer or a potato mill, which is what I do. Sweet potatoes also mash pretty easy so don’t worry about being able to get them broken down.
- The pie will become firm in the center with little to no jiggle.
- For the marshmallow merengue, you will know they reach medium peaks when you pull out the whisk attachment and the merengue hold but at the top peak fold over a bit.
Ricky Howard says
What kind of pan is that the pie was baked in? A tart pan? I love the way the pie looks in that.
Chef Billy Parisi says
Yes sir. It’s a simple little dish from sur la table.
Becky Hardin says
I am loving everything about this pie. I would love a slice right now with my coffee.
Betsy says
I love meringue! How delightful to find it topping such a seasonally wonderful pie! Yum!
Rachael Yerkes says
so dang yummy
Julia Frey says
Adding that toasted meringue on top makes all the difference for the taste and visual appeal! It looks gorgeous now and sweet potato pie usually doesn’t.
Taylor says
This is the perfect pie for the holidays! That meringue on top is so delicious!
Azza says
Awesome, smells like fall.love it,thanks so much for sharing…l used brown sugar meringue..