Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie
Sweet potato pie is a holiday favorite in my family, and my Tennessean grandmother added bourbon to hers.
This version carries that tradition forward while making the preparation easier: canned sweet potatoes are blended with light brown sugar, evaporated milk, butter and nutmeg, then poured into a frozen deep-dish shell.
The bourbon adds warmth without taking over. Give the baked pie time to cool completely so the filling can settle into clean slices.
Watch my video to follow along step-by-step.
Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie
Yield: 8 slices
Pan: Frozen 9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish pie shell
Oven: 400°F (205°C), then 350°F (175°C)
Baking time: Allow approximately 60–75 minutes total; bake until set
Ingredients
1 frozen 9-inch (23 cm) deep-dish pie shell
1 (40 oz / 1.13 kg) can Bruce’s Yams Cut Sweet Potatoes in Syrup, well drained
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 (5 fl oz / 150 ml) can evaporated milk
¾ cup packed (150 g) light brown sugar
⅓ cup (75 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
1 tablespoon (15 ml) bourbon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Method
Mix the filling
Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
Stir the cornstarch into the brown sugar, breaking up any lumps.
Put the drained sweet potatoes, sugar mixture, eggs and yolk, evaporated milk, melted butter, bourbon, nutmeg and sea salt in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer until smooth.
Fill and bake
Pour the filling into the frozen pie shell and place the pie on a baking sheet. Do not thaw or blind-bake the shell.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (205°C). Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking until the edges are set and the center has only a slight, cohesive wobble. Allow approximately 45–60 minutes for this second stage, but judge the pie by how it has set. Cover the pastry edge with foil if it browns too quickly.
Cool
Let the pie cool completely before slicing.
Larder Notes
The 40-ounce can weight includes the syrup. Drain the sweet potatoes well before adding them to the bowl.
The filling firms as it cools. A small movement at the center when the pie leaves the oven is fine; a loose, liquid movement is not.
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