This double crusted sweet potato pie isn’t your typical holiday pie—it’s a rich, layered masterpiece that hits the perfect mix of spice, sweetness, and buttery crust. I love how roasting the sweet potatoes brings out their natural caramelized goodness, and the buttermilk chess layer adds a tangy, custard-like contrast. It’s the pie I turn to for family gatherings when I want something that feels classic but with a little twist to surprise everyone.
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!
This Double Crusted Sweet Potato Pie Will Wow You!
This double crust pie is a combination of creamy sweet potatoes, a touch of buttermilk chess filling, and a perfectly flaky double crust. The best part? It’s all about balance—just enough spice, a hint of dark rum, and the rich flavor of browned butter.
- Classic flavors. This old-fashioned sweet potato pie brings back all the warm childhood memories!
- Instant crowd favorite. Serve this for family gatherings like Thanksgiving, Easter, or during the holidays, and it’s guaranteed that there will be no leftovers!
- Tastes even better the next day. If there is ever any left!
Want more easy sweet potato recipes? Check out my savory sweet potato casserole, sweet potato skins, and microwave sweet potato.
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make this sweet potato pie, you’ll need sweet potatoes, unsalted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ginger, dark rum, large eggs, vanilla extract, heavy cream, buttermilk, fresh lemon, vanilla extract, salt, and a pie crust.
Variations & Substitutions
- Sweet potatoes. I roasted the sweet potatoes, but microwaving them is a good shortcut. Then, place the sweet potato purée in a bowl.
- Butter. Use high-quality unsalted butter for a richer texture.
- Brown sugar. You can substitute this with coconut sugar or a blend of white sugar and molasses.
- Dark rum. This adds depth of flavor to the filling. You can also use bourbon, brandy, or skip it entirely.
- Spices. I used cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger. You can substitute this with pumpkin pie spice. You can also add allspice or cardamom.
- Buttermilk. If you’re out of buttermilk, you can make your own at home. Use 1 cup of regular milk and stir in a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Let it stand for around 10 minutes before using it.
- All-purpose flour. Substitute this with a 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Pie crust. You can make your own homemade pie crust at home or buy it from the store.
- Turbinado sugar. If you don’t have turbinado sugar, you can use white sugar or brown sugar for sprinkling.
📖 How to make sweet potato pie
Step 1: Prepare the Sweet Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roast the sweet potatoes until soft, about 45 minutes. Let them cool, peel off the skins, and mash them until smooth.
Step 2: Make the Brown Butter
In a small saucepan, melt ¾ cup unsalted butter (for both layers) over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Step 3: Make the Sweet Potato Filling
In a medium bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, ¼ cup of the brown butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and dark rum (if using). Mix until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Stir until fully incorporated and set aside.
Step 4: Prepare the Pie Crust
Roll out the first pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim the excess, leaving about ½ inch overhang. Line the crust with parchment paper or foil, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
Step 5: Assemble the Pie
Spread the sweet potato filling evenly over the blind-baked pie crust. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining brown butter, eggs, sugar, flour, buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Slowly pour the buttermilk chess pie mixture over the sweet potato layer.
Step 6: Add the Top Crust
Roll out the second pie crust and gently place it over the pie. Trim any excess crust and crimp the edges. Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
Step 7: Bake the Pie
Bake the pie at 350°F (175°C) for 55-65 minutes, until the top crust is golden brown and the filling is set. If the edges of the crust brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
Step 8: Serve
Let the pie cool for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow the layers to set. Add a dollop of whipped cream on each slice before serving for an indulgent finish.
Shruthi’s Top Tip
Place your sweet potatoes on a layer of salt while roasting to draw out excess moisture, concentrating the flavor without watering down your filling. Just brush off the salt before mashing!
- Brown butter can go from golden to burnt in seconds. To stay in control, cook it over medium heat and watch for the foam to subside and a nutty aroma to develop—remove it from heat immediately once you see tiny brown flecks.
- After making the sweet potato filling, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. This helps it firm up slightly, making it easier to layer under the buttermilk chess filling without mixing the two layers.
- For a perfectly flaky top crust, roll it out and freeze it for 5 minutes before placing it on the pie. This keeps the butter solid in the dough, giving you a more distinct and crispy layer on top.
- For a perfectly crunchy top, wait until the last minute to sprinkle on turbinado sugar. This keeps the sugar from dissolving into the egg wash and ensures a caramelized, crisp crust.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
Shrinking usually happens if the dough warms up too much. Try chilling the rolled crust in the pie dish for 15 minutes before baking, and don’t overwork the dough while rolling.
Blind baking is key! Line the crust with parchment paper, fill with weights, and bake until golden. This ensures it holds up well against the moisture from the sweet potato filling.
Yes! You can make the filling up to two days ahead and refrigerate it. Bring it to room temperature before using to ensure it spreads evenly in the crust.
When rolling out the top crust, try not to stretch the dough too much—this can lead to cracking during baking. Make sure to cut a few slits for steam to escape, which helps prevent unwanted cracks.
No worries! You can use dried beans or rice as an alternative. Just line the crust with parchment paper, fill with the beans or rice, and bake.
🍴 How to serve old fashioned sweet potato pie
I’m not saying this just because I made it but this is honestly the best sweet potato pie recipe you’ll ever try. It’s so delicious on its own, but you can make it more indulgent by topping it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream! Another option is to drizzle it with caramel sauce. Whatever topping you choose, I’m sure each bite will be incredibly delicious!
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
Cover the pie with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If there are only leftover slices, you can store them in an airtight container instead of wrapping them. You can also freeze them for 2-3 months.
To reheat, preheat the oven to 300°F, then let it warm for 10-15 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, you can also microwave the pie slices.
🍴 More pie recipes
If you like this recipe, check out my other delicious pie recipes:
Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Stuffed Poblano Peppers
Caramelized Onion Pasta
Cottage Cheese Flatbread
If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Double Crusted Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
Sweet Potato Filling:
- 2 large sweet potatoes, roasted
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, browned
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon dark rum, optional
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup heavy cream
Buttermilk Chess Pie Layer:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pie Crust:
- 1 homemade or store-bought double pie crust recipe
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar, for sprinkling
Serving:
- ½ cup whipping cream, whipped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Roast the sweet potatoes until soft, about 45 minutes. Let them cool, peel off the skins, and mash them until smooth.
- In a small saucepan, melt ¾ cup unsalted butter (for both layers) over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns golden brown and smells nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- In a medium bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, ¼ cup of the brown butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and dark rum (if using). Mix until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and heavy cream. Stir until fully incorporated and set aside.
- Roll out the first pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie dish. Trim the excess, leaving about ½ inch overhang. Line the crust with parchment paper or foil, fill with pie weights or dried beans, and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Remove the weights and bake for another 5 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Spread the sweet potato filling evenly over the blind-baked pie crust. In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining brown butter, eggs, sugar, flour, buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg. Slowly pour the buttermilk chess pie mixture over the sweet potato layer.
- Roll out the second pie crust and gently place it over the pie. Trim any excess crust and crimp the edges. Brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
- Bake the pie at 350°F (175°C) for 55-65 minutes, until the top crust is golden brown and the filling is set. If the edges of the crust brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
- Let the pie cool for at least 2 hours before slicing to allow the layers to set. Add a dollop of whipped cream on each slice before serving for an indulgent finish.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
