This purple sweet potato pie is a thing of beauty. Your friends won’t stop talking about how pretty AND delicious it is!
Get ready for compliments when you bring this pie to the table! It is gorgeous, and the sweet and flavorful filling is delicious.
Classic pumpkin pie has had plenty of time in the spotlight, so I like to let purple sweet potato pie take a turn—especially once cooler weather rolls in. It has all the cozy, familiar warm spices you expect from a fall pie, but the purple sweet potatoes add a deeper flavor and a stunning color that make it feel special. This is the kind of dessert I look forward to around Thanksgiving and keep baking long after.
I shared a dairy-free version of this pie years ago, but this classic take is the one I keep coming back to. Made with buttery pie crust, whole milk, sugar, eggs, and plenty of pumpkin pie spice, the filling bakes up smooth, rich, and perfectly spiced. Purple sweet potatoes—especially varieties with vibrant purple flesh—give the pie its naturally earthy sweetness and signature hue without overpowering the spices.
Finished with a generous dollop of whipped cream, this pie feels nostalgic and a little unexpected at the same time. Whether you use a homemade crust or a store-bought one, it’s a showstopper dessert that earns its place right alongside (or instead of) the usual pumpkin pie .
How to make purple sweet potato pie
Here’s what you’ll do to put this perfect purple sweet potato pie on the table:
1. Start by blind-baking the crust.Why ⇢This step ensures the crust is fully cooked without overcooking the filling.
2. Boil the peeled and chopped purple sweet potatoes until they are soft – think mashed potatoes soft.
3. Drain the potatoes well and then add them to a large bowl.Why ⇢It’s important to drain all the water to ensure the filling sets properly.
4. Use electric beaters to mash purple sweet potatoes with milk, sugar, butter, and spices. Ensure the filling is not too hot before mixing in the eggs. Why ⇢ Hot filling can cook the eggs; we don’t want scrambled eggs!
Tip ⇢ If you don’t have electric beaters, you can use a potato masher or (better yet) a potato ricer.
5. Add the filling to the pie crust and smooth the top.Why ⇢The filling doesn’t change much after it’s baked, so you want to ensure the top is smooth for the best presentation.
6. Bake the pie until the center is set.Tip ⇢Let the pie cool completely before you cut into it. This is the hardest step, but doing so will enhance the flavor and make it easier to slice.
Watch how to make this pie
This show-stopper dessert always elicits oohs and aahs when you bring it to the table.
This beautiful dessert is best served with a little whipped cream or a scoop ofvanilla ice cream.
More pie recipes
Easy Chocolate Pie (restaurant-quality made at home)
Roasted Plum Pie with with Creamy Mascarpone
The Best Pumpkin Pie (the only recipe you need!)
Easy Homemade Cherry Pie
Purple Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust , homemade or store-bought
- 1 ½ lb purple sweet potatoes
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice , see notes
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- Whipped cream , for serving
Instructions
- On a floured surface, roll out the pie dough so that it is 2 inches larger than your pie pan. Press the dough into your pie pan and crimp the edges. Put the pie crust into your fridge to chill for 30 minutes. 1 pie crust
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the chilled pie crust with parchment paper and fill it with pie weights. Blind bake the pie for 15-17 minutes, until the edges of the crust no longer look raw. Remove the pie weights with the parchment paper and then poke holes in the bottom with a fork. Return the pie crust to the oven for 5 minutes.
- When your pie crust is in the fridge, start making the filling. Peel and chop the purple sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and put them in a medium-sized pot. Add 1 cup of water to the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-high, and steam the purple sweet potatoes for 10 minutes, or until they are soft. 1 ½ lb purple sweet potatoes
- Drain any remaining water from the pot and then add the purple sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl or your stand mixer.
- Add the sugar, milk, butter, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and salt and beat well with electric beaters. ¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup whole milk, ¼ cup butter, 1 tablespoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Ensure that the filling is not too hot (if it is, let it cool), and then add the eggs and beat them into the filling. Pour the filling into the blind-baked pie crust and smooth the top. 3 large eggs
- Bake the purple sweet potato pie for 35-40 minutes, or until the pie has set. If the edges of the pie start to get too dark while baking, add a pie shield. Let the pie cool completely before cutting into it. Serve the pie dolloped with whipped cream. Whipped cream
