Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream)
Nothing says Fall quite like the cooking that begins around the house. (Think apple pie, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, etc…) And this Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream) is no exception! A buttery, flaky crust is filled with the silkiest brown sugar sweet potato pie filling and baked until it has the perfect creamy texture. Once it has cooled completely and while the smell of cinnamon still lingers in the kitchen, slice up this pie and serve it with my AMAZING homemade rum whipped cream. It truly sends this classic Southern dessert over the edge and will impress all your family members. (Even the picky ones!)
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Sweet potatoes are great any time of the year, but they speak to me around the holidays. I’m sure that this is for a multitude of reasons. First of all, the color is beautiful. Orange is the undisputed color of Fall, and this vegetable falls naturally within that scope. Another reason is that all of the warm spices of the holiday season pair so well with sweet potato recipes. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, brown sugar, etc… only enhance the natural sweetness of the potato and truly let the sweet potato flavor shine. And because sweet potatoes are like nature’s candy (to me) in the vegetable world, it’s a no-brainer that they would work well for a pie.
You might think, “I know that sweet potato pie is a classic, so there is nothing new to see here.”
Well, I think you might be wrong. Two elements to my recipe might make this pie stand out from the pies you’ve been making all of your life. The first change is the brown sugar. In my family, we always used white granulated sugar to make our sweet potato pie, but this swap adds a depth of flavor that is more complimentary than just plain white sugar. The second element that makes this pie unique and a bit fancier for the holidays and your guests is the addition of a rum-flavored whipped cream.
Many people might be confused by the rum whipped cream, but it makes total sense to me. My grandmother always made the most delicious fruit cakes for Christmas, soaked in rum. So, rum and holiday cooking go hand in hand for me. (in the recipes, not in my hand!) And I began thinking about other desserts that shared similar flavors to that fruit cake. It didn’t take long for me to think of sweet potato pie. I debated whether to add the rum to the pie (and I might do that later) or keep it optional with the whipped cream. (Obviously, I decided on the latter.)
To use REAL RUM or RUM EXTRACT… that is the question!
The biggest deciding factor in my final product was that some people might not be crazy about rum-flavored treats, and by putting it in the whipped cream, they could omit it altogether if they preferred. (As a main holiday dessert, I would hate for anyone to feel I “ruined” the traditional sweet potato pie!)
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And speaking of Thanksgiving and Christmas desserts, you don’t have to wait for special occasions to make this pie. (Although it’s an excellent recipe for those times you want to make an impression.) This recipe is made with simple ingredients that are easy to put together. You could easily make it on the weekends or serve it at Sunday supper for the family. One thing that makes it easy during a busy week is that all ingredients can be prepped in advance. You can make your pie crust one day and not roll it out, but you can make it for a couple of days.
If you have sweet potatoes for dinner one night, bake a few extra for your pie. You can put the pie together that night or store it in the fridge and make it another day. And if you are in a big pinch, as far as time is concerned, take a few shortcuts with a store-bought pie crust. Will it taste the same? Probably not, but that delicious filling and whipped topping can cover many sins! (HA)
Tips for the Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream):
- Cover the edges with aluminum foil if your crust starts to brown too quickly while the pie is baking.
- Ensure the butter stays cold for the best results with your pie crust. You can even freeze the stick of butter. This makes it easier to grate into the recipe.
- If you don’t want to grate your butter, you can incorporate it into the flour using a pastry cutter or your hands.
- The pie crust calls for 4-5 tablespoons of ice water. If your mixture seems a little dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until it begins to form dough.
- There is no need to blind-bake this pie crust.
Make this Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream) with me on YouTube!
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream) Ingredients:
For the flaky pie crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4-5 tablespoons ice water
- 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 egg
- 8 tablespoons cold butter (grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg (for the egg wash)
For the filling:
- 3 medium fresh sweet potatoes (baked)
- 8 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the rum whipped cream:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream) Instructions:
Making the crust:
- First, place the all-purpose flour in a large bowl.
- Second, add the cold butter to the flour. You can cube it or grate it. I chose to grate the butter because the thin slices are easier to incorporate with your fingers. You want to mash the butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal, almost like sand.
- Third, add the 1 egg, salt, cold water, and white vinegar to the flour and butter mixture.
- Mix all of the ingredients with your fingers until the dough forms.
- After the dough has come together, wrap it completely with plastic storage wrap and flatten it into a disc so that it’s easier to roll out later. Place the wrapped pie crust into the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Roll it out on a lightly floured surface once the pie crust has finished resting in the fridge.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the pie crust to the size of your pie-baking dish. (Sprinkle flour on the dough and the rolling pin to prevent it from sticking.)
