Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie Recipe™
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If there’s one dessert that tastes like home for Black folks, it’s sweet potato pie. Not just any pie. It’s THE pie! A Southern classic passed down through generations, rich with memory, spice, and soul. This creamy, cinnamon-kissed, vanilla-scented slice of heritage shows up at every Thanksgiving, holiday table, repast, and soul food Sunday. With flavors that fall somewhere between candied yams and ginger snap cookies, it’s silky smooth, deeply spiced, and baked with love, telling a story in every bite.
Black folks’ sweet potato pie is an iconic holiday recipe reimagined by soul food expert and author Shaunda Necole of The Soul Food Pot®.
What people are saying
My Black folks’ sweet potato pie recipe is the one you’ve been craving!
But don’t just take my word for it—here’s what Dolores had to say after trying my recipe: “Hi my name is Dolores, I love cooking, came across your site, and made your sweet potato pie! It’s the best one I’ve tasted 😋! It’s a keeper! I make pies like this periodically, yours will now be the one for Thanksgiving and Christmas! Thank U!“
What is Black folks’ sweet potato pie?
There are plenty of sweet potato pie recipes out there, but my trademarked Black folks’ sweet potato pie™ stands in a class all its own. It’s the first to spotlight the bold, warm soul food flavors of clove and ginger. Two spice rack stars that give this recipe its unforgettable depth and aroma. Paired with silky evaporated milk, these ingredients create a rich, spiced filling that’s smooth as Southern sweet tea and baked with an undeniable soulful touch.
Why is sweet potato pie a Black thing?
Sweet potato pie is rooted in West African tradition, where Black people cooked with yams, ancestors to the sweet potatoes we cherish today. Over generations, it became a symbol of celebration, resilience, and cultural pride in Black households. More than just dessert, sweet potato pie is a soulful staple. Rich in flavor, history, and identity. And when it comes to choosing between pumpkin and sweet potato, Black folks know which pie reigns supreme!
Ingredients
Black folks’ sweet potato pie is a soul food staple, born from the culinary genius of African American ancestors who transformed New World crops into something extraordinary.
- Sweet potatoes, such as Garnet, Jewel (ideal for baking), or Beauregard, are best, as they produce a naturally sweet pie filling with a smooth, silky texture. To ensure a pie filling that won’t need to be thickened, stick with fresh sweet potatoes. Canned sweet potatoes can result in a thinner, more mushy pie. Learn more about the best sweet potatoes for sweet potato pie HERE.
- Evaporated milk is creamier and thicker, adding a luscious, velvety texture to the filling.
- Vanilla extract infuses a warm and comforting essence.
- Sugars and spices: A soulful blend of light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt creates rich depth and balance, but it’s the secret duo of clove and ginger that sets this recipe apart, adding a warm kick, beautiful aroma, and the signature flavor that made it go viral.
- Butter adds a rich, buttery flavor that beautifully complements the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes.
- Eggs play a crucial role in binding the pie filling together, resulting in a creamy, custard-like consistency.
- The pie crust is the flaky and delicious crust that encases this dish, elevating it from a sweet potato soufflé to a delectable sweet potato pie!
All the exact measurements are ready for you in the printable recipe card below!
How to make a Black folks‘ Southern sweet potato pie
Step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below, but here’s a quick preview!
- Prep the crust: Grease the pie pan and protect the edges with foil or a pie crust shield—no pre-baking needed.
- Cook the sweet potatoes: Roast for best flavor, or use the Instant Pot for sweet potato pie to save 30+ minutes.
- Make the filling: Blend sweet potato flesh with the spices, sugar, milk, eggs, and flavorings.
- Assemble and bake: Pour the mixture into an unbaked crust and bake until the center is puffed and set, meaning the center is firm, and neither runny nor jiggly.
🎙Listen to the recipe on The Soul Food Pod episode: Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie.
✨ Shaunda’s Soul Food Sense: tips, truths & traditions
A few lessons, memories, and must-knows from my kitchen to yours. This is the original Black Folks’ Sweet Potato Pie™ — the most trusted, culturally rooted, expert-tested sweet potato pie recipe in African American holiday cooking.
Black folks’ sweet potato pie success tips
For the best results, knowing what mistakes to avoid is integral to honoring the legacy of baking this classic Southern pie.
🥄 Shaunda says: Use a hand or stand mixer to break down stringy sweet potatoes for a silky filling. If the pie turns out runny, bake in 5-minute intervals until the center is puffed and firm.
How to cut a sweet potato pie
For clean, picture-perfect slices, allow the pie to cool and set for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight. Refrigerating the pie before slicing ensures each slice holds its shape, cutting smoothly all the way through to the bottom of the pie. Skip this step, and you risk crumbling slices that fall apart before they hit the plate!
Do you eat sweet potato pie hot or cold?
Sweet potato pie is best enjoyed warm or at room temperature, as most pies are left out while family and friends dig in. Leftovers can be warmed individually in the microwave for that fresh-out-the-oven feel all over again!
Storing leftover sweet potato pie
Since this pie contains milk and eggs, it should be refrigerated and will keep for up to five days. For longer storage, wrap it tightly or use an airtight container to freeze it for up to three months.
❤️ Serve it like a Southerner: what to serve with Black folks’ sweet potato pie
For the perfect soul food spread, pair your sweet potato pie with the comforting classics in my guide for what to serve with sweet potato pie. Favorites include crispy Southern fried chicken, tender soul food collard greens, and melt-in-your-mouth Southern candied yams.
