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This Vegan Sweet Potato Pie is a delicious alternative to Pumpkin Pie, made with baked sweet potatoes. It’s ultra-flavorful, and everyone will ask you for the recipe once they try it!

sweet potato pie slice with whipped cream

What Does Sweet Potato Pie Taste Like?

Sweet Potato Pie tends to be sweeter and less spicy than pumpkin pie. It doesn’t call for cloves or ginger, and most recipes are more heavy-handed with the nutmeg.

These are the main seasonings you’ll find in sweet potato pie:

  • Cinnamon
  • Vanilla
  • Nutmeg

If you love nutmeg, you can increase the amount called for in this recipe to 1/2 teaspoon total. I find the flavor overwhelming, so I use only 1/4 teaspoon and my family loves it this way.

I like to use a blend of coconut sugar and maple syrup to sweeten this pie, because they add an extra depth of flavor, too. I’ve tested this recipe using only coconut sugar, and only maple syrup, too. Be sure to check the recipe notes below, if you’d like to use only 1 sweetener.

Tip: If you would prefer a date-sweetened pie, try my Vegan Pumpkin Pie recipe. It’s mostly sweetened with dates, and you can swap out the pumpkin for sweet potato!

sweet potato pie slices in pan

Which is Healthier: Sweet Potato or Pumpkin?

If you’re wondering how sweet potatoes compare to pumpkin, sweet potatoes have a slight edge on the nutrition front.

Here’s why you’ll love sweet potatoes:

  • A single cup of cooked sweet potato has nearly a week’s worth of vitamin A! The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes is turned into vitamin A in the body, which has been linked to promoting eye health.
  • Sweet potatoes double the protein when compared to pumpkin.
  • Low levels of vitamin A have been linked to reduced immunity, so eating more sweet potatoes may be a good way to keep your levels up.
  • Sweet potatoes have slightly more fiber than pumpkin.
  • Both sweet potatoes and pumpkin have 8% of your daily Vitamin C needs, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
  • The proteins from sweet potatoes may have anti-cancer properties, too.

Either way, I don’t think you can go wrong. Pumpkin and sweet potatoes both have their place, and both make for an excellent holiday pie.

How to Bake Sweet Potatoes

Pierce 2 to 3 large sweet potatoes (or 4 to 5 smaller sweet potatoes) several times with a fork. Rub the outside of the potatoes with oil, then place them on a pan and bake in a 400ºF oven until they are easily squeezed with an oven mitt and feel tender.

Liquid should be starting to ooze out of them when they are done. (Don’t worry– when you soak the pan, it will come right off!)

baked sweet potatoes on pan

Let the sweet potatoes cool until you can handle them, then cut them in half and scoop out the flesh from the middle. Mash the potato into a measuring cup.

You’ll need 1 1/2 cups of mashed sweet potato for this recipe. I don’t recommend using canned sweet potato in this recipe; the flavor isn’t nearly as good as using real baked sweet potatoes.

Did you know you can cook sweet potatoes in your Instant Pot, too? Check out my Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes post for a tutorial!

Tip: If you have leftover cooked sweet potato, try making my Sweet Potato Smoothie or Sweet Potato Brownies later. If you bought too many potatoes, you should also make Baked Sweet Potato Chips for a savory snack, too.

How to Make Sweet Potato Pie from Scratch

Once you have the baked sweet potato on hand, all you have to do is add it to a food processor, along with the rest of the filling ingredients. Puree until smooth!

sweet potato pie ingredients in food processor

Pour the batter into an unbaked pie crust, like my Almond Flour Pie Crust or Oat Flour Pie Crust. (Both recipes are gluten-free and vegan!)

Bake until the crust is golden and the pie filling looks significantly darker, about 55 to 60 minutes. I like to use a crust cover to prevent my crust from burning, and I leave it on the whole time for this recipe. The crust will still be golden with the crust cover on.

before and after baked sweet potato pie

The pie filling will not feel firm to the touch when you remove this pie from the oven. It needs to cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then you’ll need to let it chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours to firm up.

If you need to speed the cooling process, you can place the pie in the freezer for 1 hour, then transfer it to the fridge to cool for 3 more hours. It should be slice-able by then!

