Black Folks Purple Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
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When it comes to soul food Thanksgiving desserts, you can bet that the menu starts with a classic Southern black folks’ sweet potato pie recipe. But have you heard about the contemporary upgrade of this classic Southern treat? We call it purple sweet potato pie, and although it uses purple Stokes sweet potatoes instead of regular sweet potatoes, it’s still made the Southern soul food way!

What is a purple sweet potato pie?
A Black folks’ purple sweet potato pie uses the same ingredients and instructions as a traditional soul food sweet potato pie recipe. Although purple, this sweet potato pie recipe is still a delightful Thanksgiving dessert, Christmas dessert, and New Year’s treat. It’s packed with flavorful seasonings and spices in the tradition of Black folks’ soul food cooking.

The only difference is that a purple sweet potato pie uses purple Stokes sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. So, it’s a stark contrast from the traditional Thanksgiving brown and orange hues.
But this ain’t no humble pie! This pie is bright purple, and its texture is slightly thicker, yet it still tastes like a traditional soul food sweet potato pie recipe. So if you want your dessert this year to stand out from the crowd, then make this recipe!

Where to get purple sweet potatoes
Do you have a Whole Foods or a local farmer’s market with unique, fresh produce nearby?
I always buy purple sweet potatoes for my sweet potato pie recipe from Whole Foods. You can also try purchasing them from your local farmer’s market.

Ingredients
Purple sweet potatoes are one of the most beautiful vegetables on the planet. They are truly purple, with purple skin and flesh, and they do not lose their color when mixed with milk, eggs, butter, soul food seasonings, and spices for sweet potato pie. They maintain their stunning purple appearance even when cooked, resulting in a beautiful purple pie filling!
Measurements for the recipe can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Stokes purple sweet potatoes – The color occurs naturally and is not genetically modified to appear purple. You can even cultivate these potatoes in your own backyard garden!
- Evaporated milk – Adds a velvety smoothness to the pie.
- Light brown sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness with caramel-like flavor.
- Vanilla extract – Imparts a warm and comforting balance in the flavor profile.
- Ginger – Adds a hint of spiciness and a subtle warm kick.
- Nutmeg – Adds a warm, nutty, and earthy balance to the pie’s sweetness.
- Cinnamon – Adds a comforting warmth, burst of flavor, and color.
- Clove – Contributes to the pie’s overall soulful spiciness.
- Salt – A necessary contrast to balance the sweet spice profiles.
- Butter – Adds a rich flavor that complements the natural sweet potatoes.
- Eggs – The binding agent that ensures the pie filling holds its shape.
- Pie crust – Elevates this dish from a sweet potato soufflé to a sweet potato pie with a simple, delicious, flaky crust encasing.
Pro tip: Stokes purple sweet potatoes are similar to Ube purple yams. But not the same as Okinawan Japanese sweet potatoes or regular (not sweet) purple potatoes. So double-check that you’ve picked up the correct potatoes when shopping for this recipe!

How to make a purple sweet potato pie
A Black folks’ purple sweet potato pie is like a traditional soul food sweet potato pie. This recipe still involves roasting the sweet potatoes to soften them and mixing them with milk, butter, eggs, seasonings, and spices to make the beautiful purple pie filling.
Step-by-step instructions with guided pictures can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven, grease the pie pan, and set it aside.
- How do you prepare the purple sweet potatoes to be mashed?
Roast the sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet. - Peel and discard the skin once the potatoes are cooked and cooled. The skin and flesh will have softened.
- Gather 3 cups of sweet potato flesh.
- Combine the potato flesh and the ingredients for the pie filling in a large bowl.
- Mix with a hand or stand electric mixer until the ingredients are combined and smooth.
- Pour the purple mixture into the pie crust.
- Bake the pie.
- Allow the pie to cool for 4 hours before topping.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Watch the video to see how to make purple sweet potato pie step-by-step with key moments.

What texture is this pie filling?
It’s not surprising that a purple sweet potato pie tastes the same as an orange sweet potato pie, thanks to soul food spices and silky, smooth evaporated milk. The texture is similar to a regular sweet potato pie, just slightly thicker.
In my humble pie opinion (pun intended), if you were to taste purple sweet potato pie with your eyes closed, you wouldn’t notice the difference because it tastes just like the orange pie you’re used to!

