Vegan Sweet Potato Pie

posted: 10/18/22 — updated: 01/06/23 by Deryn Macey Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

This vegan sweet potato pie is luxuriously rich and creamy and makes the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving. No butter, eggs or dairy needed!

Overhead view of a vegan sweet potato pie cut into slices and topped with dollops of whipped cream.

Table of Contents

About this Recipe

This easy vegan sweet potato pie is wonderfully creamy, slices perfectly and makes an excellent dessert for the holiday season! You’ll love the sweet, spiced flavour and velvety texture of this classic Southern dish.

While similar to pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie does have a slightly different texture and earthy flavour and is definitely worth trying if you’ve never made one.

Because this vegan version is made without eggs or dairy, it’s perfect for accommodating special diets during the holidays. It can even be made gluten-free by using any gluten-free pie crust.

You’ll also love how easy it is to make! While it does take some time to make, the actual hands-on prep time is minimal and couldn’t be easier.

Serve this beautiful plant-based pie with your favourite dairy-free whipped cream for an outstanding dessert that’s sure to be a hit!

A slice of sweet potato pie topped with a dollop of whipped cream on a metal spatula held over the rest of the pie in a pie dish.

Quick Highlights

Minimal prep time.
Just a few simple ingredients.
Perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving.
Can be gluten-free.
Vegan (eggless, dairy-free).
Can be made in advance.
Can be made without crust.

Ingredient Notes

Please note the complete ingredient list with amounts is located in the recipe card at the end of the post. This section covers some notes on specific ingredients as well as possible substitutions.

All of the ingredients for making a vegan sweet potato pie gathered up. Each ingredient is in a bowl and labelled with text describing the ingredient.

Sweet Potato: You’ll need 2 lbs, or 900 g, of sweet potato, which is about 4 large or 7 small sweet potatoes. The size doesn’t matter but try to use sweet potatoes of equal size so they cook in the same time.
Coconut Cream: Canned coconut cream works best here. If you can’t find canned coconut cream, you can use coconut milk to make your own. See the frequently asked questions section for the how-to.
Sugar: Use white granulated sugar such as cane sugar, or substitute light brown sugar or coconut sugar. Note that if you use coconut sugar, the pie will be darker in colour and have a caramel-like flavour.
Cornstarch: This is important for the thick, velvety texture of the pie as well as helping it hold its shape after baking. Do not omit this ingredient. You can, however, substitute arrowroot starch (arrowroot powder), if needed.
Butter: Use vegan butter or regular butter.
Spices: The recipe calls for cinnamon, ginger and cloves. You could also substitute 2-3 tsp of pumpkin pie spice.
Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract or artificial vanilla work.
Pie Crust: Use your choice of 9-inch unbaked pie crust.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Bake the Sweet Potato

Preheat the oven to 375 F and place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet. Poke a few holes in the top of each sweet potato with a fork.

Depending on the size of the potatoes, bake them for about 45-60 minutes until they’re easily pierced with a fork.

Once they’re baked through, remove from them from them oven and reduce the temperature of the oven to 350 F.

Peel the skin off each sweet potato. It should come off easily. I find it helps to run them under cold water while peeling them.

7 baked sweet potatoes on a baking tray. One of them is peeled.

Blend Sweet Potato

Add the peeled sweet potato to a high-speed blender or food processor and and pulse until you have a smooth sweet potato puree with no chunks remaining.

Whole baked and peeled sweet potatoes in a blende container.

Make the Pie Filling

Add the rest of the pie filling ingredients to the blender and blend until you have a smooth and creamy mixture.

Coconut cream, spices and baked sweet potato in a Vitamix container.

Pour the mixture into the pie crust in a pie dish or tart pan and smooth into an even layer.

Unbaked sweet potato pie in a pie dish ready to go in the oven.

Bake the Pie

Bake the pie for 1 hour. It should be firm throughout when it’s done. There may be a few cracks on top but that’s ok – we’ll just hide them with whipped cream!

Overhead view of a baked vegan sweet potato pie with a few cinnamon sticks beside it.

Serve Your Pie

Let the pie cool for 10-15 minutes then slice and serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream, or chill the pie for 1-2 hours if a chilled sweet potato pie is preferred.

A slice of sweet potato pie topped with a dollop of whipped cream on a plate.

Notes and Tips

Do not make any substitutions unless they’re noted in the Ingredient Note section. This recipe has been tested as written and I can’t guarantee the result if you make any major changes.
Use a digital scale to measure the ingredients for accuracy.
While the sweet potatoes are baking, measure out the rest of the ingredients so you’re ready to go.
You can bake the sweet potatoes 1-2 days in advance and store in the fridge.

A slice of sweet potato pie on a small plate. A fork with a small bite of pie on it rests on the plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find canned coconut cream?

Canned coconut cream is common in well-stocked grocery stores or Asian or Indian food stores. It’s located alongside canned coconut milk and looks similar so watch for “coconut cream” on the label.

Thai Kitchen, Earth’s Choice, Char’s Organics, Trader Joe’s and Rooster brands all make canned coconut cream.

Coconut cream is higher in fat than coconut milk and has the consistency of heavy whipping cream, whereas coconut milk is closer to whole milk.

What if I can’t find canned coconut cream?

If you can’t find canned coconut cream in stores, place 2 cans of full-fat coconut milk in the fridge overnight or until you’re ready to make the recipe.

When you’re ready to proceed, open the cans and scoop off the thick coconut cream from the top of the cans until you have nearly one cup of the the thick cream.

Add 1-2 tbsp of the coconut water from the cans and whisk it into the cream until you have a smooth, heavy cream-like consistency. This will mimic the consistency of canned coconut cream.

Can I make gluten-free sweet potato pie?

Absolutely. To make this sweet potato pie gluten-free, use your choice of gluten-free pie crust.

Can I add marshmallows?

Sure. To make sweet potato pie with marshmallows, use your choice of mini marshmallows and arrange them over top of the pie once it’s finished baked. You can also use large marshmallows cut in half.

Turn the oven to broil and broil for 30-60 seconds, watching carefully so they don’t burn. Once they’re golden, remove from the oven.

What kind of pie crust can I use?

Use any unbaked homemade vegan pie crust or store-bought vegan pie crust. Use a gluten-free pie crust if needed! If you’re not vegan or gluten-free, any unbaked pie crust works, homemade or packaged.

Can I make a crustless sweet potato pie?

Yes. To make this sweet potato without the crust, pour the pie filling directly into the pie dish and bake.

Close up of a bite of sweet potato pie on a fork.

Storing

Cover with foil or plastic wrap and store leftover sweet potato pie in the fridge for up to 5 days.
To freeze, let cool completely then wrap well with aluminium foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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