Southern-Style Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Soul Food

Prep Time: 35

Cook Time: 1 25

Total Time: 2

Servings: slices

Calories: 446kcal

Author: Jazzmine Woodard

Sweet potato pie just like your southern Black grandma would make with a healthy dose of bourbon.

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Equipment

1 Food Processor or stand mixer or hand mixer
1 nine-inch pie pan
1 Rolling Pin
1 silicone spatula or kitchen spoon
pie weights optional

Ingredients

For the Bourbon Sweet Potato Filling

1 pound sweet potatoes (about 2 large sweet potatoes roughly 6 inches long and 3 inches thick)
¼ cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons butter melted
2 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
½ cup brown sugar packed
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon Nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt

For the All-Butter Crust

¾ cups cold butter cut into cubes
1 ½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon cold water

Instructions

How to Make the Pie Crust

Make the pie crust by incorporating sea salt, flour, and butter until a coarse, sandy-looking meal forms. This can be done in a bowl with your hands or in a food processor. Add cold water and continue working or pulsing the mixture until a dough forms. Shape into a disc (like a hockey puck), wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
¾ cups cold butter, 1 ½ cup flour, ¼ teaspoon sea salt, 1 tablespoon cold water

How to Roast Sweet Potatoes for Pie Filling

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a fork or knife, pierce sweet potatoes several times with a fork or knife (this will help them let out steam as they bake) then place directly on oven rack with a sheet pan underneath to catch any drippings. Roast for about 45 minutes or until tender then set aside to cool. You can place them in the refrigerator to speed up this process.
1 pound sweet potatoes

Making the Pie

Reduce oven heat to 375 degrees. Roll out chilled pie crust and place in a 9-inch pie pan. Remove excess dough from around sides of pan and crimp or style edges, as desired. Prick bottom of dough with a fork a few times then par bake for about 15 minutes then remove and decrease oven heat to 350 degrees. See notes about par baking below.
While the crust par bakes, process cooled sweet potatoes in a food processor until smooth. Add heavy cream, butter, eggs, bourbon, brown sugar, granulated sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sea salt then or pulse until uniform, pausing to scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
¼ cup heavy cream, 6 tablespoons butter, 2 eggs, 2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon Nutmeg, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon sea salt
Spread filling into prepared pie crust. Return to oven and bake for about one hour and 10 minutes or until top of filling is firm to touch. Cool completely before slicing and serving.

Notes

Tips for the Best Crust

It's important that the butter and water be as cold as possible (you can even freeze the butter) for great results. Cold butter will cluster in pockets throughout the dough that result in flaky, tender texture.

To prevent the dough from shrinking and falling during par-baking, place a clean sheet of parchment paper over top, then add pie weights, uncooked rice, uncooked beans, or something similar over top of parchment paper. This will help the crust keep its shape. I've only had to do this once when making this type of pie, but better safe than sorry!

Preparation

If using store-bought or homemade sweet potato puree in the filling, use about two cups worth.

To make sweet potato pie ahead of time, allow the finished pie to come to room temperature then wrap snugly in foil. Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Storage

Store sweet potato pie covered in foil or plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Keeps for up to five days.

To freeze, wrap the cooled pie in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil. Keeps for up to three months.

Nutrition