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Southern Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Soul Food Holiday Recipes | Soul Food Sweet Potato Pie With Cream Cheese

Sweet potato pie with cream cheese is one of the South's favorite soul food holiday recipes. Made with fresh sweet potatoes and soul food spices and seasonings. 
But for this recipe, it's the Southern charm added to the pie after it bakes...
A thin layer of homemade cream cheese frosting is spread on top to savor the sweet taste of Southern hospitality!
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 42 minutes
Pressure Release: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 4 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Soul Food, Southern Food
Servings: 8
Calories: 390kcal
Author: Shaunda Necole • The Soul Food Pot®

Equipment

  • Instant Pot electric pressure cooker (optional)
  • Instant Pot Omni Plus oven (optional)
  • Stand or hand electric mixer
  • 9-inch deep-dish pie plate

Ingredients

Ingredients for the Southern sweet potato pie filling

  • 1 ½ pound sweet potatoes washed and scrubbed (equals about 3 cups when softened and peeled)
  • 12 oz evaporated milk
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 5 tablespoons 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

Ingredients for the Southern sweet potato pie frosting (homemade cream cheese topping)

  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Grease a 9-inch pie pan and set it aside.
  • See my recipe HERE for almond flour homemade pie crust, or you can use a store-bought pie crust, dough, or pie shell that may or may not come with its own pie pan.
  • Pro tip: Use an Instant Pot pressure cooker to soften and peel the sweet potatoes quickly and almost effortlessly!
  • Open the Instant Pot lid and fill the stainless-steel inner pot with water to the ½ mark.
  • Add the scrubbed sweet potatoes to the pot of water.
    Add the sweet potatoes to the pot of water.
  • Close the Instant Pot lid (make sure the valve is up – in the position for sealing) and pressure cook on high for 12 minutes to loosen the potato skin.
  • When the cooking time is finished, allow a natural pressure release for at least 12 minutes.
  • To open the Instant Pot lid, move the valve to ‘venting’ and manually release any remaining pressure, if applicable.
  • Pour the water and sweet potatoes into a colander in the sink to drain the hot water from the potatoes.
    Pour the water and sweet potatoes into a colander in the sink to drain the hot water from the potatoes.
  • Once the sweet potatoes are cool to the touch, peel and discard the skin.
    Once the sweet potatoes are cool to the touch, peel and discard the skin.
  • Gather 3 cups of sweet potato flesh.
    Gather 3 cups of sweet potato flesh.
  • Add the sweet potato flesh, evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt to a large bowl.
    Add to either the Instant Pot Ace blender or an electric mixer the sweet potato flesh, evaporated milk, brown sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves, and salt.
  • Pulse or mix with a hand or stand electric mixer until the ingredients are combined and smooth.
    Mix until the ingredients are combined and smooth.
  • Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pie crust.
    Pour the sweet potato mixture into the pie crust.
  • Bake the sweet potato pie at 350 degrees F: in a conventional oven for 28-30 minutes, in the Instant Pot Omni Plus oven for 24-26 minutes, or until the pie is puffed and firm in the center. (Remember that cooking appliance times and oven temperatures will vary.)
    Bake the sweet potato pie at 350 degrees F.
  • Allow the sweet potato pie to cool for at least 2-4 hours before garnishing or slicing.
    Allow the sweet potato pie to cool for at least 2-4 hours before garnishing or slicing.

For the soul food sweet potato pie cream cheese topping:

  • Mix the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract by hand or with an electric mixer on low until combined.
    Southern sweet potato pie frosting homemade cream cheese topping
  • Spread an even layer of the cream cheese frosting on the cooled pie, or slice and top each piece of pie with a dollop of cream cheese topping.
    What makes this sweet potato pie Southern?
  • Serve this soul food sweet potato pie with cream cheese and enjoy!
    How do you make Southern sweet potato pie?
  • Check out The Soul Food Pot's original Black Folks Sweet Potato pie recipe HERE!

Video

Notes

  • You'll probably have leftover sweet potato mix, depending on how deep-dish your pie pan is. You can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Or you can pour it into a Ziplock bag and freeze it for up to 3 months.
  • You could also make mini sweet potato pies with any leftover pie filling.
  • And don't forget to use any leftover pie dough for the easiest Southern dessert ever - pie crust cookies!

Nutrition

Calories: 390kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 234mg | Potassium: 497mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 12637IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 1mg

❤️ Why trust this recipe?

Created + tested by Shaunda Necole, creator of The Soul Food Pot® (real cook, real kitchen). Rooted in African American culinary traditions, with modern shortcuts that don’t sacrifice flavor or legacy. No AI-generated instructions — measurements, timing, and techniques are written, cooked, and verified by Shaunda. Make-it-your-way guidance included, so you can cook confidently with the tools you have.

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