This homemade purple sweet potato pie with gingerbread crust and pecan streusel is absolutely delicious! It’s a festive twist to an old-fashioned pie.
I don’t think Thanksgiving would be complete, at least for me, without some sort of sweet potato dish. Usually, we do a sweet potato casserole or candied yams. This year, since it’s only the four of us, I wanted to consolidate some dishes so we don’t have an overabundance of food to eat…I don’t know about you, but there are only so many days I can eat Thanksgiving leftovers!
When I saw these purple sweet potatoes at the grocery store, I knew I had to figure out some use them for. They have the most beautiful color and such a delicious flavor. Because they’re on the sweeter side, I thought they’d be perfect to use in a dessert. Instead of pumpkin pie this year, I’m making this homemade sweet potato pie with gingerbread crust and then topped it with a pecan streusel, that way I still get my sweet potato casserole fix!
These purple sweet potatoes are very similar to regular orange colored sweet potatoes and obtain their color naturally, the way cherries or raspberries do. They’re not sold everywhere and their reddish color skin is not always a clear indication of the purple hue inside. If you’re having trouble finding purple potatoes, you can use regular sweet potatoes in this recipe.
The best way to cook these potatoes is in the oven. Wash and dry your potatoes and wrap them in aluminum foil. Place in a 325F oven for 90 minutes or until thoroughly softened.
After they have cooled, remove the skins and mash the potatoes with the remaining pie ingredients.
The gingerbread crust adds a bit more spice and flavor than a regular crust and I think it complements the sweet potato nicely. After you have made and chilled the dough, roll it out between two pieces of wax or parchment paper. It makes it much easier to transfer to the pie plate too. Just flip the rolled crust into the pie plate and remove the parchment paper. Carefully line the pie dish with the dough and then tuck the edges under so that you have enough dough to form the edge of the crust. You can use a fork to pleat the edges or use your fingers (like in the photo above) to scallop the edges.
When you’re finished shaping the crust in the pie plate, pour your sweet potato pie filling into the crust and bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes. Meanwhile, make your crumble topping. After the pie has baked for 20-25 minutes, remove the pie from the oven and sprinkle the pecan streusel on top. You can also cover the crust edges with aluminum foil to prevent it from getting too brown. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, until filling is firm and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
This homemade purple sweet potato pie with gingerbread crust is not only delicious, the beautiful color will surely amaze your family and friends! Hope you enjoy this yummy dessert! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, friends!
Sweet Potato Pie With A Gingerbread Crust and Pecan Streusel
- Total Time: 2 hours 55 mins
- Yield: 9-inch pie 1x
Description
Old-fashioned sweet potato pie made with beautiful purple sweet potatoes! Complete with a homemade gingerbread crust and a pecan streusel topping.
Ingredients
Gingerbread Pie Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or gf all-purpose flour (I used Bobs Red Mill 1 To 1 Baking Flour
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- 3 tablespoons sugar (I used coconut sugar
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- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of cloves
- 1/4 cup butter (I used grass-fed)
- 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
(can use all shortening if dairy-free)
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 2–4 tablespoons ice cold milk (I used almond milk)
- 9” pie plate
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(can use all shortening if dairy-free)
Sweet Potato Pie Filling:
- 2 cups cooked purple ore regular sweet potato (About 1 large or 2 smaller sweet potatoes)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
, softened
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
or coconut nectar
(other sweetener will work, may have to increase liquid)
- 1/2 cup milk (a little more may be needed if filling is too thick)
- 2 eggs
, softened
or 
(other sweetener will work, may have to increase liquid)Streusel Topping:
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
(certified gluten-free, if needed)
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
or other nut
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil
(certified gluten-free, if needed)
or other nutInstructions
Baking The Potatoes:
- Wash and dry sweet potatoes and cover in aluminum foil. Place into a 325F oven for 90 minutes or so, until thoroughly soft when pierced with a fork. Depending on the size of your potatoes it may take less time. Let cool thoroughly, remove the skins and reserve the pulp for your filling.
Gingerbread Pie Crust:
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves. Using a fork or pastry blender, cut in butter, shortening, and molasses until mixture is coarse and crumbly. Mix in milk, a tablespoon at a time, just until dough comes together. It only took 2 tablespoons for my dough, but it will depend on your flour and the humidity in your kitchen. You don’t want it to be sticky. Add a little more flour, if needed, to make a soft dough. Shape the dough into a round disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place into the fridge for at least 15-20 minutes to chill.
Sweet Potato Pie Filling:
- Combine your cooked sweet potatoes along with the remaining pie filling ingredients. Use a hand mixer or potato masher to blend together all of the ingredients. These purple potatoes were already sweet, which required less sweetener. Before adding the eggs, you can taste your filling and add more sweetener, if desired. Also, if you use granulated sugar or if your potatoes are more dry on the inside, a little more of milk may be needed.
To Make The Streusel Topping:
- In a small bowl, combine pecans, sugar, and cinnamon. Add melted butter and mix together until well incorporated. Set aside for later.
Putting The Pie Together:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Remove the pie dough from the refrigerator and place between two pieces of wax/parchment paper or plastic wrap. This makes it much easier to roll out. Roll the dough between the paper into a 1/4-inch thick circle. It should be a few inches larger than your pie pan. Remove the top piece of paper and use the bottom piece to lift up and flip the dough into your pie pan. Carefully peal the paper off and gently fit the dough into the edges of the pan. It’s okay if the dough tears, just pinch it back together. Fold the edges under to form a crust and remove any excess. Use a fork to crimp the edges or you can use your fingers to make an easy scallop edge, like in the photo above.
- Pour your sweet potato filling into the formed crust. Place pie plate onto a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. You’ll need to add the streusel topping at this point and then bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. It will bake for a total of 55-60 minutes or when the filling is no longer jiggly and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. The crust gets very brown easily, so it’s recommended to cover the edges with aluminum foil when you add the streusel topping. Let cool throughly before serving.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 150 mins
- Category: Dessert, Gluten Free