Old Fashioned Sweet Potato Meringue Pie
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Old fashioned sweet potato meringue pie tops a spiced sweet potato custard with fluffy toasted meringue peaks. A Southern Thanksgiving dessert that beats pumpkin pie at its own game.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
18 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
2½ hrsOld fashioned sweet potato meringue pie is the Southern grandmother’s answer to pumpkin pie, and it’s better. The custard filling is silkier, the spice profile is warmer, and the cloud-like meringue topping baked to golden brown peaks gives it presence on any holiday table.
The filling starts with cooked sweet potatoes mashed and beaten smooth with eggs, butter, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger. The result is custard-like rather than the dense, almost cake-y texture of pumpkin pie. Bourbon swapped for vanilla is the traditional Southern move that adds caramel undertones and adult depth.
The meringue topping is the showstopper. Three egg whites get beaten with the remaining sugar to glossy stiff peaks, then spooned in dramatic swirls across the cooled filling. The trick is making sure the meringue touches the pie crust all the way around. This seals the edges and prevents the dreaded shrinking and weeping that ruins so many homemade meringues.
Pro Tips
- Cool the pie completely to room temperature before topping with meringue. A warm filling melts the meringue from underneath and you’ll never get those tall stiff peaks.
- Add the sugar to the egg whites slowly, one tablespoon at a time, after they reach soft peaks. Dumping it in collapses the foam and you’ll get flat meringue.
- Make sure your mixing bowl and beaters are completely clean and dry. Even a trace of fat or yolk prevents the whites from whipping up properly.
- Use the back of a spoon to swirl peaks into the meringue before baking. The peaks toast to a beautiful golden brown that adds visual drama.
Variations
- Use bourbon in place of vanilla for a more traditional Southern flavor with caramel and toffee notes.
- Top with toasted pecans instead of meringue for a praline-style finish.
- Add a pinch of nutmeg or allspice along with the cinnamon and ginger for a more complex warm-spice profile.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
To make the filling;
Using an electric hand mixer, combine the sweet potatoes, 1 cup of the sugar, the butter, eggs, vanilla, salt, and spices.
Mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and continue to mix.
Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer the pie on a rack and cool to room temperature before covering with meringue.
To make the meringue:
Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, beat in the remaining ¼ cup sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
Continue beating until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is glossy and stiff, but not dry.
With a rubber spatula, spoon the meringue onto the pie, forming peaks.
Make sure the meringue touches the crust all around.
Sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until delicately browned.
Cool and serve.
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