Tell Me About this Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie
Texture: Flaky and crisp pie crust, smooth and buttery sweet potato filling, ultra creamy marshmallow topping. There’s unbeatable texture contrast in every single bite. I always appreciate sweet potato pie because the filling is denser and more substantial than pumpkin pie. Flavor: There’s a lot of flavors working together in this filling. First, you have the naturally flavorful foundation of sweet potatoes. On top of this, you’ll taste hints of bourbon, brown sugar, and vanilla, lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, and other warming spices, plus the irresistible toasted marshmallow on top. The flavor combination reminds me a lot of these pumpkin cupcakes with marshmallow frosting and my sweet potato casserole. For the pie crust, I even used half whole wheat flour to add some wholesome nutty flavor. Talk about comfort food—this pie was unbelievable! See my recipe note if you want to try it that way too. Ease: Intermediate. For the common baker, homemade pies aren’t the easiest. However if you take your time, read through the recipe before beginning, and use this blog post as your guide, you’re on track for sweet potato pie success. Topping: This bourbon sweet potato pie is phenomenal even without the marshmallow topping because you can really focus on the filling’s flavors. But if you want to serve this pie with a major WOW factor, add the topping. It’s always fun to break out a kitchen torch. Time: Homemade pie is a labor of love that requires a full morning or afternoon. Make the pie dough in advance so it’s ready to go. Give yourself enough time to boil the sweet potatoes, too. The pie takes around 1 hour in the oven, then allow 2 hours to cool down before topping or serving.
Overview: How to Make Bourbon Sweet Potato Pie
The full printable/written recipe is below.
The Bourbon
Bourbon and sweet potato pie are a natural pairing and after tasting this pie, I have a feeling you’ll agree. The bourbon doesn’t overpower at all; you won’t feel tipsy after eating a slice. But you can tell something unique is baked in. Since the bourbon is being used in a recipe and you only need 1/4 cup, no need to purchase the fancy expensive stuff. I used Jim Beam. It’s what I use my bourbon cherry crisp, too. If you want a non-alcoholic version, use the filling from this brown sugar sweet potato pie instead. It skips the booze, but tastes just as creamy, smooth, and spiced. You can serve this pie plain—my guests loved it that way. You could even add some whipped cream and spike it with bourbon. Make my whipped cream recipe and add 1-2 Tablespoons of bourbon with the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla.
Marshmallow Topping
For something extra special, try marshmallow topping. I use this topping often and have an entire separate post about how to make homemade marshmallow creme. (We scale down the recipe for this pie.) It’s technically meringue, but tastes like melted marshmallows. You only need 4 ingredients, a stovetop, and a mixer. Cream of tartar is a non-negotiable because the egg whites won’t set up without it. You can top this s’mores brownie pie with the exact same topping also. And since you’ll have cream of tartar, a batch of snickerdoodles on the side is always a good idea. 😉 4 helpful notes:
You can use the 2 leftover egg whites from your pie’s filling. Save time by making the marshmallow topping as the pie cools. You can pipe it with a large star piping tip such a Wilton 1M like I do on this chai pumpkin meringue pie, or simply spoon and spread it on top of the pie like you see in these photos. Toasting it is optional, but obviously a lot of fun. Use a kitchen torch (affiliate link—this is the torch I own and love). If you’re on the fence about purchasing one—I rarely use mine, but when I need it, I’m very thankful I have one! Worth it.
Making homemade pie is always such a satisfying project. This is pure comfort food and the presentation always impresses! If you’re looking for more inspiration, here are all of our favorite Thanksgiving pies. This recipe is part of Sally’s Pie Week, an annual tradition where I share a handful of new recipes that fit into the pie/crisp/tart category. Join the community below!
