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Smooth sweet potato custard bakes in a nine-inch crust before receiving a buttery pecan topping. Measure the cooked mash rather than relying on the size of two potatoes. Keep the filling and praline butter, sugar and cream portions separate while preparing.
Use two measured cups of smooth cooked mash. The two-medium-potato count is only an estimate because sizes differ. Cook until fully tender, remove skins and measure after mashing; save extra potato for another meal.
Ingredient amounts and preparation
- Set out: 2 cups cooked mashed sweet potato, measured; cook enough whole sweet potatoes to yield this amount
- Set out: 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- Set out: 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- Set out: 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Set out: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Set out: 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Set out: 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Set out: 1/3 cup heavy cream or whole milk; 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
- Set out: 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- Set out: 1/3 cup packed brown sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Set out: 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- Set out: 1 to 1 1/4 cups pecans, coarsely chopped or halved and lightly toasted; Pinch of salt
Cooking sequence and doneness
- Stage 1
- Cook sweet potatoes until fully tender, peel and mash smoothly, then measure two cups.
- Stage 2
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Stage 3
- Prepare the nine-inch crust according to its instructions for a custard filling. Mix the measured mash with filling butter, brown and white sugars, beaten eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cream or milk.
- Stage 4
- Pour into the crust with room below the rim.
- Stage 5
- Bake about thirty-five to forty-five minutes as a first estimate, continuing until the center is set and reaches 160°F. For the topping, melt the separate butter with its brown sugar over moderate-low heat until bubbling.
- Stage 6
- Carefully stir in topping cream, vanilla, pecans and salt and cook briefly until combined.
- Stage 7
- Spoon over the baked pie. Cool briefly, refrigerate within two hours and chill at least two hours before cutting.
The half cup of melted butter, half cup brown sugar and quarter cup white sugar go into the custard. The separate third cup each of butter and brown sugar belong to the pecan topping. Use separate bowls to avoid combining them early.
Should the crust be blind-baked?
Use your crust recipe or package guidance for a custard pie rather than assuming an eight-minute bake suits every dough. Choose a nine-inch pie dish with enough depth for the filling and room below the rim. Bake excess custard separately if the crust is shallow. Begin checking around thirty-five minutes and continue until the center is set with no liquid ripple and reaches 160°F. A knife may show moisture from sweet potato without carrying raw custard. Shield the crust edge if it darkens before the middle finishes.
When does the topping go on?
Cook the butter and brown sugar until combined and bubbling, then add cream, vanilla, pecans and salt carefully. Spoon over the baked pie while the topping is spreadable. Cool briefly and refrigerate within two hours; allow at least two hours chilling before slicing.
Storage and serving later
Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below; do not wait for a large hot batch to cool completely on the counter. University of Illinois Extension’s leftover guidance gives a three-to-four-day refrigerated window and 165°F for reheating foods served hot. Keep cold salads and toppings chilled, and follow shorter product-label limits where applicable. Do not leave the prepared dish out longer than two hours, or one hour above 90°F; return the remaining batch to cold storage.
For another complete recipe, see Muffin-Pan Pecan Pies with Brown Sugar Crusts or Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with a Graham Cracker Crust. Each has its own ingredient quantities and cooking sequence; keep those measurements separate when choosing a meal. Recipe guidance is based on the listed ingredient amounts and the method checks above. Timing is an estimate rather than a kitchen-test result; ingredient brands and cookware can change the outcome.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- How much cooked sweet potato is needed?
Use two measured cups of smooth cooked mash. The two-medium-potato count is only an estimate because sizes differ.
- Which butter and sugar belong to the filling?
The half cup of melted butter, half cup brown sugar and quarter cup white sugar go into the custard. The separate third cup each of butter and brown sugar belong to the pecan topping.
- Should the crust be blind-baked?
Use your crust recipe or package guidance for a custard pie rather than assuming an eight-minute bake suits every dough. Choose a nine-inch pie dish with enough depth for the filling and room below the rim.
- How is the filling checked?
Begin checking around thirty-five minutes and continue until the center is set with no liquid ripple and reaches 160°F. A knife may show moisture from sweet potato without carrying raw custard.
- When does the topping go on?
Cook the butter and brown sugar until combined and bubbling, then add cream, vanilla, pecans and salt carefully. Spoon over the baked pie while the topping is spreadable.