Your grocery list

Produce

• Sweet potatoes (2 large ones, for roasting)

Dairy

• Unsalted butter
• Large eggs

Baking items

• White sugar
• Brown sugar
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Evaporated milk
• Vanilla extract
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Kosher salt
• Instant vanilla pudding mix (1 package – 3.4 ounces)
• 2 12-inch unbaked pie crust rounds (this brown butter pie crust recipe or store-bought will work)

Equipment/tools you’ll need

To make sweet potato pie filling:

• Baking sheet
• Food processor (a blender, electric hand mixer, or immersion blender would also work)
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups/spoons

To make pie crust:

• Saucepan
• Rubber spatula
• Parchment paper
• Freezer-safe dish
• Large mixing bowl
• Pastry cutter or fork (for cutting butter into dry ingredients)
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Whisk
• Rolling pin
• 9- or 10-inch cast iron pan (recommended) or pie dish
• Plastic wrap
• Pastry brush

Making the double-crusted sweet potato pie

Step 1: Prepare the sweet potato filling

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190°C). Bake sweet potatoes for 35-45 minutes or until soft. After baking, carefully remove the potatoes’ flesh from the skins and set aside (in a mixing bowl) to cool slightly.
• Combine the mashed sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and instant vanilla pudding mix. Whisk or blend until well combined and completely smooth.

Step 2: Follow these instructions to make your brown butter pie crust

• Making pie crust is a simple process with a few basic ingredients; however, a brown butter pie crust takes a bit longer and imparts so much delicious nutty flavor into each bite of your pie.
• If you’re pressed for time, store-bought pie crust would also work for this recipe.

Step 3: Roll out the pie crust

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the pie crusts into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch cast iron pan (recommended) or pie dish.

Step 4: Blind bake the bottom crust (optional)

• Since custard pies tend to leave the bottom crusts soggy, I like to blind bake the bottom crust for to give it a head start and create a sturdy base for the pie.
• Place parchment paper over bottom layer of pie crust in the dish and pour dried beans or rice into the dish (enough to keep the crust from puffing too much while it bakes).
• Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. Let it cool slightly before filling.
• Again, this step is optional. Your pie will come out just fine if you assemble the entire pie and bake it all together.

Step 5: Fill the pie

• Carefully remove the pan or dish from the oven. Pour the sweet potato filling into the prepared pie crust, spreading it out so there is slightly more filling near the center than around the edges.

Step 6: Add the top crust

• Roll out the second pie crust and place it over the filled pie. Trim any excess dough, leaving about a 1-inch overhang. Press the edges of the top and bottom crusts together to seal, then crimp the edges with a fork.

Step 7: Ventilation and brushing

• Cut 6-8 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking. This can be done in a decorative star of flower pattern if desired.
• Brush the top crust with egg wash (1 egg plus a splash of water or milk) or a golden finish.

Step 8: Bake

• Place the pie in the preheated oven (reduce to 350 degrees after blind baking) and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set.

Why should I use a cast iron pan instead of glass pie dish to bake my pies?

Tips and variations for your double crusted sweet potato pie

• For an extra flavor boost, consider adding a teaspoon of orange zest or a splash of bourbon to the sweet potato filling.
• To make a decorative top crust, use cookie cutters to create shapes from any extra craps of rolled-out dough and arrange them over the crust/filling before baking.
• Serve the pie with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream for an indulgent treat.