Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
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This Vegan Sweet Potato Pie is made with cooked sweet potatoes, maple syrup, cinnamon, and a buttery crust. It comes together in an hour from start to finish, and is a delicious way to enjoy sweet potatoes in dessert form!
Vegan sweet potato pie is going down, as if we need another reason to love sweet potatoes. Honestly, this sweet potato pie is quite similar to my pumpkin pie recipe, but uses sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin. It still has a bit of “spice” thanks to the cinnamon and nutmeg, but you can definitely taste the sweet potato for all you sweet potato lovers out there. Plus, it slices super easily once it’s been chilled!
Personally, I tend to prefer sweet potatoes in savory form (like this sweet potato chili and this sweet potato curry farro, but this pie is in a category of its own. It’s sweet, yes, but not too sweet.
I think the problem with a lot of sweeter sweet potato recipes is that they’re too sugary, something I’m not a fan of. I think this sweet potato pie is just right, but you’ll have to try it for yourself to see!
Recipe features
- It’s sweet but not too sweet
- It’s a great way to use sweet potatoes
- You can make it in your blender, so clean up is a breeze!
Ingredients
- Flour – Preferably all purpose flour. I haven’t tested the crust with any other flours. If you want to make this gluten free, you can use my gluten free pie crust recipe.
- Sugar – I like using cane sugar, but brown sugar will work as well. If you want this to be less sweet tasting, opt for coconut sugar.
- Sweet potatoes – Orange sweet potatoes work best; though you can technically use purple or Japanese, I highly recommend using orange to keep this pie as close to traditional as possible.
- Milk – Any kind of dairy free milk will work, though I tend to use either almond milk or oat milk.
- Maple syrup – Or use agave if you prefer. I don’t recommend using honey, not only because it’s not vegan, but because it’ll alter the flavor too much. Maple syrup is the way to go!
- Spices – A combination of cinnamon and nutmeg works well in this recipe. Make sure to do a taste test and see if you think it needs more cinnamon/nutmeg before pouring the filling into the crust.
- Vanilla extract – A must-have for pretty much any pie recipe.
- Cornstarch – Optional! If you plan on serving this pie right away, you’ll want to add cornstarch (or arrowroot) to the blender. But, if you’re making this the day before (I always do), you can omit it.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Cook the sweet potatoes: Before you can make the filling, you need to cook the sweet potatoes. I like cooking them in the microwave, but the oven works too. Then, mash them and measure them (you’ll need about 2 cups mashed).
Step 2: Make the crust: This is typically the first step for most pie recipes, and this one is no exception. You’ll start by making the pie crust (preferably in your food processor), which consists of flour, sugar, dairy free butter, and ice water. The result should be a smooth dough that’s easy to roll out.
Step 3: Make the filling: Use your blender to blend everything–the cooked sweet potatoes, milk, sugar, syrup, vanilla, and spices–together. The texture should be smooth, so you may need to blend for 1 full minute and/or scrape down the sides.
Step 4: Bake. Pour the filling into the crust, using the back of a spoon to smooth it out. Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 400°, then reduce the temperature to 350° and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes. Let the pie cool for 30-60 minutes at room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator, which will allow the pie filling to solidify.
Tips for making vegan sweet potato pie
Use a food processor for the crust. Guys, this is a game-changer! If you don’t already make your pie crusts this way, you need to start. Essentially, you had the flour and sugar to your food processor and while it’s pulsing, you add the butter in through the top, and then do the same thing with the water. Magically, the crust will come together in 1-2 minutes, and it’s less messy too.
Cook the sweet potatoes in the microwave. This might be a little controversial, but if you own a microwave, I say go that route because it’s faster! The sweet potatoes should cook in about 6-7 minutes in the microwave, vs. 40 minutes in the oven. In fact, I wrote an entire post on how to microwave sweet potatoes.
Use a tart pan instead of a pie pan. Ok this isn’t a must, but I like using tart pans when making pies because it makes “crimping” the crust a lot easier because you can push the dough into the side of the pan instead of having to do it yourself. But, a pie pan will work just fine!
Always make sure to grease your pie pan with coconut oil or nonstick spray before adding the pie dough. The worst thing that can happen is having the crust stick to the pan and the pie falling apart.
Serve vegan sweet potato pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, vegan-friendly cool whip or coconut cream on top!
Can I use coconut milk instead?
Yep! If you want to keep this recipe free of any allergens, opt for coconut milk from a carton, NOT from a can. Canned coconut milk tends to be thicker, and I think it’ll impact that overall consistency (which we don’t want).
Do I need to add cornstarch?
Maybe. When you take the pie out of the oven, the center may still be a bit jiggly. That’s ok and is totally normal. Cornstarch helps to hold the pie filling ingredients together, and allows it to solidify more quickly.
My opinion: if you’re making the pie the same day that you’re going to be eating/serving it, then yes, you should add cornstarch because the pie will firm up more quickly. However, if you’re making this pie the day before and the pie is going to chill in the refrigerator overnight, you don’t need cornstarch because the pie will firm up on its own.
