Sweet Potato Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue
Spiced sweet potato pie baked into a buttery pie crust and topped with a pillow of toasted marshmallow meringue. It’s the perfect fall pie!
We are just about two weeks away from Thanksgiving. Two weeks! Are you ready?
Thanksgiving is maybe my favorite holiday, because let’s be honest, it’s all about food! I love it all— the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, and side dishes galore. I don’t think I could pick a favorite part of the meal, but let’s just put it this way: if there’s not pie, I’m not coming.
What kind of Thanksgiving pie person are you— apple, pumpkin, pecan?
This sweet potato pie is a little different without being nontraditional, and it’s exactly what your spread needs. It’s seasonal, delicious, and the presentation is sure to impress. Plus, with its toasted marshmallow topping it tastes so much like the candied yams with mini marshmallows that we all grew up eating.
This pie was made for Thanksgiving!
I topped this pie with an italian meringue— egg whites beaten with a hot sugar syrup— instead of the classic egg whites + sugar meringue so often used in pie recipes. This way the egg whites are cooked completely and all the meringue needs is a little toasting in a hot oven or with a kitchen torch (my preferred method). No need to worry over safety!
Also, this meringue tastes so good. It really does taste like marshmallow fluff. It’s so wonderful on top of this sweet potato pie!
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:
- Prepare pie crust according to recipe instructions.
- Transfer pie crust to pie dish and freeze for at least 30 minutes.
- Line with parchment paper or greased foil and fill completely with pie weights or dried beans/rice.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until edges appear set.
- Lift parchment/foil and beans out of crust and bake for 5 minutes more until bottom is set.
- Let cool or use immediately.
Sweet Potato Pie with Toasted Marshmallow Meringue
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (170 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter , cold and cut into cubes (113 grams)
- ¼-⅓ cup water
For the filling:
- 2 medium sweet potatoes , see Notes (1 lb, 455 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup packed light or dark brown sugar (66 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup whole milk (175 ml)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the meringue:
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 grams)
- ½ cup water (125 ml)
- 4 large egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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. (This step can be made ahead)
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 parchment 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 and bake until filling is set, about 40 minutes.
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 degrees (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
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.
Wow you have been posting some good-looking pies recently! Can’t wait to try this!
This looks so good, my husband loves sweet potato anything, this will for sure will be a winner!
This looks amazing!
This looks fabulous! I must say that after having Sweet Potato Pie, I may never go back to Pumpkin Pie 🙂 Your marshmallow meringue looks perfect!
Oh yay, I loooove sweet potato pie. And to top it with toasted marshmallow? Genius! Pinning and making….
This pie is a beauty! Great idea!
this pie looks amazing! love sweet potatoes and that marshmallow meringue?? yum!
I love sweet potato pie…nothing better, but I think it’s also hard to find a good one! That’s why it’s always better to make your own ; D yours looks amazing. great crust tips too!
Wow! What a tremendous combination! I’m getting so excited for Thanksgiving…
Love this recipe and love your blog. The marshmallow meringue just puts this over the top! Great recipe. Happy Thanksgiving week.
~Heather
Yummmmy! This will pie my Thanksgiving pie on my table this year. Thank you for lovely illustrations and a delicious recipe.
Blessings from our harth to yours!
Prayers & blessings to Paris!