Equipment
Ingredients
Spiced Graham Cracker Crust
- 150 g graham cracker crumbs, finely ground
- 85 g unsalted butter, melted
- 25 g brown sugar, packed
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground ginger
- 1 g salt
Sweet Potato Coconut Filling
- 450 g sweet potato puree, smooth, unseasoned
- 200 ml coconut cream, full fat, well stirred
- 100 g brown sugar, packed
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground nutmeg
- 2 g ground ginger
- 2 g salt
- 30 g shredded coconut, toasted
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 378 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 50 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 31 g
- Sodium
- 324 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 12 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 93 mg
- Potassium
- 289 mg
- Calcium
- 135 mg
- Iron
- 2.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 40 mg
- Phosphorus
- 119 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 546 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.17 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 32 mcg
- Water
- 82 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175 C or 350 F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the finely ground graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Mix thoroughly until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch pie dish. Press firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the dish.
Bake the crust in the preheated oven at 175 C or 350 F for 10 minutes to set it. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until completely smooth.
Add the room temperature eggs to the sweet potato mixture one at a time, whisking well after each addition to ensure the mixture is fully emulsified.
Stir in the coconut cream, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and salt. Whisk until the liquid is homogenous and uniformly spiced.
Pour the sweet potato coconut filling into the par-baked graham cracker crust, smoothing the top gently with a spatula.
Bake the pie at 175 C or 350 F for 45 to 55 minutes. The pie is done when the edges are puffed and set, but the very center still has a slight jiggle. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 74 C or 165 F for egg safety.
Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature, which will take at least 3 hours, allowing the filling to fully set.
Garnish the top of the cooled pie with toasted shredded coconut before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Roasting sweet potatoes whole in their skins at 200 C until completely soft yields a far superior puree compared to boiling, preserving the starches and concentrating the natural sugars.
- Canned coconut cream frequently separates into a solid fat block and liquid water. Empty the entire can into a bowl and whisk vigorously until smooth before measuring.
- Room temperature eggs are crucial. Cold eggs added to the filling can cause the coconut fat to seize and create small unappetizing lumps in your custard.
- For the cleanest slices, chill the cooled pie in the refrigerator for an hour before cutting, and wipe your knife clean between each slice.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap the fully cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, before freezing.
Troubleshooting
Deep cracks forming on the surface of the pie
Cause: The pie was overbaked or cooled too quickly in a drafty area
Fix: Cosmetic issue only. Cover cracks by piping whipped coconut cream over the top before serving
Prevention: Remove the pie when the center still jiggles slightly, and cool away from open windows or vents
Watery or separated filling
Cause: Sweet potatoes were boiled and retained too much water, or coconut cream separated
Fix: Cannot be fixed once baked
Prevention: Roast sweet potatoes whole instead of boiling them to concentrate sugars and reduce moisture
Soggy bottom crust
Cause: Crust was not par-baked long enough before adding the wet filling
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Ensure the crust bakes for the full 10 minutes until fragrant and slightly firm before filling
Cultural Context
Sweet potato pie is a cornerstone of African American culinary heritage, evolving from pumpkin pie traditions but utilizing the sweet potato, a root vegetable deeply connected to Southern agriculture and West African foodways. The addition of coconut introduces a tropical element that beautifully complements the earthy, caramel notes of roasted sweet potatoes, creating an elevated dish perfect for modern Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations.