Storage
Refrigerator: Store pie in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I typically leave mine in the pie pan, but cover it tightly with foil.
Freezer: Once the pie has cooled completely, wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap, making sure they’re wrapped tight (you’ll need to use at 2-3 pieces of plastic wrap per slice). Store pie in the freezer for up to 1 month.
More delicious pie recipes
If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Video
Ingredients
for the crust:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 1/2 cup dairy free butter, cold
- 8 tbsp ice water, or more
for the filling:
- 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes, about 2 large sweet potatoes
- 3/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup cane sugar
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°.
- Start by cooking the sweet potatoes. I like to microwave them because it's faster. If you go this route, use a fork to poke several holes into each potato, then place them on a microwave-safe dish and microwave for 6-7 minutes. Use a knife to cut down the center and wait for them to cool down before mashing.
- While the sweet potatoes are cooling, make the crust: add flour and sugar to your food processor and pulse. While it's still pulsing, add butter in through the top, then add the water one tablespoon at a time and pulse until everything's combined. A big ball of dough should form.
- Flour a flat surface, then roll the dough out into a circle, approximately 1/4" thick, and carefully transfer it into your pie pan. Trim the edges then crimp them to your liking; set aside. You'll most likely have some extra dough both from rolling it out and trimming and that's ok!
- Scrape out the sweet potato and discard the skin, placing the sweet potato directly into a bowl and using a fork or potato masher to mash it. Then, measure it out to make sure you have 2 cups of it. Add mashed sweet potato, milk, sugar, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to your blender, then pulse for 1 full minute until smooth.
- Pour filling into pie pan, using the back of a spoon to smooth it out.
- Bake pie for 15 minutes at 400°, then reduce heat to 350° and bake for an additional 35-45 minutes. The center will still be jiggly once it's "done" and that's ok — it'll firm up completely once it cools.
- Remove pie from the oven and transfer it to a cooling rack. Let the pie cool for 30-60 minutes at room temperature, then transfer it to refrigerator so it can cool completely. Enjoy cool (like pumpkin pie), or warm it back up before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in September 2019. It was updated with new text and photos in October 2022.
10/10! My whole family approves! This recipe used ~2.5 lb. sweet potatoes. I used a graham cracker crust instead of the one listed here. My sweet potatoes were already pretty sweet, and I used sweetened almond milk, so I didn’t add any extra sugar or maple syrup. Very tasty!
I’m so happy everyone liked the pie!
DELICIOUS recipe! Very easy to follow, very straightforward, and taste perfect in every way! Thank you so much for this recipe, I am very proud of making my first sweet potato pie! My grandmother would die lol.
Thank you for your kind comment — I’m glad you found it easy to make!
Excellent taste but is very wet- on bottom and filling, which is more like pudding than pie. Tastes like butterscotch pudding! I can’t figure why so wet?
Possibly not enough sweet potato. I originally used 2 small sweet potatoes for 1 cup of mashed sweet potato (I halved the recipe), but decided to add another 1/2 sweet potato to fix the consistency. Turned out great! I suggest using 5 small sweet potatoes for this recipe instead of 4, and get the ones that come in a bag. They are the perfect size!
Easy to make for this first time sweet potato pie maker. Was really goo!!
Sweet cream butter isn’t vegan…. can I sub vegan butter or will that affect the recipe?
Yes! I tested this recipe several times and I ran out of Earth Balance (hence why it’s not in the ingredient photo) — but yes vegan butter is what I recommend using.
I made the original recipe but it was too sweet and cinnamony for me, so I modified the second one. I bought a vegan pie crust. 2 cups of baked sweet potatoes, 1/3 cup of brown sugar, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, 1 tsp Vanilla, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk. Otherwise bake as instructed.
I often debate whether sweet potato pie is better than pumpkin pie, but Erin has great recipes for both!
I tried this today and it was absolutely stunning! Perfectly sweet!
Oh! But I used normal milk since I’m not vegan, but prefer eating eggless!
I made the vegan sweet potato pie. So delicious and no eggs or any fat in the filling! Next time I
will make a healthier pie crust. Maybe a nut one. I just bought one this time. I will use this recipe again instead of pumpkin. My sweet potatoes
were very sweet. I cooked them in my IP.
My first time making a sweet potato pie and what a success! The filling is sweet and savory in all the best ways. I can’t wait to take this recipe home for the holidays. Thanks E!!!!
Thank YOU for the positive rating Michelle 🙂
I never heard of this recipe. I’m definitely gonna make this. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Do you use a dry ingredients cup or wet ingredients cup for the sweet potatoes?
Hi! Once you cook the sweet potatoes and mash them, then measure out 2 cups. Hopefully that makes sense!
I understand but you realise there is a difference in wet and dry measurements? That’s what I am wondering which one you used?
In her recipe pictures she’s very clearly using a dry measure cup. Hope you enjoy the recipe.
Wet and dry are not actually different measurements, the cups just work differently. Dry measures are meant to be filled all the way to the top and scraped flat. Wet measures are meant to be filled to a certain line that you can see, not the top, so they can be moved without spilling. I interchange them all the time