Sweet Potato Pie: A Slice Of Southern Tradition

Sweet Potato Pie is one of my all-time favorite Thanksgiving desserts. It is also traditionally a southern dish. While growing up, I only had the northern tradition, pumpkin pie. To be fair, I love pumpkin pie too. Both pies are similar but have slightly different tastes and textures. I find pumpkin pie to be smoother. Sweet potato pie can have a stringy texture if the potatoes aren’t properly prepared. The first time I actually had a slice of this southern dessert, I had mistaken it for pumpkin pie. I went back for seconds. After living in the south for over thirty years, I now serve both pumpkin and sweet potato pie as my southern tradition for Thanksgiving.

You cannot speak of sweet potatoes without having the yam brought up in the conversation. The terms are often used interchangeably though the two are very different items altogether. Culturally and geographically, sweet potatoes originated in South America. The true yam is native to the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. There is still a lot of confusion on what either yams or sweet potatoes look like.

I found an article written by Susan M. Collins-Smith from the Agricultural Communications Department at Mississippi State University. This short article describes the differences in detail and also contains pictures. Being a visual learner, I found the clarity I needed in it to fully understand the difference between the two. Click on this link to read the entire article. https://extension.msstate.edu/blog/sweet-potatoes-vs-yams-what%E2%80%99s-the-difference. Any confusion over whether it is a sweet potato or a yam can finally be laid to rest.

Sweet Potato Pie Ingredients

So without further ado, let’s look at how you can make a delicious sweet potato pie to enjoy for Thanksgiving this year! You will need the following items to make one pie:

• 2 lbs of sweet potatoes (Double this if you want to make 2 pies)
• 1/4 stick of salted butter (1/2 stick of butter for 2 pies)
• 7 ozs of Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 ozs if you want to make 2 pies)
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 tsp of cinnomin
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 1 Deep Dish Pie Shell (2 for 2 pies)

Prepare Sweet Potatoes

First, wash the sweet potatoes thoroughly and cut them into large pieces. Be sure to cut off any dark spots. Then put the cut-up pieces into a large pot, cover with water. Next, cook in a covered pot on medium heat until the potatoes are soft. Use a fork to test for tenderness. Finally, drain the sweet potatoes. Let them cool. The skins are easily removed at this point. Put the cooked potatoes into a large mixing bowl.

Add Other Ingredients

First, add the butter. The warmth of the sweet potatoes will melt it. You may microwave the butter to soften it or leave it out for a while to get it to room temperature if necessary. Add in the pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Afterward, use a potato masher to mash the potatoes completely. Next, add in the eggs, vanilla, and the sweetened condensed milk. Mash until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

Prepare the Pie Shells and Bake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a fork to pierce the pie shell before pouring in the mashed sweet potato mixture. Fill the pie shell(s). Bake for 50-60 minutes until an inserted knife comes out clean. Allow the pies to cool completely. Add some whipped topping if desired. Enjoy!