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This rich and creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Pie is so easy to make! The roasted sweet potato filling is baked in a buttery pie crust, then sliced and served with vegan whipped cream. Vegan; Gluten-Free and Refined Sugar-Free Options.
My recipe for Vegan Sweet Potato Pie is just like the classic Southern dessert. The roasted sweet potato filling is rich and creamy (and still 100% dairy-free!); the mix of warm, cozy, and sweet flavors is almost too good to be true; and a buttery store-bought pie crust keeps things easy. All you need are 10 basic ingredients and 20 minutes to prep this holiday favorite!
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A Vegan Sweet Potato Dessert To Be Thankful For
Pumpkin pie has had enough time in the spotlight… It’s time for this sweet potato pie to shine!
I rarely hold back when it comes to my vegan Thanksgiving menu, which means finishing the extravagant meal with lots of tasty sweet treats, including this Vegan Sweet Potato Pie. It’s a classic Southern Thanksgiving dessert that tends to be sweeter, creamier, and nuttier than pumpkin pie. It doesn’t hurt that it’s easy to make with a roasted sweet potato filling and store-bought pie crust, too.
Did you know that sweet potatoes are naturally sweeter than pumpkins? Naturally sweeter ingredients = less sugar needed to sweeten the filling! While I wholeheartedly believe in indulging around the holidays, I’m all about recipes that taste just as good with as many plant-based whole foods as possible. And with this in mind, this sweet potato pie is a win-win all around.
What You Need for Sweet Potato Pie
Just like my Sweet Potato Pie Bars, this classic fall dessert is easy to make with a mix of fresh sweet potatoes, baking staples, and winter spices. All you need are 10 simple ingredients to put it together:
- Sweet Potatoes: three medium-sized sweet potatoes should do it. I’ve only tested this recipe with Beauregard sweet potatoes (the standard sweet potato variety with reddish-brown skin and orange flesh). It will likely work with alternative sweet potatoes, such as purple sweet potatoes, but this will affect the taste, texture, and color of the pie.
- Butter: use any brand of dairy-free butter you like or that is available to you. Both salted and unsalted butter will work; you may need extra kosher salt if you opt for unsalted butter (try 1/2 teaspoon instead of 1/4 teaspoon).
- Brown Sugar: the deep molasses flavor in dark brown sugar reveals the hidden layers of caramel-like flavors in the roasted sweet potatoes. Light brown sugar will work as a substitute, but the pie won’t taste as complex and will be slightly less moist.
- Coconut Cream: most Southern sweet potato pie recipes are made with milk or cream in the filling. Dairy-free coconut cream does the trick in this vegan version, adding a similar rich creaminess without any coconut flavor.
- Warm Spices: a simple blend of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg infuses the sweet potato pie filling with warm flavors that complement the natural sweetness and nuttiness of the sweet potatoes. If you’re out of the individual spices, replace the individual cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Cornstarch: a thickening agent that prevents a loose filling. Arrowroot powder works just as well here.
- Pie Crust: use a store-bought vegan pie crust or make your own. I usually make this All-Butter Crust recipe with dairy-free butter.
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
- Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven until they’re tender and oozing. Set them aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, shape your pie crust in a greased pie dish. Chill it in the fridge.
- Peel the roasted sweet potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl. Beat the potatoes with an electric mixer until smooth, then mix in the melted butter, sugar, coconut cream, vanilla, cornstarch, and spices until combined.
- Dump the filling into the pie crust and bake the pie until the filling is slightly puffy and browned on top.
- Cool the pie completely before slicing and serving with coconut whip. Enjoy!
Caitlin’s Cooking Tips
- Short on time? Microwave or air fry the potatoes instead. Roasting the sweet potatoes has the best flavor payoff, but is the most time-intensive. Microwaving and air frying the potatoes (find the instructions in the recipe card) are both quick and easy alternatives, but just know that they will yield less sweet-tasting potatoes.
- If you don’t have a handheld mixer, make the filling in a food processor instead. If you don’t have a food processor, try blending the filling ingredients.
- Preparing the coconut cream: Before adding the coconut cream to the filling, drain any excess liquid from the can (you can save it for smoothies!) and scoop the solid “cream” out and into the bowl. This will prevent any excess liquid from being mixed into the filling, making it loose and watery.
- Chill the pie crust in the fridge or freezer before baking. A cold pie crust won’t shrink in the oven!
Serving Suggestions
Just like pumpkin pie, a slice of sweet potato pie is the perfect cherry on top of the Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner! I highly recommend topping each slice with a dollop of coconut whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Does your sweet tooth know no bounds? Then sweeten the pie with a drizzle of this Salted Caramel Sauce and a dusting of additional cinnamon on top.
If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving-worthy dessert recipes, you’ll also love this Vegan Pecan Pie, this Vegan Apple Crumble, and this Vegan Baked Snickers Cheesecake!
Or, check out my complete Vegan Thanksgiving Guide for 60+ delicious recipes!
How to Store Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Once the baked sweet potato pie is cool, wrap it in a layer of aluminum foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. You can also slice the pie and freeze the individual slices for up to 2 months. Defrost the leftovers in the fridge before serving.
If you’re running low on time, feel free to roast the potatoes 1 day before making the pie filling. Cover and store them in the fridge overnight.
Substitutions and Variations
- Coconut Milk Substitute: Can’t find coconut cream? Use a can of full-fat coconut milk instead. I recommend refrigerating the canned milk overnight to solidify as much cream as possible and make it easier to separate the cream from the liquid.
- Gluten-Free Option: Either swap the regular crust for a store-bought gluten-free and vegan pie crust or make my Gluten-Free Pie Crust recipe instead.
- Refined Sugar-Free Option: An equal amount of coconut sugar will work in place of the brown sugar, but the filling will not be as moist.
