Old fashioned sweet potato pie with condensed milk

Table of Contents Show

How do you make Patti Labelle sweet potato pies?
Why do you put eggs in sweet potato pie?
Why is my sweet potato pie so soft?
How can I thicken my sweet potato pie?

Sometimes the old school recipes with simple classic flavors are the best. And that’s exactly what this Sweet Potato Pie is… simple, classic, and flavorful.

This Fall favorite is made with roasted sweet potatoes, butter, evaporated milk (the secret ingredient), brown sugar, and a blend of warm fall spices. It tastes pretty close to pumpkin pie, but with a bit of a milder flavor that I much prefer.

For me, using evaporated milk in this is a must. Some folks refer to it as Carnation milk or canned milk. Now this is not the same thing as sweetened condensed milk – which my grandmother still calls Eagle Brand milk. While they both are concentrated milks, sweetened condensed milk is sweetened- just as the name implies. Evaporated milk, on the other hand, is concentrated but no extra sugar is added.

Evaporated milk is denser and creamier than regular milk and it has a slightly caramelized flavor because of the high heat at which it is cooked.

Evaporated milk makes this pie super rich and creamy. That said, if you can’t get your hands on a can of evaporated milk, heavy cream will work as a substitute.

Now, my recipe calls for you to roast the sweet potatoes to get them cooked before they go into the pie filling. Many recipes, though, call for you to boil them. Either way will work just fine. I just think I prefer the flavor of them better when they’ve been roasted.

I love this pie topped with a heaping helping of whipped cream – or even Cool Whip, if that’s what I have on hand. There is no shame in my game and I will readily admit that I love me some Cool Whip – regardless of what’s on the ingredient label.

That said, my favorite thing to do with this Sweet Potato Pie is top it with a dollop of jarred marshmallow cream and just hit the top of that cream with a blow torch to get it toasted. Wooo, doggie, that’s some good stuff right there! Y’all enjoy!

Recipe Card

▢ 1 pound sweet potatoes
▢ 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1/2 cup butter, melted
▢ 1 (5-ounce) can evaporated milk
▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 1 (9-inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust

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Preheat the oven to 425° and line a rimmed baking sheet it aluminum foil. Wash the sweet potatoes and prick them a few times with a fork. Place them on the baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle. Peel the potatoes when cool.
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Using a mixer, mash the potatoes until smooth. Add the sugar, eggs, and melted butter and mix to combine. Add the evaporated milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, giner, salt, and vanilla and mix until combined and smooth.
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Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Place the unbaked pie crust on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet. Pour the pie filling into the crust and bake in the center of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the pie is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Allow the pie to cool. It may sink some as it cools. Refrigerate if desired. Serve topped with whipped cream or toasted marshmallow cream, if desired.

How do you make Patti Labelle sweet potato pies?

Ingredients.

2 1/2 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (yams), about 5 medium, scrubbed but unpeeled..

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted..

1 cup granulated sugar..

1/2 cup evaporated milk (See Patti's Pointers below).

2 large eggs..

1 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg..

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon..

1/4 teaspoon salt..

Why do you put eggs in sweet potato pie?

It also adds creamy flavor and texture. Traditional sweet potato pie has a custard filling, which means the filling relies on eggs (particularly the yolks) to bind the ingredients together. Make sure to allow the eggs to come to room temperature before incorporating them into the mixture.

Why is my sweet potato pie so soft?

Remember only the center needs to be jiggly when you pull it from the oven. It will be too soft if the entire pie is jiggly. The pie needs to hit the right temperature in order to set.

How can I thicken my sweet potato pie?

The mixture will probably be pretty runny, if that is the case add in some flour, about a tablespoon at a time. Just mix it in with a whisk or spoon, instead of using a mixer. Don't want to over mix it. The flour will thicken it up.