Sweet Potato Pie is one of those desserts that is a must-have during the fall for any family celebration. Each year during early fall, my mother’s extended family always gets together for a family reunion. Some of the most delicious food I have ever put in my mouth always shows up at these reunions.
My Grandmother and her sisters-in-law would have been cooking for days to make sure they each brought their best dishes that Sunday. It was in no means a competition of recipes, but each of them knew which of their recipes complimented their sister’s or sisters-in-law’s best and that’s what they prepared.
The children would run around and play and be told a bajillionth time not to fiddle with the piano in the corner of the church fellowship hall.
Each year we thought we could get by with banging out a few tunes before we would get a reminder to leave the piano alone.
Each year, we were caught before the first note was played.
By the time the older grandchildren had moved on from sneaking toward the piano to playing other games, a new crop of grandchildren arrived to take our place in the pursuit of “how many notes can you play before you get caught?”
We had a ball, even though we knew our Aunt Ellen would be the very first one to catch us. She always had a sixth sense where that piano was concerned.
She also always made the best sweet potato pies. The kind that even as a kid, I was happy to dig into.
I was tickled when I was going through some of my Grandmother’s recipes a while back and stumbled upon Aunt Ellen’s sweet potato pie recipe. It’s as good as they get.
Here’s how she makes it.
Here’s my family’s Sweet Potato Pie Recipe. I can’t wait to hear how you like it.
- 3 cups sweet potatoes
- ½ cup butter
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup milk
- 2 unbaked pie crusts
- Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Boil until very tender. Remove from heat and drain. Add butter and mash. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix well.
- Pour milk into a measuring cup add in eggs and mix well with a fork. Pour milk and egg mixture into sweet potatoes. Combine until well-blended.
- Pour into unbaked pie crusts.
- Bake each pie at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until set in the center.
I still wonder how Aunt Ellen could catch us so quickly at that piano. You think it had anything to do with our giggling?
Enjoy!
Robyn
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I love sweet potato pie especially when it is made without all the pumpkin pie spices. Just good ole butter and vanilla is all it needs.
I couldn’t agree more, Marci!!! No spices needed at all.
I agree with you Marci that’s the best way so good!
I think I would love your Aunt Ellen. ; ) YUM!
You would. Her rolls are pretty amazing too.
I am loving all this fall food! Family recipes are the best!
Tried and true family recipes are the best! I always like to pull out the old family recipes around the holidays too.
Love sweet potato pie, and love that this one is not “gussied-up” to taste like pumpkin pie!!! Simple but delicious! Giggling….naw!!!!!! Thanks Robyn
What a lovely sweet potato pie. Just saying the words makes me smile!
I’ve always wondered about sweet potato pie. Do you know I’ve NEVER made it? It looks so custardy and delicious!
I love sweet potato pie. That is something my Mom always made for the holidays. This recipe looks delicious. Blessings, Deborah
so simple and so delicious. i will always pick sweet potato pie over pumpkin pie.
Me too, Brandi!
I’ve never had sweet potato pie before… But, I absolutely adore sweet potatoes. I will definitely have to give this a try this fall.
I can’t wait to hear how you like it, Jen!
This is almost identicial to my Mom’s famous Sweet Potato Pie which I now make. They have brought $65 each at auction church!!! Never seen this recipe anywhere else. It will simply melt in your mouth. No spices in sweet potato pie for me!!!
Aren’t they best? It’s one of my favorite recipes of hers.
this is an interesting recipe …the color is so lovely
I chose this recipe because I wanted something different than the usual sweet potato pie with cinnamon and nutmeg, you know all the traditional pumpkin pie spices. I was impressed by the simple ingredients and the clever use of milk. I tried a little of the batter and really liked how creamy and perfectly balanced it tastes. My pies are baking right now and I can’t wait to share them with my family!