If you're looking for a vegan dessert with the absolute wow factor, then this Vegan Sweet Potato Pie is for you! This vegan recipe is inspired by the Southern classic and created with a homemade vegan pie crust, a creamy filling and a fluffy vegan marshmallow frosting.
This pie is perfect for sharing with friends or family and it's the grand finale for the holiday season. It's also made completely without coconut and can easily be prepared ahead of time.
This Vegan Sweet Potato Pie Recipe is:
- 100% vegan
- easy to make
- nut-free
- dairy-free
- egg-free
- made with a homemade vegan pie crust
- oven baked
- simply delicious
- perfect as a dessert for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
- loaded with American sweet potatoes
What is Sweet Potato Pie?
Sweet potato pie is often also referred to as sweet potato casserole. It's a traditional dessert, often served during the American holiday season, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas.
This type of pie originates in the Southern United States among the African American community and is often served in place of pumpkin pie, which is more traditional to be served on Thanksgiving and Christmas in order areas of the United States.
The pie is traditionally made in an open pie shell - without a crust on top of the pie. The pie filling traditionally consists of mashed sweet potatoes, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and warming spices such as nutmeg. There are different variations of the recipe, including versions with vanilla or lemon.
History of Sweet Potato Pie
Whilst creamy vegetable pie recipes date back to Medieval Europe, sweet potato pie first appeared in the early colonial days in the Southern part of the United States.
Sweet potatoes are native to the Americas and they are often used in Southern states and African-American cuisines and trace back to Native American cuisine. It is thought that sweet potatoes were first used by African-Americans as a replacement for yam which is often used in cooking in Africa.
The first mention of sweet potato pie in printed cookbooks appeared around the 18th century, though it is believed to have been around way before that. Back then, it was included alongside savory vegetable recipes and it was only in the 19th century that it was categorized as a dessert instead.
Why this recipe works
This vegan version of sweet potato pie is super creamy and more-ish and made completely without evaporated milk or eggs!
It's also easy to make and perfect if you're new to making pies or simply want to wow your friends and family with a next-level vegan dessert.
With just 3 simple elements - the pie crust, the pie filling and the frosting - you can easily prepare this dessert ahead of time and serve it up for your Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
With a shortbread-like crunchy pie crust, a smooth and creamy, spiced sweet potato filling (that's easily made in the blender!) and a sweet, soft vegan marshmallow frosting, this sweet potato pie takes your dessert game to the next level! The spices used in the pie filling are inspired by chai flavors, making it wonderfully warming and perfect for the fall season and for occasions such as Thanksgiving or Christmas.
If you don't know it yet: I'm a big fan of pies for dessert! In fact, I've been making one for festive gatherings every year, and it's about time I start sharing my pie recipes with you all on the blog!
Sweet potato pie is a firm favourite of mine - with a snappy pie crust, and the creamy, sweet, spiced filling, it just combines everything that speaks 'comfort food' to me.
This vegan pie recipe is also incredibly easy to make, making it the perfect dessert to bring to the Thanksgiving table after a day of cooking.
A few elements of this sweet potato pie can also be prepared in advance - such as the buttery crust and the filling - making it easy to plan ahead with a dessert recipe like this one.
Ingredients & Notes
You can divide this vegan pie recipe into three main parts: the pie crust, the pie filling and the marshmallow fluff topping. All three of these are easy to make and use simple ingredients, that you should be able to get at any grocery store.
For the traditional pie crust:
- all purpose flour - or 'plain flour' if you're in the UK
- vegan butter - make sure this is cold and comes straight from the fridge! I use a brand called Flora in the UK - and I like to keep it cubed in the freezer for 10 minutes before adding it to the recipe.
- salt
- light brown sugar
- cold water - make sure it's really cold! I like to thaw an ice cube and use the ice water.
For the pie filling:
- sweet potatoes - the hero ingredient in this vegan pie! Orange sweet potatoes are my favorite type of sweet potatoes to use for this recipe
- dairy-free cream - (I use Elmlea in the UK)
- light brown sugar
- cornstarch - to help thicken the pie
- spices - cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves
- vanilla extract
- turmeric powder - to give that gorgeous pie color a boost!