- Then, roll your dough around the rolling pin to transfer it into the pie dish.
- Next, trim the extra dough (hanging off of the pie dish) with a knife, leaving enough to have a thick crust on the edge.
- Crimp the edges of the crust any way that you like. You can use a fork or your fingers. I chose to use the ribbon method with my fingers.
- Brush the pie crust edges, bottom, and sides with the egg wash.
- Finally, place the pie crust back into the fridge to chill until ready to fill it.
Making the filling:
- First, roast the sweet potatoes in the oven at 425 degrees F. for 50 minutes.
- Second, remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool enough to handle them without burning yourself.
- Third, remove the skins from the potatoes and place the flesh into a mixing bowl.
- Then, using a potato masher, mash the warm potatoes until they are creamy and free of lumps.
- Next, mix the remaining ingredients into the mashed sweet potatoes. (Using a hand mixer is the best way to get a super creamy and fluffy filling.)
Making the rum whipped cream:
- Beat the cream, sugar, and rum extract until fluffy using an electric mixer on medium speed.
Putting it all together:
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Second, remove the chilled, unbaked pie crust from the fridge and fill it with the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake the pie for about 55 minutes or just until the center of the pie is slightly jiggly.
- Allow the pie to cool for at least 2 hours until it has reached room temperature.
- Finally, cut into individual slices, serve with a generous dollop of the rum whipped cream, and enjoy!
Storage for the Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream):
- Leftover pie can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Extra rum whipped cream can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days.
What are the Macros for the Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream)?
Makes 8 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 1 slice)
** Whipped cream not included in the macronutrients **
- Calories – 598 grams
- Protein – 7.45 grams
- Carbs – 62 grams (net)
- Fat – 36 grams
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Brown Sugar Sweet Potato Pie (Rum whipped cream)
Equipment
- 1 10 inch pie plate
- 1 baking pan
- Parchment paper
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 electric hand mixer
Ingredients
For the flaky pie crust:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4-5 tablespoons ice water
- 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 egg
- 8 tablespoons cold butter grated
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg for the egg wash
For the filling:
- 3 medium fresh sweet potatoes baked
- 8 tablespoons salted butter (melted)
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the rum whipped cream:
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon rum extract
Instructions
Making the crust:
- First, place the all-purpose flour in a large bowl.
- Second, add the cold butter to the flour. You can cube it or grate it. I chose to grate the butter because the thin slices are easier to incorporate with your fingers. You want to mash the butter into the flour until it resembles a coarse meal, almost like sand.
- Third, add the 1 egg, salt, cold water, and white vinegar to the flour and butter mixture.
- Mix all of the ingredients with your fingers until the dough forms.
- After the dough has come together, wrap it completely with plastic storage wrap and flatten it into a disc so that it’s easier to roll out later. Place the wrapped pie crust into the fridge for at least 20 minutes.
- Roll it out on a lightly floured surface once the pie crust has finished resting in the fridge.
- Using a rolling pin, roll out the pie crust to the size of your pie-baking dish. (Sprinkle flour on the dough and the rolling pin to prevent it from sticking.)
- Then, roll your dough around the rolling pin to transfer it into the pie dish.
- Next, trim the extra dough (hanging off of the pie dish) with a knife, leaving enough to have a thick crust on the edge.
- Crimp the edges of the crust any way that you like. You can use a fork or your fingers. I chose to use the ribbon method with my fingers.
- Brush the pie crust edges with the egg wash.
- Finally, place the pie crust back into the fridge to chill until ready to fill it.
Making the filling:
- First, roast the sweet potatoes in the oven at 425 degrees F. for 50 minutes.
- Second, remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool enough to handle them without burning yourself.
- Third, remove the skins from the potatoes and place the flesh into a mixing bowl.
- Then, using a potato masher, mash the warm potatoes until they are creamy and free of lumps.
- Next, mix the remaining ingredients into the mashed sweet potatoes. (Using a hand mixer is the best way to get a super creamy and fluffy filling.)
Making the rum whipped cream:
- Beat the cream, sugar, and rum extract until fluffy using an electric mixer on medium speed.
Putting it all together:
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Second, remove the chilled, unbaked pie crust from the fridge and fill it with the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake the pie for about 50 minutes or just until the center of the pie is slightly jiggly.
- Allow the pie to cool for at least 2 hours until it has reached room temperature.
- Finally, cut into individual slices, serve with a generous dollop of the rum whipped cream, and enjoy!
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