Taylor House Sweet Potato Pie

Now this right here is the kind of sweet potato pie that grandmama used to set on the windowsill to cool, and you’d be sneaking a finger through the crust before supper was even ready.

Boiled sweet potatoes get whipped smooth with butter, eggs, evaporated milk, and just a whisper of nutmeg and vanilla until the filling is velvet-rich and custard-like.

Pour it into an unbaked pie shell, let the oven do its thing, and out comes a golden beauty with a filling that jiggles just right.

This is Southern baking at its most honest: no fancy ingredients, no complicated steps, just pure sweet potato soul.

Kitchen Tips

• Boil the sweet potatoes whole with the skins on. They peel like a dream when they’re hot and the flesh stays moist.
• Beat the filling until it’s completely smooth with no lumps. A hand mixer makes quick work of this, but a good old-fashioned potato masher and some elbow grease works too.
• Let the pie cool completely before slicing so the custard sets up firm. A warm pie will run on you.

Variations

• Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and half a teaspoon of ginger for a spiced-up holiday version.
• Top with a pile of homemade whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg right before serving.
• Swap the pie shell for a graham cracker crust for a sweet, crunchy contrast.