Sweet Potato Pie With Condensed Milk
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There are many other great pie recipes out there, but my Black folks’ sweet potato pie™ recipe stands out from the rest! It’s the first sweet potato pie to introduce warm, spicy notes of clove and ginger as part of its signature soul food spices, along with silky evaporated milk in the recipe.
But what can you use if you don’t have evaporated milk? Can you use sweetened condensed milk instead of evaporated milk in sweet potato pie?
Yes, and I’ll explain how to do this without compromising the pie’s beloved and unique soulful flavor!
Can you make sweet potato pie without evaporated milk?
It’s still my signature Black folks’ sweet potato pie recipe, even if you swap evaporated milk for condensed milk. That’s primarily because this signature dish’s soul food seasoning and spice profile remain the same!
What’s the difference between evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk in pie?
Evaporated milk is unsweetened and has over half of its water content removed through evaporation, while condensed milk is evaporated milk with a sweetener added. Both are ideal for sweet potato pie because there’s no extra water in them to make the pie filling runny. However, because of its sweeter flavor, this recipe will call for less condensed milk than evaporated milk as in the original recipe.
Knowing what mistakes to avoid when making sweet potato pie is integral to the legacy of this classic Southern dish.
But no worries—I’ve gotchu with my complete list of precise ingredients and instructions with step-by-step guided pictures for making the best Black folks’ sweet potato pie recipe, even when you’re substituting with condensed milk!
Ingredients
This recipe is made with traditional Southern Sweet potato pie ingredients, with the addition of condensed milk. 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.
- Condensed milk – Adds sweetness and smoothness to the pie.
- Light brown sugar – Adds a touch of sweetness with caramel-like flavor.
- Eggs – The binding agent that ensures the pie filling holds its shape.
- Butter – Adds a rich flavor that complements the natural sweet potatoes.
- Vanilla extract – For 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 and heat with earthy flavor.
- Clove – Contributes to the pie’s overall soulful spiciness.
- 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.
How to make a sweet potato pie with condensed milk
It’s easy to make my signature soul food sweet potato pie recipe. The ingredients here vary only by the amount of condensed milk, but the recipe instructions do not change. Step-by-step instructions with guided pictures can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Grease the pie pan so the pie crust does not get stuck on the pie pan while baking.
- Cook the sweet potatoes. The preferred method to cook sweet potatoes for pie is to roast them in the oven. However, if you want to try a faster method, learn more about how to cook sweet potatoes in the Instant Pot HERE.
- Peel the sweet potatoes once they have cooled to the touch. The skin peels off easily after the potatoes are cooked.
- Mix the sweet potato flesh, spices, and ingredients at high speed using an electric mixer or blender to make the pie filling.
- Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust.
- Bake the pie.
- Let the pie cool for 4 hours before garnishing or slicing.
- Serve warm and enjoy! (Sweet potato pie is best served at room temperature or re-warmed.)
🎙 Listen to the recipe: Black Folks Sweet Potato Pie Recipe With Condensed Milk
Watch the video to see how to make sweet potato pie step-by-step with key moments.
How to know when sweet potato pie is done
When the pie is done, you can see the center of the pie filling puffing in the oven. It’s firm and not runny or jiggly.
Keeping the crust from burning
There is no need to pre-bake the pie crust or shell, which could cause the edges to overcook or burn later when the pie is filled. To alleviate concerns about the edges burning, you can use a pie crust shield, or line the edges of the crust with aluminum foil.
Should you serve sweet potato pie hot or cold?
Sweet potato pie is best served warm or at room temperature.
Most pies are left unrefrigerated while family and friends feast on the dessert. Then, it’s chilled in the fridge to store the leftovers and warmed up before serving again. For ease of slicing, it’s best to let the pie cool and set for about 4 hours to a whole day.
How to store leftover sweet potato pie
Sweet potato pie should be refrigerated because, after all, this recipe calls for milk and eggs. When stored in the fridge, the pie will last for up to 5 days. Then, it can be quickly rewarmed in the oven or by the slice in the microwave.
Can you freeze a sweet potato pie? You can absolutely freeze whole sweet potato pies or leftover pies for up to three months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and then foil, or seal tight in an airtight container.
Now you know how to make a delicious soul food sweet potato pie with condensed milk. The ingredients are simple, but the flavor is unique!
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)
- 6 oz condensed milk
- 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 sweet potatoes and set them aside.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- See my recipe for homemade almond flour 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. 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. Pro tip: Use the Instant Pot to save time and cook the potatoes in only 12 minutes!
- 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 sweet potato flesh, condensed 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 slicing, then serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Like this post? Pin the below picture to your “Soul Food Recipes” Pinterest Board!
I intend to make your recipe for the condensed milk version of the sweet potato pie. I have a store bought pie crust on hand. My question is; do I need to pre bake my pie shell ?? How do you determine whether a pie shell needs to be pre baked or not ?? Thank you !!
Tommy
Hi! Thanks for asking. You don’t need to pre-bake your pie crust or pie shell. Enjoy your Southern soul food sweet potato pie!