16 Southern Soul Food Thanksgiving Desserts
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Thanksgiving dinner isn’t complete until the dessert table steals the spotlight! From Black folks’ sweet potato pie to banana pudding, peach cobbler, and carrot cake, soul food desserts are where comfort meets celebration!
These sweet Southern classics tell stories of family, love, and legacy baked into every bite. And here at The Soul Food Pot®, I’m all about keeping those traditions alive while adding modern shortcuts with the Instant Pot, air fryer, and a whole lotta soul.
So grab your mixing bowl, cue up the holiday playlist, and let’s serve up a little Southern sweetness that’ll have everyone asking for seconds (and the recipe!)
What is the most popular dessert for a Black folks’ Thanksgiving?
The most popular soul food dessert for a Black folks’ Thanksgiving is hands down sweet potato pie! It’s a beloved tradition passed down through generations. Creamy, spiced, and baked with love. No holiday table is complete without it!
Black soul food desserts for Thanksgiving
My Black folks’ Thanksgiving desserts are where heritage meets sweetness. Pies, puddings, and cobblers made with love, flavor, and a little bit of holiday magic!
Thanksgiving pies and cobblers
From sweet potato pie to peach cobbler, these Southern classics are the heart of every soul food Thanksgiving. Sweet, spiced, and baked with love.
Puddings and cakes
Rich, creamy, and full of comfort, think banana pudding, bread pudding, and carrot cake, all the sweet traditions that make the holidays feel like home.
Cookies and rolls
Soft, buttery, and made for soaking up every last bite, my soft Southern cookies and rolls bring warmth and nostalgia to your Thanksgiving table.
🧭 Your dream Thanksgiving — ready in 4 hours or less! Grab the playbook!
Equipment
- Large baking pan
- Hand-held or stand electric mixer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound sweet potatoes washed and scrubbed (equals about 3 cups when softened and peeled)
- 12 oz evaporated milk 1 can
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 5 tablespoons butter unsalted, melted (or vegan butter)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg ground
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon ground
- ½ teaspoon cloves ground
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes and set them aside, then preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- You can use either homemade or store-bought uncooked pie crust, dough, or shell in a pie pan. If you’re using your own pie pan, grease it, place the uncooked pie crust in it, and set it aside.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, place the sweet potatoes on it, and roast the sweet potatoes in the oven for 40 minutes or until tender.
- Remove the cooked potatoes from the oven, and once the sweet potatoes have cooled, the skin will easily peel away, revealing the soft, roasted flesh.
- To prepare to make the pie filling, gather 3 cups of sweet potato flesh.
- Add the softened sweet potato flesh, evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt to a large bowl.
- To make the pie filling, combine the potato flesh with the ingredients using an electric mixer at high speed until smooth.
- Pour the sweet potato pie filling into the unbaked pie crust.
- Bake the sweet potato pie at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the filling is firm and puffing in the center. (Note that cooking times may differ based on the type of oven you’re using.)
- Let the pie cool for at least 4 hours or overnight before garnishing or slicing.
- Optionally, garnish with whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon on top. Serve warm and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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