- salt - just a little to balance the pie flavors, I like to use sea salt
- cardamom powder - this is optional, but I love the chai-like flavor it adds to the pie!
For the vegan marshmallow topping:
- vegan marshmallows - I like to use Dandies
- canola oil - rapeseed oil, if you're in the UK
For the full quantities please check the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Equipment
For this recipe you will need:
- a large bowl for mixing the pie filling
- plastic wrap, aka cling film
- a pie pan or a tart pan
- parchment paper to line the pie pan
- a pie plate for serving (optional)
- aluminum foil
Instructions (step-by-step)
Tthere are 3 parts to making this potato pie recipe: the pie crust, the filling and the frosting (the latter is totally optional of course!).
If you're in a hurry, you can also use a ready-made pie crust for your sweet potato pie. Make sure to use one that's not pre-baked as our pie will go into the oven for 60 minutes - and we wouldn't want the pie crust to burn.
Please read all the steps below carefully before starting the recipe.
Step 1: Create the vegan pie crust
Let's start with the easy vegan pie crust!
Place flour, cold vegan butter, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix into a crumbly dough. Slowly add the cold water until the dough sticks together between your fingers. You can also use a hand mixer to combine the ingredients for the pie crust.
Roll the dough into a firm ball, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Making the pie crust ahead of time: If you're making this vegan pie crust ahead of time, you can keep the crust in the fridge for up to 3 days, or place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply thaw it in the fridge for at least 4 hours before using.
Step 2: Sweet potato filling
To create the pie filling with a creamy texture, first peel and cube the sweet potato. Steam the potato cubes for at least 15-20 minutes or until soft. I like to do this in a steamer basket on the stovetop, but feel free to use what works best for you. The key is that the sweet potato needs to be softened for the next step.
Transfer the soft sweet potato to a blender alongside the dairy-free cream, brown sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, salt and spices. Blend until smooth. In my blender, this works best on a low-speed setting as the mixture will be quite thick. As long as you ensure that there are no big lumps left in the pie filling, you're good!
Step 3: Roll out the pie crust
Remove the pie crust from the fridge and place onto the baking parchment. Place another sheet on top and gently flatten the ball with the palm of your hand. Use a rolling pin to roll out the pie crust into a disc shape. You should end up with a pie crust that's only about 2-4mm thick. Try to roll it out evenly so it bakes perfectly in the oven later on.
Lightly grease and coat an 8-inch (20 cm) pie dish with flour, then flip the pie crust into the dish. If you're using a different pie dish size, please see the notes below.
Trim any overhanging dough and patch up any edges if needed. Gently crimp the edges with your fingers, then use a fork to pierce the pie crust multiple times. Set it aside in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
Step 4: Preheat the oven and fill the pie
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
Carefully pour the creamy and thick sweet potato filling into the pie crust. Use a spatula to get it all out of your blender and gently smooth out the top of your sweet potato pie.
Step 5: Bake
Transfer your pie to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. For best results, rotate the pie roughly halfway through to allow for even browning.
During the baking time, the sweet potato pie filling will likely rise above the pie crust. It will deflate again during the cooling time and come back to the level it was at before baking.
After 45 minutes, cover with aluminium foil and bake for another 15 minutes covered.
Step 6: Cooling & Setting
Let the pie cool down for 30 minutes in the oven, then transfer to the fridge and let it set for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Once set, carefully remove the pie from your pie dish (or serve it in there depending on the dish you've used!). It's now ready to slice and serve or add the gorgeous vegan marshmallow fluff in the next step.
Step 7: Vegan Marshmallow Frosting
Place the vegan marshmallows into a non-stick saucepan. Coat them with canola oil, then gently heat over low/medium heat whilst stirring continuously.
After a few minutes, your marshmallows should begin to soften and melt. Continue to stir until all the marshmallows are broken down into a soft fluff - this should take a couple of minutes.
Once all soft and fluffy, remove from the heat and spoon the marshmallow mix onto the top of your sweet potato pie immediately. Feel free to create little stiff peaks of marshmallow fluff - I always find they make the pie look even more delicious!