Serve this Vegan Sweet Potato Pie chilled, with a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top, if you like.

sweet potato pie sliced in pan overhead

vegan sweet potato pie sliced to serve

Vegan Sweet Potato Pie

5 from 4 votes
This Vegan Sweet Potato Pie is a delicious alternative to pumpkin pie! This easy holiday dessert is naturally sweetened, while being dairy-free, gluten-free, and egg-free.
prep20 mins cook55 mins total1 hr 15 mins
Servings:8

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 unbaked vegan pie crust
  • 1.5 cups baked sweet potato (tightly mashed; 411 grams)
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar (67 grams)
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup (156 grams)
  • 1/2 cup coconut cream (see notes; 112 grams)
  • 3 tablespoons tapioca starch (22 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (3 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 grams)
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (1 gram)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (2 grams)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF and press the unbaked pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork several times to allow venting. (See post for crust recipes.)
    unbaked pie crust
  • In a large food processor fitted with an "S" blade, combine the mashed sweet potato, coconut sugar, maple syrup, coconut cream, tapioca starch, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Process until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
    ingredients in food processor
  • Pour the filling into the unbaked pie crust, and smooth the top. Cover the edges of the crust with foil, or a reusable crust cover, so the edges won't burn. Bake at 350ºF for 55 to 60 minutes, until the filling is darker and the crust is golden.
    filling added to crust with crust cover
  • Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool for 1 hour. The filling will not be firm to the touch when you take it out of the oven; it needs to cool completely. Transfer the pie to the fridge to chill until firm, about 4 to 6 more hours, or overnight.
    baked pie cut into slices
  • Serve chilled, with coconut whipped cream on top, if desired. The leftover pie can be stored tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
    slice of pie topped with coconut whip

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 8 slices, with a store-bought crust. This information is just an estimate, and not a guarantee, since the crust you use will change these numbers.
Coconut cream is the solid fat found at the top of a chilled can of coconut milk. Place a can of coconut milk in the fridge the night before you want to make this pie, then open the can and scoop only the solid part out for this recipe. You can save the rest of the liquid in the bottom of the can to make a smoothie later!
Don't have both maple syrup and coconut sugar? You can use 1 full cup of coconut sugar in this recipe, instead of using the mix of coconut sugar and maple syrup. Alternatively, you can use 3/4 cup maple syrup in this recipe, and skip the coconut sugar all together. In that case, I recommend adding 1 more tablespoon of tapioca starch to this recipe, to help the pie set.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 3538IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: vegan
Keyword: vegan sweet potato pie

 

More Vegan Dessert Recipes

Looking for more variety at your dessert table? Try one of these popular recipes!

If you try this Vegan Sweet Potato Pie, please leave a comment below letting me know how you like it! And if you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from your experience!

Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite holiday pie?

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. Excellent, as always, Megan! Tried this just to make something different from the standard pumpkin pie and glad I did. I found a sweet potato that weighed 458g, cut it in half and cooked in a Ninja Foodi pressure cooker for 18 minutes. A 6-cup food processor had no problem blending the ingredients. Baked 55 minutes, overnight in fridge… outstanding!

  2. The hardest part about making this recipe was not eating all the pie mixture straight from the blender! It was so delicious!! I used to be a huge pumpkin pie fan but this is definitely my new favorite Thanksgiving dessert. I’m sure I’ll be making it often this winter – I’d love to have another piece right now! Thanks, Megan, this was such a treat!!

  3. Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a HUGE hit. Everyone loved it so much. Me included. The flavor cannot be beat. It is just full of yumminess. Even made the vegan pie crust according to recipe. Again, perfect. So glad I have discovered your website as I have been making many of your creative abs healthy dishes. I look forward to making more 😍

  4. Do you think I could use eggs in this recipe if I am not vegan? I was thinking of 2 eggs to sub for the tapioca.

    1. This pie was delicious! I did make several substitutions, as I am eating keto right now and wanted to lower the carbs as much as I could. I made a crust using pecans, ghee, Lakanto monk fruit & erythritol brown blend, cinnamon, salt, & egg white. Pre-baked it for 10 minutes.

      I subbed Lakanto sugar free (monk fruit & erythritol) white for the coconut sugar, and Lakanto maple syrup for the regular maple syrup.

      I am not vegan so I used 3 eggs (plus the extra yoke I didn’t use in the crust) in place of the tapioca. It was firm after cooling on the counter for an hour or so, without having to chill it, because of the eggs. Probably didn’t need the extra yoke, but didn’t want to waste it.

      It came out great! Topped it with a little coconut whipped cream.

      Thanks for another great recipe, Megan!

  5. I love your site. Thank you for posting this recipe; sweet potato pie is a family favorite! I have one quick question. My family also likes warm pie. Would this pie maintain its consistency if it is rewarmed after it is set?

  6. I remember seeing you testing this on Instagram for the past few weeks, and I just have to say, well done! I made this today in preparation for Thanksgiving, and the filling tastes out of this world. I can’t wait to eat this!!