What to serve with a Black folks’ purple sweet potato pie
A simple answer would be whipped cream or ice cream, but that’s not the question.
You want something that compliments it! So if you’re looking for classic soul food recipes to serve with your purple sweet potato pie, then look no further than these delicious ideas:

Black folks Southern turkey recipe, soul food collard greens, soul food candied yams, Black folks cornbread dressing, fresh cranberry sauce, and cranberry sauce cornbread.
Washed down with a glass of holiday eggnog or everyday Southern sweet tea!

Equipment
- Large baking pan
- Hand-held or stand electric mixer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes Stokes purple sweet potatoes (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 butter, melted (or vegan butter)
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash and scrub the purple sweet potatoes and set them aside.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- You can use homemade or store-bought pie crust, dough, or shell that may or may not come with its own pie pan. Grease the pie pan, place the uncooked pie crust in it, and set it aside.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, and roast the sweet potatoes on it for 40 minutes or until tender.
- Remove the cooked potatoes from the oven, and once they're cool to the touch, peel and discard the skin.
- Gather 3 cups of sweet potato flesh.
- Add the purple sweet potato flesh, evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt to a large bowl.
- Mix with a hand-held or stand electric mixer until the ingredients are combined and smooth.
- Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pie crust.
- Bake the sweet potato pie at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until the pie is puffed and firm in the center. (Remember that cooking appliance times and oven temperatures will vary.)
- Allow the sweet potato pie to cool for at least 4 hours before garnishing or slicing.
- Serve this Black folks’ purple sweet potato pie recipe warm and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Like this post? Pin the below image to your Pinterest “Soul Food Recipes” board!

I haven’t seen purple sweet potatoes! I will be on the hunt for them now. Do they taste the same? The pie looks so good.
Try Whole Foods or Trader Joes. They taste the same in the pie because of all the soul food spices. The only difference is the beautiful regal purple hue!
This just looks so fun and festive (and it’s my favorite color)
Your favorite color – then you’ve gotta make this recipe!
This is stunning!!! Definitely something special to surprise my family and friends with
Right! The color alone is a conversation starter!
Oh my gosh, it’s beautiful!!
Thanks so much, Angelica! You’re guests will have the same reaction when you make this recipe!
That’s a nice looking pie! I can’t believe more people don’t use the purple sweet potatoes. I like this idea!
I know – I too can’t believe they’re still a best kept secret!
I think this would be so cool to make for Mardi Gras! Thank you!
OMG! Such a good ideas – purple sweet potato pie for Mardi Gras!!
I never knew there were purple sweet potatoes. Sure makes a pretty pie!
I know right! And I’m happy to introduce them to you!
Love the purple. We are going to have to try this one!
The purple just elevates this soul food tradition! And the purple sweet potatoes in a pie taste just the same as the original sweet potato pie.
Sweet purple potato is indeed sweet! We call it “Kamote” here in the Philippines..
Yes – purple sweet potatoes are also a delicacy of the Philippines!!
making me hungry.
Good, because this recipe is good!
Love everything in this. I think this must be made in our home
I’m so excited that my soul food purple sweet potato pie is a new favorite in many homes!
thanks
Very pretty 😍 never tried it but might have to make it one day!
It tastes just like the original sweet potato pie – just with a fanciful color twist!
Yum!
love sweet potatoes
looks yummy
looks good
I have never tried sweet potatoes in a pie…we always just boil them and add butter…but this sounds delicious
Oh, then you must try them in a sweet potato pie!!
Honestly Okinawa purple sweet potatoes make a very good sweet potato pie. They are sweeter than the Stokes ones you suggest but have more of the texture of orange sweet potatoes. My only suggestion if you really want the purple color is to add ube extract to the recipe.
I’m researching so I haven’t actually made the pie yet.I wanted to know why you use brown sugar instead of white sugar in this recipe?How does it change the flavor?
What is the difference between brown sugar and white sugar? The main difference is the presence of molasses, which gives brown sugar a distinctive flavor and moisture.