Sweet Potato Pie is one of my favorite Thanksgiving desserts, but being from Kentucky, you know I can't resist adding a kick of bourbon. This Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie takes this classic up a notch by adding bourbon to the super simple one-bowl pie filling. It's such an easy pie to make from scratch, and puts the best twist on a traditional classic.
If you love sweet potato desserts, you'll also love this Sweet Potato Pie with Graham Cracker Crust and this Sweet Potato Cake with Marshmallow Frosting, or try these Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies for a cozy fall cookie recipe!
This pie is so cozy and comforting! The bourbon works so perfectly with the flavor of the sweet potato pie filling, and adds the slightest kick of booze to warm the soul!
- Liz, Flour de Liz
🍭 Short & Sweet Recipe Overview
- ⏲️ Time: Takes 15 minutes to cook the sweet potatoes, 15 minutes to prep the filling, including peeling and cutting the sweet potatoes, and 40 minutes to bake
- 🛒 Ingredients: Needs just 8 ingredients
- 🍽️ Servings: Makes a 10" pie, which generally gives 6-8 slices
- 🥣 Difficulty: Super Simple, One-Bowl
- 👩🍳 Prep: Can be made a day or two in advance if needed
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Delicious, comforting flavor, irresistible texture
- Quick & easy one-bowl sweet potato pie filling, that comes together in just a few minutes (plus 15 minutes for the sweet potatoes to boil)
- Perfect for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, and any fall potlucks, dinner parties, and birthdays
- An elevated classic, using bourbon to add depth of flavor to this simple southern pie
Looking for more bourbon desserts for Thanksgiving? This Bourbon Cranberry Sauce isn't exactly a dessert, but it's a sweet and delicious side, and it's always a huge hit. Bourbon Pumpkin Pie is another super easy classic with a fun twist, and this Maple Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie will have everyone coming back for seconds. These Maple Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream Frosting are the perfect alcohol-free dessert to pair with all the delicious bourbon treats!
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Ingredients and Notes
Butter - If the sweet potatoes are not hot (particularly if you're using canned or leftover sweet potatoes) use melted butter instead of cubed since it won't melt if the sweet potatoes aren't hot.
Bourbon - Use a bourbon you enjoy drinking since you only need a little bit and will have plenty leftover to drink. Alternatively, use an airplane bottle or nip as it should be the exact amount needed for this southern sweet potato pie filling. I always recommend using a Kentucky Bourbon, but I might be biased! If you're buying bourbon just for this pie, I would avoid the cheapest bourbons as they will taste a bit harsher in the pie. A smooth bourbon will give a smooth flavor.
Sweet Potatoes - Most traditional sweet potato pie recipes use baked sweet potatoes as opposed to boiled. This is a great option and can provide a bit more flavor, but it takes about an hour, as opposed to the boiling, which takes about 15 minutes. It also requires peeling fairly hot sweet potatoes, and I find that peeling them before cooking them is easier. So this recipe boils the sweet potatoes for the sake of keeping this pie as easy as possible, but if you prefer to bake them, that should work great too!
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients.
Substitutions & Variations
Pie Crust - I prefer to buy ready-made pie crust from the grocery store, but you can also use a homemade pie crust if you prefer. If you're using homemade, be sure to follow the recipe's instructions as par baking may be required. For store-bought, follow the crust preparation instructions on the box for any defrosting and blind-baking guidance.
Bourbon - I enjoy using a cherry bourbon (such as Jim Beam's Red Stag or Evan Williams Cherry) in this southern sweet potato pie. A cinnamon or spiced bourbon would also be delicious! You can also skip the bourbon and instead use additional heavy cream, or for extra sweetness, use maple syrup in place of the bourbon.
If you love trying fun flavors in classic desserts, you'll also want to try this Fireball Pumpkin Pie!
Heavy Cream - If needed, milk or half and half can be used instead, but will remove some of the richness that heavy cream creates due to its fat content. Evaporated milk will also work and is often used in traditional sweet potato pie fillings.
Spices - Give this sweet southern pie some extra warmth by adding spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, or even a touch of pumpkin pie spice! I would suggest adding about 1-2 teaspoons in total of whatever combination of spices you choose.
