Patti LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie

There’s something undeniably magical about Patti LaBelle’s sweet potato pie. A dessert that marries homemade coziness with the flair of Southern soul food tradition. 

In the spirit of transparency, I want to note that this is a copycat recipe for an existing product. Patti LaBelle Sweet Potato Pie (as seen in Desserts LaBelle) is a proprietary brand I want to acknowledge and give credit!

What does Patti LaBelle put in her sweet potato pie?   

Miss Patti infuses her culinary magic to create a pie that stands out on any holiday table! And while her recipe does not include sweet potato pie secret ingredients signature to my viral Black Folks sweet potato pie recipe, it’s still a delicious Southern soul food recipe that’s easy to make at home.

The pie filling, laden with orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, swirls together the warmth of cinnamon and nutmeg, revealing an inviting complexity in every bite. 

The finale is what Miss Patti insists on – a dollop of whipped cream on each slice! It serves as a cloud-like contrast to the rich, velvety smoothness beneath.

Patti LaBelle sweet potato pie recipe

This recipe is for Miss Patti’s sweet potato pie filling. You know, the main ingredient! 

The yummy goodness starts with the best type of sweet potatoes for sweet potato pie. Choose either Jewel (best for baking) or Beauregard sweet potatoes (slightly sweeter).

You can use your favorite pie crust or pie shell brand or make your pie dough homemade.

Patti LaBelle’s sweet potato pie ingredients

The world has come to know that Patti LaBelle’s sweet potato pie is more than just a famous name dessert. It’s a celebration of tradition, family, and the simple joy of Southern soul food hospitality found in a slice of homemade pie.

Measurements for the recipe can be found in the printable recipe card below.

• Sweet potatoes – A naturally sweet pie filling with a smooth, creamy texture.
• Evaporated milk – Evaporated milk adds a velvety smoothness to the pie.
• Granulated sugar – For the sweetness.
• Eggs – The binding agent that ensures the pie filling holds its shape.
• Butter – Adds a rich flavor that complements the natural sweet potatoes.
• Nutmeg – Adds a warm, nutty, and earthy balance to the pie’s sweetness. 
• Cinnamon –  Adds a comforting warmth and heat with earthy flavor. 
• Salt – A necessary contrast to balance the sweet spice profiles.
• Pie crust – Elevates this dish from a sweet potato soufflé to a sweet potato pie with a simple, delicious, and flaky pie crust encasing. 

Should you roast or boil sweet potatoes for pie? 

Roasting or pressure cooking the sweet potatoes is recommended over boiling or steaming. 
Learn more about the best way to cook sweet potatoes for sweet potato pie in my post HERE.

Miss Patti’s pointers

Evaporated milk is also my favorite dairy ingredient for sweet potato pie, just like Patti LaBelle. 

You might wonder why she choose evaporated milk over fresh milk, condensed milk, or heavy cream? For a trifecta of reasons: 

1. Evaporated milk brings an incomparable creaminess, enriching the filling without making it too heavy. 
2. Its concentrated form adds a depth of flavor that enhances the natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes. 
3. When you beat evaporated milk into the mixture with the eggs, sugar, and spices, it perfectly binds all these elements, ensuring a silky-smooth texture. 

Trust me, evaporated milk is a simple ingredient that makes a world of difference in your sweet potato pie Southern dessert!

Are there any acceptable ingredients substitutes?

You can use the following swaps for this soul food baked sweet potato pie recipe:

• Can you use sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk in pie? As detailed in the trifecta of reasons above, Miss Patti and I agree on why evaporated milk is the best for sweet potato pie. However, you can use sweetened condensed milk as a substitute instead. Here’s my recipe for how to make sweet potato pie with condensed milk.
• Can you use canned sweet potatoes? Nothing beats fresh potatoes for this incredible Black folks’ homemade sweet potato pie recipe, but you could use canned sweet potato.
• If you do not prepare the pie crust from scratch, can you use a frozen one? Yes, you can absolutely use a frozen pie crust or store-bought pie dough. Even a frozen pie crust already nestled in an aluminum foil pan. Thaw, add your filling, and bake the pie on the oven rack or a baking sheet.

Patti LaBelle’s sweet potato pie instructions

Step-by-step instructions with guided pictures can be found in the printable recipe card below.

1. Grease the pie pan so the pie crust does not get stuck on the pie pan while baking.
2. Roast or pressure cook the sweet potatoes. (Pressure cooking in an Instant Pot is the fastest and recommended way to peel them easily.)
3. Peel the sweet potatoes.
4. Gather the potato flesh.
5. Mix the potato flesh, spices, and ingredients at high speed using an electric mixer to make the pie filling.
6. Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust.
7. Bake the pie. (No need to pre-bake the pie crust, which could cause your pie crust edges to burn.)
8. Let the pie cool for a few hours for ease in slicing.
9. Serve warm and enjoy! (Sweet potato pie is best served at room temperature or re-warmed.)

Why is your sweet potato pie runny?

Asked another way: “Why is my sweet potato pie mushy?

If your sweet potato pie turns out runny after baking – don’t fret! Instead, put it back in the oven for five-minute intervals until the filling is puffed and firm in the center.

Can you freeze Patti LaBelle pie?

You can freeze whole sweet potato pies or leftover pie for up to three months. 

First, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and then foil, sealed tight with an airtight container.

Patti Labelle pie

Whipping up desserts that sing to the soul – that’s a Patti LaBelle sweet potato pie! 

Lovingly blending the filling and patiently waiting for the pie to bake, topping it with just the right amount of whipped cream feels like adding a crown to a masterpiece!

Like this post? Pin the below image to your Pinterest “Soul Food Recipes” board!