Recipe FAQs
Sweet potatoes are generally sweeter, moister, and softer in texture compared to bumpy, scaly yams. If you live in the United States, it’s likely you’ve never eaten yams because what is commonly labeled as yams here is actually a type of sweet potato. Weird, right?!
No, pre-baking the crust isn’t necessary since the crust and filling take the same amount of time to cook through. Simply press the pie crust into a greased pie dish, shape the edges, and refrigerate until the filling is ready.
I do not recommend boiling or steaming the sweet potatoes, as they retain more moisture and yield a less firm pie.
Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 medium)
- 1/4 cup butter melted (I used dairy-free)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut cream*
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust store-bought or homemade; see notes
Instructions
- Cook the Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scrub each potato well and place on the baking sheet. Carefully use a sharp knife to poke holes around the surface of the potatoes, then bake in the middle rack of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and oozing. Set aside for 10 minutes to let cool; you can also cook the potatoes the day before and store in the refrigerator overnight.
- Air Fryer Option: Roast the potatoes in the air fryer; place pierced potatoes directly in the basket and cook at 400F for 35 to 40 minutes
- Microwave Option: Microwave potatoes on a plate for 4 minutes. Flip the potatoes and microwave for an additional 4 to 6 minutes, until tender.
- Prep: While the sweet potatoes cool, reduce the oven temperature to 350F (or preheat to 350F if you have pre-cooked your potatoes). Grease a pie dish with butter or cooking spray and shape your crust; keep in the fridge until step 4.
- Filling: Carefully peel off the outer skin from each sweet potato and place in a large bowl. Use a handheld electric mixer* to beat the cooked sweet potatoes until they form a smooth puree, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Add the melted butter, sugar, coconut cream, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Beat again until smooth, then add in the arrowroot powder and beat until combined.
- Bake: Transfer the filling to the prepared (unbaked) pie crust, using a spatula to smooth out the top. Bake in the middle rack of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until the pie is slightly puffy and browned on top.
- Cool: Transfer the entire pie dish to a wire rack and let cool completely. Let the pie sit for at least one hour before slicing and serving.
- Serve: Slice, serve, and enjoy with coconut whip, ice cream, or as-is! Cover leftovers with foil or plastic wrap and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also pre-slice this Vegan Sweet Potato Pie and freeze the slices for up to 2 months, defrosting overnight in the fridge when needed.
Recipe Notes
- Pie Crust: You can use a store-bought pie crust, or make your own — I like to use this all-butter recipe and make it with vegan butter. If you’re gluten free you can use my Healthy Pie Crust! Do not pre-bake the pie crust for this recipe.
- Electric Mixer: If you don’t have a handheld mixer, a food processor will work as well!
- Coconut Cream: You can find canned coconut cream in most grocery stores in the International/Asian aisle. Flip the can upside down, drain off the liquid (save for smoothies!) and scoop the remaining solid “cream” out to use in the recipe. If you cannot find coconut cream you can purchase full-fat coconut milk instead; I recommend refrigerating the canned milk overnight to help the cream separate out more, but you don’t need to do this for the canned cream.
Do you have any particular suggestions for making this ahead of time? I’d like to prepare it for Christmas Day but make it a day or two before; would you reheat before serving?
Certainly! Here are some suggestions for making the Vegan Sweet Potato Pie ahead of time for Christmas Day:
Preparing Ahead:
Cooking Sweet Potatoes:
Option 1: Roast sweet potatoes in the oven the day before and store them in the refrigerator overnight.
Option 2: Use an air fryer or microwave for a quicker cooking alternative.
Pie Crust:
Prepare the pie crust and shape it in the pie dish. Keep it in the fridge until ready to use.
On Christmas Day:
Preheat Oven:
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F on Christmas Day or preheat if you’ve precooked the sweet potatoes.
Prepare Filling:
Peel the cooked sweet potatoes and make the filling by blending them with other ingredients.
Assemble and Bake:
Transfer the filling to the prepared pie crust and bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes until the pie is slightly puffy and browned on top.
Cooling:
Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack. Allow it to sit for at least an hour before slicing.
Serving:
Slice, serve, and enjoy! Pair it with coconut whip, ice cream, or enjoy it as-is.
Storage:
Short-Term: Cover leftovers with foil or plastic wrap and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: You can pre-slice the pie and freeze the slices for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge when needed.
Additional Tips:
Crust: If using a store-bought or homemade pie crust, there’s no need to pre-bake it for this recipe.
Electric Mixer: If you don’t have a handheld mixer, a food processor will work as well.
Coconut Cream: Use canned coconut cream or refrigerate full-fat coconut milk overnight, then scoop out the solid “cream” for the recipe.
You can have a delicious Vegan Sweet Potato Pie ready to impress on Christmas Day without the last-minute rush!
Absolutely loved this recipe! I’m a huge fan of pumpkin pie and I don’t think I’d ever tried sweet potato pie before, but I must say I liked it better than pumpkin pie! I will be making this from now on instead 🙂
I agree, Christina! Thanks for the review 🙂
made this today, but halved it, to test out if i wanted to make it for thanksgiving or not since i’ve never had/made sweet potato pie before 🙂 it came out really well! i wish it came out a little firmer, but that might be because my coconut cream was pretty thin and watery. still good, ended up being a thick pudding texture. maybe it’ll firm up a little more in the fridge over night too 🙂 oh, i also added ground cloves to the mix of spices bc i am a clove enjoyer myself, personally… i will simply add cloves to a spice mix… that’s just who i am………
also a nice recipe to make bc my bird got to eat a little slice of the sweet potato i roasted for it and she seemed to enjoy it hehe :]
Happy you and your bird got to enjoy it!