Use a blowtorch to caramelize the marshmallow fluff edges.
Serving
Slice and enjoy the pie right away or keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Storage
You can keep this pie covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you omit the marshmallow fluff, you can even freeze individual slices and enjoy them for up to 3 months!
Substitutions
If you're missing a particular ingredient or want to adjust this recipe to your own liking, there are a few things you can easily swap out.
- Pie crust - you can replace the homemade crust with a store-bought crust, check the label to make sure the crust is vegan-friendly
- Sweet potatoes - you can also use purple sweet potatoes or white sweet potatoes, or simply use pre-made sweet potato puree
- Vegan butter - replace with coconut oil, opt for deodorised coconut oil if you want to avoid coconut flavor. Make sure it's cold and solid, and place the crust into the fridge for 30 minutes before adding your pie filling. From experience, coconut oil tends to melt quicker than butter, so you have to be quick when unrolling and shaping the pie crust.
- Spices - you can replace the spices with typical pumpkin pie spices. If you're just missing one of the listed spices, simply leave it out.
- Cream - I used Elmlea but any other vegan heavy cream or double cream will do. You can also use full-fat coconut milk.
- Sugar - swap for a granulated sugar alternative, the color of the pie will be lighter/darker in that case. You can also use coconut sugar, though it tends to not dissolve as well as brown sugar. If you're using coconut sugar make sure to blend the filling a little longer, giving the coconut sugar more time to mix with the rest of the ingredients.
- Liquid sweetener - In theory, a pie of this kind can also be sweetened with maple or agave syrup. However, as these are liquid forms of sweeteners, the ratios of the rest of the pie would need to be adjusted to accommodate the extra liquid. This is something I haven't tried myself with this recipe, but if you're up for an experiment: go for it!
Variations
Pie toppings
A few alternatives to the marshmallow frosting would be:
- brown sugar: sprinkle a little brown sugar onto the pie and caramelize it with a blow torch, yum!
- whipped cream: the classic! It works wonderfully with this pie, whether you're covering the entire pie to decorate, or just serve it on individual slices. Whipped coconut cream is also a good option. Pro tipp: mix the whipped cream with icing sugar to create stiff peaks that don't melt at room temperature!
- fresh fruit and berries: these can give the pie a fruity, sweet kick! Personally, I love stewed mixed forest fruits or hot cherries and a dollop of whipped cream alongside a slice of this pie. Delish!
How to adjust the pie size
I've used an 8-inch pie dish for this recipe, if you're using a different size, use a cake pan converter, such as this one from Bianca Zapatka.
How to prepare sweet potato pie ahead of time
You can make the pie and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days, then add the marshmallow fluff frosting before serving.
Alternatively, you can also use a ready-made pie crust, or prepare your homemade pie crust in advance, keeping it in the freezer until the day you make your pie (or a maximum of 3 months). In this case, let it thaw in the fridge for at least 4 hours before rolling it into your pie crust.
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
Traditional American Sweet Potato Pie often uses egg in the sweet potato filling and dairy butter in the pie crust, making it not suitable for vegans. However, this vegan version is as close to the real thing as I've found!
I've used an 8-inch pie dish for this recipe, but if you only have another size to hand - or simply want to make it in another size, there is a way!
Of course, you could calculate the conversions all by yourself, but as we're talking volume here, the calculations aren't straightforward.
I recommend you use a Cake Pan Converter such as this one from Bianca Zapatka.
The short answer: yes! You can make the pie and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days, then add the marshmallow fluff frosting before serving. Alternatively, you can also use a ready-made pie crust, or prepare your homemade pie crust in advance, keeping it in the freezer until the day you make your pie (or a maximum of 3 months). In this case, let it thaw in the fridge for at least 4 hours before rolling it into your pie crust.
