A Sweet Potato Pie Perfect for your Thanksgiving Spread

Picture this: it’s Thanksgiving day and the aroma of warm, spiced sweet potato pie fills the air, evoking feelings of nostalgia and comfort. This beloved Southern classic will be the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving meal. In this post, we’ll share a mouthwatering sweet potato pie recipe, by Carla Norwood & Gabriel Cumming, straight from the pages of Edible North Carolina: A Journey across a State of Flavor edited by Marcie Cohen Ferris with K. C. Hysmith as associate editor, a foreword by Vivian Howard, and beautiful photography by Baxter Miller. Get ready to savor every bite of this delectable treat.

If you’re looking for more inspiration for your thanksgiving spread, check out our entire catalog of cookbooks including our Savor the South series which is now available in paperback.

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Sweet Potato Pie

Carla Norwood & Gabriel Cumming
Based on a Warren County recipe from Bev Wilson’s family.

*Makes two 9-inch pies (one for now, one to freeze for later)

For the Crust:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Ice water

For the Filling:

• 2 pounds North Carolina sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Pinch of ground cardamom

To make the crust, dice the butter and chill it in the freezer for a few minutes. In a food processor fitted with a dough blade, add the flour sugar, and salt. Pulse a few times to mix. Add the chilled butter and process about 10-20 seconds until the mixture is uniform and no large chunks of butter remain.  With the food processor running, add 3 tablespoons of ice water. The flour mixture should start to form into a ball. Add water, a little at a time, as needed until the dough comes together but is not sticky.

Remove the dough from the food processor and divide it into 2 disks. Immediately roll out the disks into large circles and gently press each one into a pie pan. Trim and crimp the edges and set aside.

To make the filling, set the over to 425° and bake the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet until they are soft all the way through, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the butter and mash until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. (for a smoother filling, pour the potato mixture into a blender and pule for a few seconds.)

Divide the filling between the 2 pie crusts. At this point, you can wrap the pies in plastic wrap and freeze them for baking later. Otherwise, bake the pies at 350° until the center is set and the top just begins to brown, about 1 hour. Allow the pies to cool completely before slicing.