Sweet Potato Pie With Graham Cracker Crust

Content… Great Time Saver Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Storage Instructions What to Serve More Insanely Delicious Pie Recipes to Try

Time-Saving Graham Cracker Crust for Sweet Potato Pie

One of the most intimidating things about making pie is the crust. Baking pie crust can bring to mind complex dough folds and cringe-worthy melted butter disasters you witnessed on The Great British Baking Show.

But if you love homemade baked goods and the pie crust stresses you out, this graham cracker crust recipe is here to save the day. This super easy recipe comes together way faster than traditional pie crust and requires no expert-level baking skills. Plus, it tastes amazing.

Recipe Ingredients

1. Pie Crust – You’ll need graham crackers, sugar, a dash of salt, and butter for this crust.
2. Sweet Potatoes – You’ll bake whole fresh sweet potatoes to roasted, smashable perfection, which makes them the star of this show, obvs.
3. Eggs work as a binder, giving the pie filling a perfectly combined, creamy texture.
4. Dairy – Butter and evaporated milk add richness and even more creamy goodness to this pie. 
5. Sugar – Both granulated and brown sugar make this pie perfectly sweet. 
6. Spices – Get all your warm spices ready. Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and vanilla extract make those flavors really shine. ✨

How to Make Homemade Sweet Potato Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

Make the Graham Cracker Pie Crust

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. If using whole graham crackers, blitz them in a food processor to make crumbs.
• Graham Cracker Crumb Crust – In a small mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, salt, and sugar thoroughly. Pour in melted butter and toss until the graham cracker crumbs are thoroughly moistened. They should feel grainy but not have any large clumps. (Photo 1)
• Pour the crumb mixture into a prepared pie pan coated with baking spray. Tilt and lightly shake the pie pan so the buttery graham cracker crumbs cover the bottom evenly. (Photo 2)
• Press the cracker crumbs onto the bottom and up the sides with your fingers or a cup with a flat bottom. Apply pressure as you go without packing the crumbs so tight they become hard while baking. (Photo 3)
• Bake the graham cracker crumb crust for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and let it cool.

Make the Sweet Potato Pie Filling

• Bake – Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork and wrap them in foil. Bake at 400℉ (205℃) for 45-50 minutes until the potatoes are soft. You may need more cooking time depending on the size of your sweet potatoes. (Photo 4)
• Cool, remove the foil, and peel the sweet potatoes.
• Mash – Place the sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Using a potato matcher, match them until partly smooth. (Photo 5)
• Mix – Add all the other ingredients: sugars, eggs, milk, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and vanilla extract. Mix using a hand mixer until thoroughly combined. (Photo 6)
• Assemble – Pour the sweet potato mixture into the baked pie crust, leaving ½-¾” between the filling and the top of the pie shell.
• Bake at 450℉ (230℃) for 10 minutes, lower the temperature to 350℉ (175℃), and bake for 35-40 minutes until set. (Photo 7)
• Cool – Once the pie is done, turn the oven off and crack the oven door open. You’ll notice that the top of the pie will puff up during baking but return to a flat as it cools. Cool the pie completely in the oven with the door open so it doesn’t crack. (Photo 8)
• Serve – Once fully cooled, cut into slices and serve with homemade whipped cream or your choice of vanilla or pecan praline ice cream!

Recipe Variations

1. Swap out the crackers. You can use almost any cookie or cracker for this crust! Think outside the box with chocolate or vanilla wafers, pretzels, Oreos, and gingersnaps – you can get pretty creative here. 
2. Size it up or down! Make mini-sweet potato pies by dividing the ingredients between several smaller tart molds: note that mini pies will take less time to bake. Or double the filling and use a deep dish pie plate for an XL version. To go bigger, cook the pie at a lower temp for longer for best results. 
3. Make it pumpkin. Pumpkin pie also goes great in a graham cracker crust. Swap out the sweet potato puree for the same amount of pumpkin puree, and you’re good to go. 🧡
4. Fancy add-ins. Adding a tablespoon or two of bourbon to the pie filling provides a rich and boozy flavor. Grate in some fresh ginger in for a zesty tang, or top the pie with crunchy pecans. Have fun with this recipe. 

Tips and Tricks

1. Sudden changes in oven temperature can cause your pie to crack. Prevent cracks by turning the oven off and slightly opening the door until the pie completely cools. Then, transfer it to the refrigerator.
2. How can you tell the pie is set? It should be slightly firm with a slight jiggle. Keep in mind that custard pies continue to firm up as they chill. 
3. Chill the pie in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours before slicing. Otherwise, you might have a goopy mess on your hands. 

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can easily prepare this sweet potato pie in advance because it stays fresh for 3-5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for 2-3 months if properly stored. Cool the pie completely, then cover it securely with 2-3 layers of plastic wrap.

Thaw frozen sweet potato pie overnight in the refrigerator. Then, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before diving in.

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Slice and serve sweet potato pie with graham cracker crust after it has fully cooled and chilled. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, as the pie contains eggs and milk. They shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than a couple of hours.

What Goes With Sweet Potato Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

This pie is the perfect follow-up to any Thanksgiving-esque meal. Serve it up to finish off a hearty meal of roast turkey crown, creamed corn, and green beans and potatoes. Make this sweet potato pie even more indulgent with homemade whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, and a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce (I like to go all out. 😜).

More Perfectly Delicious Pies to Try

1. Dutch Apple Pie
2. Coconut Cream Pie
3. Condensed Milk Sweet Potato Pie
4. Buttermilk Chess Pie
5. Mini Pecan Pies