Purple Sweet Potato Pie with Gingersnap Crust

Purple Sweet Potato Pie

This 9-inch pie has a smooth purple sweet potato filling in a dark gingersnap crust. Softly whipped cream covers the center, leaving a ring of purple filling visible beneath a scattering of cookie crumbs. Steam the potatoes until completely tender and blend them well: purple sweet potatoes can be dense and starchy. The pie will still wobble slightly when it leaves the oven, but cooling and chilling will firm it up for clean slices.

Ingredients for Purple Sweet Potato Pie

Gingersnap crust

• 1 3/4 cups finely crushed gingersnap cookies, plus 2 tablespoons reserved for topping (about 200g total)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (70g)

Purple sweet potato filling

• About 1 1/2 lb Stokes Purple sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (680g raw), enough to yield 2 cups cooked and mashed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
• 3/4 cup whole milk (180g)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (about 45g)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs

Whipped cream topping

• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream (240g)
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar (8g)
• The reserved 2 tablespoons gingersnap crumbs

How to Make Purple Sweet Potato Pie

1. Steam the potatoes: Place the chunks in a steamer basket over steadily simmering water. Cover and steam for about 20 to 25 minutes, until they crush easily with a fork and have no firm centers. Mash, measure out 2 cups, and let excess steam escape briefly.
2. Press the crust: Mix 1 3/4 cups gingersnap crumbs with 5 tablespoons melted butter. Press firmly across the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate, forming a continuous rim. Refrigerate while you make the filling. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
3. Blend the filling: Blend the measured potato, sugar, milk, remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until smooth, with no potato lumps. Add the eggs and blend briefly, just until incorporated.
4. Bake: Pour the filling into the chilled crust and set the pie plate on a baking sheet. Bake uncovered for about 40 to 45 minutes, beginning to check at 35 minutes. The filling near the crust should be set, with only a gentle wobble in the center. If the exposed crumb rim darkens too quickly, loosely shield it with foil.
5. Cool and chill: Cool the pie for about 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours, until thoroughly cold and firm enough to slice.
6. Top and serve: Whip the cold cream with the powdered sugar to soft-to-medium peaks. Spread it over the center of the chilled pie, leaving a visible ring of purple filling. Scatter the reserved gingersnap crumbs over the cream and cut into 8 wedges.

Choosing and Preparing Purple Sweet Potatoes

Stokes Purple sweet potatoes give the filling a vivid color, but other purple varieties may differ in color and moisture. Measure 2 cups after cooking and mashing rather than relying on the raw potato weight alone. If the filling seems too thick to blend, process it thoroughly with the measured milk before adding any more liquid.

How to Tell When the Pie Is Set

Use the filling’s movement rather than the clock alone. The outer portion should look set; a gentle wobble in the center is fine. Potato moisture, oven behavior, and filling depth can change the baking time. Use a 9-inch pie plate with room for approximately 3 1/2 to 4 cups of filling, as a shallow plate may not hold it all.

Wait until the pie is thoroughly chilled before slicing. Cooling followed by at least 3 hours in the refrigerator helps the filling hold its shape and keeps the whipped cream from melting.

Storing and Making Ahead

Cover and refrigerate the pie, and plan to eat it within about 3 to 4 days. You can bake and chill it the day before serving. For the neatest finish, add the whipped cream and cookie crumbs shortly before serving. Serve cold.

For an egg-free alternative, try this vegan sweet potato pie. Simply leaving the eggs out of this filling will not give it the same set.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per wedge, based on 8 wedges: 450 calories, 5g protein, 28g fat, and 47g carbohydrates. Per 100g: approximately 290 calories, 3g protein, 18g fat, and 30g carbohydrates. Values will vary with cookie brand, potato yield, and slice size.