Washington Sweet Potato Pie
A silky, spiced sweet potato custard in a flaky lard or butter crust, the traditional dessert closing out Sunday dinner in many of D.C.'s Black households and church gatherings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 340 kcal
Equipment
- •9-inch pie dish
- •Stand mixer or hand mixer
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- fat
- 16
- carbs
- 44
- protein
- 5
- calories
- 340
Instructions
- 1
Heat your oven to 350°F.
- 2
Mash the baked sweet potatoes in a large bowl until smooth.
- 3
Stir in the melted butter and sugar until well combined.
- 4
Add evaporated milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla. Beat everything until smooth.
- 5
Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust.
- 6
Bake 50-60 minutes until the center is just set with a slight jiggle.
- 7
Cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Chef's tips
Bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling them. This keeps the filling from getting watery and gives a richer flavor.
Storage
Refrigerate covered up to 4 days.
Reheating
Serve chilled or at room temperature; warming is not necessary.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using undercooked sweet potatoes, which makes the filling gritty instead of smooth
- •Baking the pie too long, which causes the top to crack
Serving suggestions
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