Get ready! November is all about Thanksgiving sides and desserts to adorn your elegant gluten-free Thanksgiving celebration, starting with a decadent Sweet Potato Pecan Pie. This 2-layer pie features two of the most delicious Fall pies, baked together in a homemade gluten-free butter crust!
And just like that, the Halloween season is over and we can start thinking about Thanksgiving recipes! We all have the tried and true recipes that we make yearly, and my household loves this totally gluten-free and homemade Sweet Potato Pecan Pie, with a rich sweet potato middle and a gooey pecan top!
This pie is the perfect marriage between sweet potato pie and pecan pie. If you love both pies, this recipe is for you. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie has something for everyone, including a homemade gluten-free all-butter pie shell!
Your Thanksgiving dessert table will shine with this amazing pie. Family and friends will ask for this dessert every year, so be sure to save this recipe!
Sweet Potato Pie Filling
The first layer in this pie is a fresh, homemade sweet potato pie filling. You will first need to start with cooking your sweet potatoes so they are ready to fill the pie.
This recipe calls for baking two large sweet potatoes until very tender. This might take some time, about 1-1.5 hours, depending on the size of your potatoes. Once they are tender all the way through, wait until the sweet potatoes cool down slightly so you can comfortably handle them and scoop out the tender middles.
The cooled sweet potato flesh is then mashed until smooth before adding ingredients such as egg, cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg, milk, and vanilla. For a traditional sweet potato pie, you would stop here and fill your pie shell. But this is no ordinary sweet potato pie!
Pecan Pie Filling
The next (and best) part of this pie consists of a gooey pecan topping. If you have ever had pecan pie, you know that the pecans rise above a sweet caramel filling. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie takes this notion to a whole new level by creating a pecan pie filling layer on top of the sweet potato pie filling!
Traditionally, pecan pie filling consists of brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, butter, and vanilla. This filling layered within the other filling is the perfect complement to your turkey and stuffing this year.
Ingredients in Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
For the Sweet Potato Filling:
- 2 large sweet potatoes, baked, mashed, and cooled
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
For the Crust:
- 1¼ cups 1:1 gluten-free baking flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ tsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend includes it already)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 5-6 tbsp ice water
For the Pecan Filling:
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of cinnamon
- 1¼ cups pecan halves
How to Make Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F to bake your sweet potatoes. Wash and dry the outside of the potatoes thoroughly, then prick with a fork multiple times. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This time will fluctuate depending on how large your sweet potatoes are.
Meanwhile, make the crust. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Then, add your optional xanthan gum and butter and pulse 7-8 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stream in the ice water one tablespoon at a time while pulsing and then shut off the machine. If the dough holds together when squeezed, it is ready.
Dump the dough out onto a clean work surface and gently knead it into a rounded disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, or until the fillings are ready.
Once chilled, roll out your dough using a rolling pin to about ⅛-inch thick. Roll the dough up the pin and place it into a buttered pie plate, unrolling the dough fully. You may need to patch some holes or tears in the dough. Crimp the edges with your fingers and place the crust back in the fridge.
Once the sweet potatoes are done, remove the skins and add the flesh to a bowl. Mash with a fork before adding the rest of the sweet potato filling ingredients. Mix to combine fully and move on to the pecan layer.
For the pecan layer, break the eggs into a small bowl and whisk. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until homogenous.
To your cold pie shell, add the sweet potato filling a smooth out with a spatula.
Top with the pecan filling, spreading the pecans carefully and evenly across the top.
Bake in a 350-degree oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow the pie to cool completely before serving.
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato Filling:
- 2 large sweet potatoes, baked, mashed, and cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp grated orange zest
For the Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups 1:1 gluten-free baking flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend includes this already)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
- 5-6 tbsp ice water
For the Pecan Filling:
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups pecan halves
Instructions
- Begin by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F to bake your sweet potatoes. Wash and dry the outside of the potatoes thoroughly, then prick with a fork multiple times. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes. This time will fluctuate depending on how large your sweet potatoes are.
- Meanwhile, make the crust. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor and pulse to combine. Then, add your optional xanthan gum and butter and pulse 7-8 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stream in the ice water one tablespoon at a time while pulsing and then shut off the machine. If the dough holds together when squeezed, it is ready.
- Dump the dough out onto a clean work surface and gently knead into a rounded disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour, or until the fillings are ready.
- Once chilled, roll out your dough using a rolling pin to about ⅛-inch thick. Roll the dough up the pin and place it into a buttered pie plate, unrolling the dough fully. Crimp the edges and place back in the fridge. You may need to patch some holes or tears in the dough.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done, remove the skins and add the flesh to a bowl. Mash with a fork before adding the rest of the sweet potato filling ingredients. Mix to combine fully and move on to the pecan layer.
- For the pecan layer, break the eggs into a small bowl and whisk. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until homogenous.
- To your cold pie shell, add the sweet potato filling a smooth out with a spatula.
- Top with the pecan filling, spreading the pecans carefully and evenly across the top.
- Bake in a 350-degree oven for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the pie to cool completely before serving.
