This spiced sweet potato pie baked into a buttery pie crust and topped with a pillow of toasted marshmallow meringue is the perfect fall pie!

slice of sweet potato pie on a plate

What kind of Thanksgiving pie person are you— apple, pumpkin, pecan? This sweet potato pie is a little less common without being nontraditional, and it’s a great alternative to pumpkin pie. It’s seasonal, delicious, and the toasted marshmallow meringue topping is sure to impress!

You’ll love the combination of flaky pie crust, rich and creamy sweet potato filling flavored with fall spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and thick fluffy homemade meringue. It’s a delicious marriage of flavor and texture!

Table of Contents

overhead view of sweet potato pie so you can really see the topping

The best sweet potato pie recipe

This incredible pie is made up of 3 parts:

  1. All-butter pie crust, made from scratch of course
  2. Spiced sweet potato filling made with pureed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla.
  3. Toasted marshmallow meringue topping, browned in the oven or with a kitchen torch.

While every component of this pie is amazing, it’s the meringue topping that really takes this sweet potato to the next level. It’s technically “Italian meringue” which just means that the egg whites are whipped with hot sugar syrup. This way the egg whites are cooked completely, so there’s no need to worry over egg safety!

Also, this meringue tastes so good. It really does taste like marshmallow fluff. And it’s so wonderful on top of this sweet potato pie!

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Prepare the pie crust. Follow your favorite homemade recipe, or use mine! crimped pie crust in pie pan with rolling pin
  2. Roast the sweet potatoes. While the pie crust is chilling, roast the whole sweet potatoes in a 400°F oven until tender. Then wait until they’re cool enough to peel.
  3. Mix the filling in a food processor. Add the softened sweet potatoes, eggs, brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg, cinnamon, milk and vanilla and mix until smooth.sweet potato filling ingredients in food processor
  4. Blind bake the pie crust. Par-baking the crust just a bit before adding the filling ensures there’s no soggy bottom! I’ve got a full tutorial on how to blind bake pie crust here, or see my baking tip below.
  5. Add filling and bake the pie. Pour the filling into the par-baked pie crust and bake at 375°F until the edges of the filling are set, but the center still wobbles slightly when gently shaken. Let the pie cool while you make the topping.poured sweet potato filling inside par baked pie crust
  6. Make the meringue topping. Make sugar by cooking water and syrup without stirring until a candy thermometer hits exactly 240°F (soft ball stage). Whip egg whites to soft peaks, then add the hot syrup in a slow steady stream while the mixer is on low. Increase speed again and whip until meringue is thick and glossy. 
  7. Finish pie and toast the meringue. Spread the meringue on top of the cooled pie and toast under the broiler for a few minutes or use a kitchen torch for more control. Be careful the meringue doesn’t burn!toasted marshmallow meringue on top of pie
  8. Serve and enjoy. You can serve the pie right away, let it cool to room temperature, or even chill it in the fridge. Once the pie has been topped with meringue, it should be served day-of. See below for make-ahead tips.

baking tip:How to Blind Bake Pie Crust

Baking your pie crust until it is partially or completely set helps keep the bottom of the crust from getting soggy while it bakes. This is particularly helpful in recipes with a very wet filling. Here’s how to do it:
  1. Prepare pie crust according to recipe instructions.
  2. Transfer pie crust to pie dish and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Line with parchment paper or greased foil and fill completely with pie weights or dried beans/rice.
  4. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until edges appear set.
  5. Lift parchment/foil and beans out of crust and bake for 5 minutes more until bottom is set.
  6. Let cool or use immediately.
More Baking Tips »

How to make this pie ahead of time

Pie crust: Pie dough wrapped in plastic wrap will keep in the fridge for about 3 days, or in the freezer for a month or more. You can also par-bake the crust in the pie pan up to 3 days ahead of assembly and store at room temperature covered in plastic wrap.

Pie filling: Once the filling is combined, you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month or more. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Baked pie: The crust and filling can be assembled and baked 3 days in advanced and stored in the fridge. Prepare meringue topping the day of.

slice of sweet potato pie on a plate

Recipe FAQs

Do I have to use a food processor?