If you've made and loved this recipe, please leave a short review below, if you like! It would make my day 😊
Related Recipes
If you're looking for a delicious dessert for Christmas or Thanksgiving, check out these vegan dessert recipes:
If you love Pinterest - like me - you can pin any of the images on this page to your boards 😊
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
For the pie crust:
- 1 cup all purpose flour (130 g)
- 1.8 oz cold vegan butter cubed
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar (14 g)
- 2-3 tbsp cold water (30-45 ml)
For the pie filling:
- 14 oz sweet potatoes
- 2/3 cups vegan heavy cream (150 ml) vegan double cream
- 3/4 cups light brown sugar (180 g)
- 4 tbsp cornstarch (35 g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch ground cardamom optional
For the marshmallow frosting:
- 5.3 oz vegan marshmallows
- 1 tbsp canola oil (15 ml)
Instructions
- Preparing the pie crust: Place the flour, cold vegan butter, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse until a crumbly dough forms. Slowly add the cold water until the dough is crumbly but sticks together between your fingers. Roll the dough into a firm ball, wrap in cling film and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Steam the sweet potatoes: In the meantime, peel and cube the sweet potato, then steam the potato cubes for at least 15-20 minutes or until soft.
- Blend the pie filling: Transfer the soft cubes to a blender alongside the cream, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt and cardamom (if using). Blend until smooth, stopping regularly to scrape down the sides of your blender.
- Roll out the pie crust: Between two sheets of non-stick baking parchment roll your dough into a circle of roughly 2-4 mm thickness. Lightly grease and coat an 8-inch pie dish with flour, then flip the pie crust into the dish. Trim the overhanging dough and crimp around the edges. Use a fork to pierce the pie crust and set it into the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Assemble and bake the pie: Pour the sweet potato filling into the pie crust and smooth out the top with a spatula. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes, rotating the pie dish halfway through. After 45 minutes, cover the pie in aluminium foil and bake for another 15 minutes, covered.
- Cool down: Allow for the pie to cool down for 30 minutes in the oven, then transfer to the fridge and let it set for at least 2 hours. Once the 2 hours elapse, carefully remove the pie from the pie dish and place it onto a serving dish.
- Prepare the marshmallow frosting: Place the marshmallows into a non-stick sauce and coat them in the rapeseed oil. Whilst continuously stirring, heat the marshmallows on low heat, until they soften. Continue to stir until the marshmallows are broken down into a soft fluff.
- Decorate: Remove from the heat and spoon onto the sweet potato pie instantly. Use a blowtorch to caramelize the marshmallow fluff edges.
- Serve: Slice and enjoy the pie right away or keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Pie size: I've used an 8-inch pie dish for this recipe, if you're using a different size, use a cake pan converter, such as this one from Bianca Zapatka.
- Storage: You can keep this pie covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days. If you omit the marshmallow fluff, you can even freeze individual slices and enjoy them for up to 3 months!
- Pie crust - you can replace the homemade crust with a store-bought crust, check the label to make sure the crust is vegan-friendly
- Sweet potatoes - you can also use purple sweet potatoes or white sweet potatoes, or simply use pre-made sweet potato puree
- Vegan butter - replace with coconut oil, opt for deodorised coconut oil if you want to avoid coconut flavor. Make sure it's cold and solid, and place the crust into the fridge for 30 minutes before adding your pie filling. From experience, coconut oil tends to melt quicker than butter, so you have to be quick when unrolling and shaping the pie crust.
- Spices - you can replace the spices with typical pumpkin pie spices. If you're just missing one of the listed spices, simply leave it out.
- Cream - I used Elmlea but any other vegan heavy cream or double cream will do. You can also use full-fat coconut milk.
- Sugar - swap for a granulated sugar alternative, the color of the pie will be lighter/darker in that case. You can also use coconut sugar, though it tends to not dissolve as well as brown sugar. If you're using coconut sugar make sure to blend the filling a little longer, giving the coconut sugar more time to mix with the rest of the ingredients.
- Liquid sweetener - In theory, a pie of this kind can also be sweetened with maple or agave syrup. However, as these are liquid forms of sweeteners, the ratios of the rest of the pie would need to be adjusted to accommodate the extra liquid. This is something I haven't tried myself with this recipe, but if you're up for an experiment: go for it!
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Lauren
The perfect dessert! Never tried a potato pie before but will be making this again. So good with the combo of the sweet potato and the spices. Big yes from me!