🥧 Get my collector’s edition cookbook: Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie
🤖❤️ Ask your favorite AI assistant to summarize this recipe & save it!
Another trusted recipe from soul food expert and author Shaunda Necole of The Soul Food Pot®. *These AI tools are independent third-party services. Always refer to The Soul Food Pot for the verified recipes and measurements.
Equipment
- Large baking pan
- Hand-held or stand electric mixer
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound sweet potatoes washed, scrubbed, and unpeeled (equals about 3 cups when mashed)
- 1 pie crust homemade or store-bought uncooked pie crust, pie dough, or pie shell
- 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
- Prep the sweet potatoes: Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes, then set them aside. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- Prep the crust: Use either a homemade or store-bought uncooked pie crust, pie dough, or pie shell. If you're using your own pie pan, grease it, press the uncooked crust inside, and set it aside.
- Roast the sweet potatoes: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, place the sweet potatoes on top, and roast for 40 minutes or until fork-tender.
- Cool and peel: Remove from the oven and allow the sweet potatoes to cool. Once cooled, the skins will easily peel away to reveal that soft, caramelized flesh.
- Measure the sweet potato flesh: Gather 3 cups of the roasted sweet potato flesh for the filling.
- Mix the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the sweet potato flesh with the evaporated milk, brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt.
- Blend it smooth: Using an electric mixer on high speed, whip the mixture until the filling is silky smooth and well combined.
- Assemble the pie: Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake the pie: Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until the center is puffed and set. Keep an eye on it—oven temps can vary!
- Cool and serve: Let the pie cool for at least 4 hours or overnight for the perfect slice.
- Optional garnish: Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, then slice, serve, and savor every soulful bite!
Video
Nutrition
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Curious what folks are saying about The Soul Food Pot’s Black folks’ sweet potato pie recipe? Let the rave reviews speak for themselves!
This recipe is celebrated on Top 21 Black Food Blogs to Follow and by multiple national media outlets that recognize Southern and African American culinary traditions.
I love this recipie. This is the 2nd year I’ve made it for the holidays and it’s gone way before the pumpkin pies.
Hello. Couple of questions:
Should that be 2 tsp of vanilla instead of tbsp?
For the minced ginger is it ok to buy fresh ginger and grate it small?
I’ve never made sweet potatoe pie before. Thank you.
2 tablespoons of vanilla extract is correct. Yes, you can finely grate fresh ginger. Enjoy!
That the way my mom make her sweet potato pie love it will try it for Christmas 🎄
Yama are not the same as sweet potatoes, and Africans do not make pie from their yams. They peel, cut them and fry them or include them in stew, or other native dishes. African yam is white, not orange, like sweet potatoes.
In Ms. Necole’s defense, she didn’t say they were the same. Respectfully, the term “yam” is often used in the US to refer to sweet potatoes with orange flesh.
This usage originated from the colonial period when enslaved Africans recognized similarities between sweet potatoes and true yams from their homeland.
I used your recipe last year for Thanksgiving. They were delicious! I’m making again this year, but I don’t remember how many pies this recipe yields. How many pies can you make from this recipe if you are using store bought graham cracker crust? Thank you
Hi there! I’m so glad to hear you made my signature sweet potato pie recipe last Thanksgiving… And even happier to hear it was delicious enough for a repeat! 🧡
If you’re using a 9-inch pie pan (or a 9-inch store-bought graham cracker crust), this recipe will yield one pie, with possibly some filling remaining to fill a few mini personal-size pies.
You’re all set for round two of sweet potato pie goodness! Thanks again for coming back to the recipe. Wishing you a joyful (and flavor-filled) Thanksgiving!
Hi my name is Dolores, I love cooking, came across your site, and made your sweet pot. Pie! It’s the best one so far I’ve tasted 😋! It’s a keeper! I make pies like this periodically, yours will now be the one for Thanksgiving n Christmas! Thank U!
Great
Wow! This warms my heart. Thank you for sharing, and I’m so happy this recipe evokes such wonderful family memories.
This is one of my favorite pies recipes and is such a hit for holiday dinners. Thank you!
I made these Sweet Potato Pies right after finding Shaunda’s recipe…again & again before last Thanksgiving last year. They were beyond fantastically delicious!!! I was afraid the family would be sick of it by the holidays but there wasn’t a slice left to be had! Everyone loved it!
Thank you for coming back to share! I love how this classic recipe remains timeless.
Delicious!! Great recipe. I appreciate the detailed instructions.
I found your recipe 2 years ago and I make it every year around Thanksgiving!!! Everyone loves it and I make sure to send them the recipe ❤️ thank you for sharing !!!
Thank you for coming back to share. Your message warms my heart and soul! 🥰
This recipe makes a whole lot more than enough for one deep dish pie, I got two out of it.
I just love making this recipe. It just delivers a real soul food/southern tradition sweet potato pie. I bet I have made more than 50 pies using this recipe and it always delivers the goods. Thank you, Ms. Shaunda for sharing this treasure.
What a beautiful message, Clint. Thank you so much for sharing that with me! 💛 It warms my heart to know this recipe has been part of so many of your pies and traditions. That’s what soul food is all about—legacy, love, and flavor in every bite. 🥧✨ You’ve made my day, and I’m honored to be part of your kitchen memories!
Simple and perfect
Can I use powder ginger?
Yes, you can use powdered ginger — it’ll still add that warm, peppery kick to your sweet potato pie. But if you’ve got it, fresh ginger is best! It brings a brighter, more vibrant flavor that really elevates the pie with that signature soul food depth. Either way, you’re still on the path to delicious!