This delicious brown butter sweet potato pie is made with toasty brown butter, warm spices, and has hint of delicious orange. If you’re looking for an easy to make sweet potato pie that has the perfect smooth and creamy filling – this is it!

The Best Brown Butter Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Sweet potato pie! We tested a few different pies to share with you this holiday season and this brown butter sweet potato pie was a huge hit with both my husband and Natalie, All the Healthy Things social media manager.

Watch How to Make This Recipe

While I think the chocolate pecan pie might be my favorite of the season, this sweet potato pie is a close runner up! It’s made with nutty, toasty brown butter which gives it notes of caramel, plenty of warming spices, and fresh orange zest.

Not only is this pie delicious, it’s also so easy to make and even easier to customize based on your dietary needs. I know you will love it!

More Delicious Recipes Using Sweet Potato

Ingredients You’ll Need For Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potatoes: you’ll need around two large sweet potatoes for this pie. I love using garnet sweet potatoes because of their bright orange colored flesh.

Butter: this is a brown butter sweet potato pie so that toasty butter flavor really shines through. I recommend using an unsalted and high quality butter for the best flavor.

Maple Syrup: this adds the perfect amount of sweetness and a delicious maple flavor.

Vanilla Extract: for just the right touch of vanilla flavor.

Almond Milk: this recipe uses plain almond milk which has a nice neutral flavor.

Eggs: these help bind the custard like filling together.

Orange Zest: sweet potato and orange are a delicious combination. The brightness of the fresh orange zest really helps to bring the pie to life and gives it such great flavor.

Spices: we’re using a combination of nutmeg, clove, ginger, and ground cinnamon.

Pie Crust: you can either make your own homemade pie crust or keep things extra simple and use your favorite store-bought version.

Ingredient Swaps and FAQs

Butter – I have not tested it but you could likely use your favorite vegan butter for this recipe if needed.
Maple Syrup – maple syrup really does give this recipe the best flavor but you could likely substitute it for honey if needed.
Almond Milk – if you have a nut allergy you can swap the almond milk for coconut milk, oat milk, whole milk, or half and half.
Pie Crust – need to keep this pie gluten free? simply use a gluten free pie crust!

The Best Way to Prepare Sweet Potatoes for Pie

Roast: This is my preferred way of cooking the sweet potatoes for this recipe because it is incredibly easy, develops flavor, and is also a very hands off way of prepping the sweet potatoes. All you have to do is prick the sweet potatoes on the outside with a fork or knife and then roast them on a lined sheet pan for forty-five minutes to an hour until tender.

Want a full tutorial on roasting sweet potatoes? Check out our guide on HOW TO BAKE SWEET POTATOES!

Boil: If you do not want to roast the sweet potatoes, boiling them is another great option. All you need is a large stock pot filled with water to do this. You can boil the sweet potatoes whole, with the skin on, or peel them and dice them into large chunks. Boil the sweet potatoes until tender.

Microwave: If you are really pressed for time, you can also microwave your sweet potatoes. To do this, just prick the sweet potatoes on the outside with a knife or fork, four or five times. Place a single potato on a microwave safe plate and microwave for five minutes. The potato should be fork tender all the way to the center once it is done. If the potato is still hard, you can continue to microwave if for one minutes at a time until fully tender.

How to Brown Butter

If you have never made brown butter before, this recipe is a great place to start. Browning the butter a bit before using creates a deep, rich, caramel like flavor.

First, add the diced butter to a small skillet or pot.

Next, heat the skillet over medium heat. The butter will start to melt as the skillet heats up.

Then, allow the butter to bubble and “cook” until it begins to change from a bright yellow color to a golden brown color. At this point, you should see some brown bits beginning to form in the bottom of the skillet.

Lastly, remove the butter from the heat and transfer to a heat safe dish or pour it directly into the mashed sweet potatoes.

Want a full tutorial on browning butter? Check out our guide on HOW TO MAKE BROWN BUTTER

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie

Step One: First, cook your sweet potatoes! As I mentioned, my favorite way to do this is roasting them until tender.

Step Two: While the potatoes are roasting, it’s the perfect time to make the brown butter. Once it’s brown and toasty you can set the butter aside.

Step Three: Once the sweet potatoes are cool, peel the sweet potatoes and mash with a hand mixer or stand mixer until they are completely smooth. You don’t want any strings or lumps in the sweet potatoes.

Step Four: Next, add the sweet potatoes, browned butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond milk, eggs, orange zest, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and sea salt to a large mixing bow. Use an electric mixer to mix the filling until well combined and smooth.

Step Five: Place the pie crust on a sheet pan. Pour the pie filling into the crust. Bake the pie at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes until set. A slight jiggle is ok.

Step Six: Remove the pie from the oven and let cool on a wire rack until room temperature.

Step Seven: Serve a slice of pie at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream and a little sprinkle of cinnamon on top.

How Long Does It Take to Bake Sweet Potato Pie?

This sweet potato pie takes around an hour to bake. You’ll know the pie is done when the edges are set and the middle gives just a slight jiggle, similar to jello, when tapped on the side.

Can I Prep This Pie In Advance?

Yes! You can simply bake the pie one or two days in advance and store in the fridge. Or, you can prepare just the sweet potato pie filling in advance and store in an air-tight container in the fridge until you are ready to bake the pie. I recommend removing the pie filling from the fridge and allowing it to come to room temperature before transferring it to the pie crust and baking.

How to Store and Freeze Sweet Potato Pie

Store: The sweet potato pie will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Let the pie come to a complete cool and then wrap it up tightly before placing in the fridge. You can also slice the pie and then store the slices in an airtight storage container.

Freeze: You can freeze this sweet potato pie whole, or sliced, and store in the freezer for up to one month. If you are planning to freeze the pie, I recommend making the pie in a disposable aluminum pie pan and wrap tightly once it is completely cooled. When it is time to thaw, I recommend thawing the pie in the fridge until it is ready to serve to avoid making the crust soggy.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Pie

Don’t let the brown butter solidify before adding it to the filling. It should still be melted and liquid when you begin making the filling for the pie.
If the outer edges of the pie crust start to become too brown you can use a pie shield are a piece of foil to prevent them from burning.
There’s no need to par-bake the crust in this recipe which makes it even easier!
It’s important for the sweet potato filling to be smooth and creamy before baking. If the filling is still lumpyafter using a hand mixer, use a high powered blender to get the filling super smooth.
I recommend setting the pie on a sheet pan before baking to make it easier to transfer in and out of the oven.
To ensure that the pie sets up firmly before serving, chill it for at least four hours in the fridge or up to overnight.

Topping Ideas

My favorite way to top this pie is with fresh whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon. You could also serve it plain and it will be just as delicious!