How to Make Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Step 1: If using fresh sweet potatoes, peel them and cut into 1" cubes. Drop into a pot of boiling water and cook for about 15 minutes. Strain, place in a mixing bowl, and beat until smooth.
- Step 2: Add the cubed butter, let it melt in the hot sweet potatoes, then beat in until fully melted.
- Step 3: Add the remaining pie filling ingredients and beat until well combined.
- Step 4: Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake for 40 minutes, till the center is slightly jiggly, then cool completely, slice, and enjoy!
Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie Tips & Tricks
Tip #1: I find it easiest to puree the sweet potatoes using a hand mixer (a stand mixer will work too!) so I usually use that same mixer to blend the sweet potato pie filling ingredients as well, but this sweet potato pie can be made without a mixer at all! The hot sweet potatoes should mash easily with a fork or a potato masher, and everything else can be mixed together with a spoon or spatula.
Tip #2: For a silky smooth sweet potato pie filling, put the sweet potatoes through a potato ricer before mashing them.
Tip #3: This homemade southern pie is subtly sweet on its own, and is extra delicious when topped with marshmallows, meringue, or whipped cream. If you're using a marshmallow or meringue topping, I recommend toasting the topping with a kitchen torch or in a broiler. A maple whipped cream would be extra delicious and can be made by adding 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup to heavy whipping cream and beat until stiff peaks form.
Tip #4: Let the pie cool completely to room temperature. If you choose to store the pie in the refrigerator, ensure the pie is fully cooled before refrigerating. If the pie cools too quickly, it will crack.
Tip #5: If the pie does crack, cover the cracks by adding a delicious topping (see Tip #3).
Recipe FAQs
At least for a little bit. Frozen, store-bought pie crusts should sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before you add the sweet potato pie filling and bake. If you're using refrigerated, roll-out pie dough, that also needs to sit out at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before unrolling.
You want to remove the pie from the oven before the Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie filling is full set. The center of the pie should still have a slight jiggle, and it will continue to set as it cools. Be sure to put your pie pan directly on the oven rack and not on a baking sheet, or it will likely over-bake.
I would not serve this Southern Sweet Potato Pie to kids. Though it only has a very small amount of bourbon in it and a bit of the alcohol will bake out, it still has a subtle bourbon flavor. For sweet potato pie without bourbon, replace the bourbon with additional heavy cream, or alternatively, you can replace the bourbon with maple syrup for a tasty sweetness.
If you're looking for a kid-friendly Thanksgiving dessert, try these easy Biscoff Blondies!
This southern sweet potato pie can be stored covered at room temperature for 1-2 days or covered in the fridge for about 5 days. I would avoid putting any topping on the portion that you'll be storing if possible, and add topping just prior to serving.
For more make-ahead dessert ideas, try my White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies or these super popular fall-flavored French Toast Cookies! Both can be made in advance and are easy to store.
More Thanksgiving Dessert Recipes to try!
👩🍳 If you tried this Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie
Equipment
- hand mixer
- Mixing bowl
- 10" pie dish
Ingredients
- 1 pie crust
- 1-2 sweet potatoes about 2 cups pureed
- ½ stick butter cubed, 4 tablespoons
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal
Instructions
- If using a frozen or ready-made pie crust, remove it from the refrigerator or freezer. Follow any par baking requirements of the crust's packaging (if store-bought) or recipe (if homemade).1 pie crust
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- If using fresh sweet potatoes, peel, cut into 1" cubes, and put in a pot of boiling water to cook for 15 minutes, then strain.1-2 sweet potatoes
- Beat the boiled sweet potatoes until smooth.
- Add the butter, let melt slightly, then beat in until fully melted.½ stick butter
- Add the remaining ingredients and beat until fully blended and smooth.1 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, ¼ cup bourbon, ¼ cup heavy cream, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pour into prepared pie crust and bake for 40 minutes.
- When the center of the pie is still slightly jiggly, remove from oven and cool completely.
- Top if desired (see notes), then slice and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated so should only be used as an estimate. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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