No, you don’t! I like how easy it is to get a smooth filling with a food processor, but you can also mash the sweet potatoes with a vegetable masher and whisk in the other ingredients.

Can I use another topping?

If making Italian meringue sounds like too much or you want another option, you can top the pie with sweetened whipped cream. You can also spread store-bought marshmallow fluff on top of the filling and toast under the broiler or with a kitchen torch.

Do I need to par-bake the pie crust?

Baking the pie crust by itself ensures it stays crisp and not soggy once you add the moist filling, however you can skip this step if that isn’t important to you. Simply add the filling to the unbaked crust and bake as instructed in the recipe.

More fall pies

A slice of classic pumpkin pie on a plate with a fork and a dollop of whipped cream
Classic Pumpkin Pie
closeup of cut mile high apple pie in pan
Deep Dish Mile High Apple Pie
closeup of a slice of cranberry pear pie with ice cream
Cranberry Pear Pie
Pumpkin pie with nut praline is a delicious twist on the classic that's perfect for your holiday table!
Pumpkin Praline Pie
slice of sweet potato pie on a plate

Sweet Potato Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue

Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Resting Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 20 minutes
This spiced sweet potato pie baked into a buttery pie crust and topped with a pillow of toasted marshmallow meringue is the perfect fall pie!
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Ingredients
 

For the crust:

  • 1 ¼ cup (170 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter , cold and cut into cubes
  • ¼-â…“ cup water

For the filling:

  • 2 (455 grams) medium sweet potatoes , see Notes
  • â…“ cup (66 grams) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • â…” cup (150 grams) whole milk
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

For the meringue:

  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (113 grams) water
  • 4 large egg whites
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Equipment

food processor
Food processor
candy thermometer
Candy thermometer
kitchen torch
Kitchen torch

Instructions
 

To make the pie crust:

  • Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and toss to coat. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until butter is the size of peas.
  • Sprinkle water over the mixture and use a spoon or spatula and then your hands to bring it together into a ball. Add more water if necessary. Form the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
  • When ready, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to a rough 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 8 or 9-inch pie dish, tuck the ends under and crimp as desired. Prick the bottom with a fork and freeze for 30 minutes.

To make the filling:

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake until tender, about 40 minutes. Let cool, then peel and remove any dark spots.
  • In a food processor, puree the sweet potatoes. Add the eggs, brown sugar, salt, and nutmeg, cinnamon, milk and vanilla and mix until smooth.

To bake the pie:

  • Line the pie crust with a greased foil and fill with baking weights or dried beans. Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, then remove the foil and beans and bake for an additional 10 minutes until set but not browned.
  • Remove the pie from the oven and pour the sweet potato filling into the crust. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and bake until filling is set at the edges for the center wobbles slightly when gently shaken, about 40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

To make the meringue:

  • Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, swirling the pan as it heats up to dissolve the sugar completely. Once the sugar mixture boils, insert a candy thermometer. Do not stir. Heat to 240°F (soft ball stage).
  • While the sugar is cooking, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until they just begin to form soft peaks.
  • With the mixer on low, add the sugar syrup in a small steady stream into the egg whites. Once all the syrup has been added, increase mixer speed to high and beat meringue to stiff and glossy peaks, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.
  • Use a spatula to spread the meringue on top of the cooled pie, making sure the meringue goes all the way to the crust.
  • Toast meringue with a kitchen torch or in a 400°F oven for about 7-10 minutes. Watch it carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.
  • Let pie cool to room temperature for at least 1 hour before slicing. Store pie in the fridge.

Notes

  • For this recipe you’ll need approximately 2 cups mashed sweet potato.
  • Make ahead: The crust and filling can be baked 3 days in advanced and stored in the fridge. Prepare meringue topping the day of.
Calories: 393kcal, Carbohydrates: 62g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 73mg, Sodium: 305mg, Potassium: 322mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 8491IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 2mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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This recipe was originally published November 2016.