Our Vegan Sweet Potato Pie has a silky, spiced filling that's surprisingly light yet so flavorful! This recipe is perfect if you're accommodating special diets this holiday season - made without refined-sugar, eggs, dairy, oil, soy, or coconut!
Pair it with our popular vegan gluten-free pie crust for a sweet potato pie the whole family will love! Bonus: the GF pie crust holds up much better overnight than traditional pastry.
Are you on team sweet potato pie or team pumpkin pie? Or both?! While I love a deliciously dense and creamy slice of pumpkin pie, it's difficult to argue with the fact that sweet potatoes are just all-around more delicious than pumpkin.
You'll never see me turn away sweet potatoes in any form! Plain, mashed, in a casserole, roasted and on a salad, and certainly in pie. It's all good to me.
This vegan sweet potato pie is far from traditional, but if you're vegan, lactose intolerant, allergic to coconut or soy, or follow an oil-free diet for health reasons, this recipe is for you!
And just because this is a lighter, healthier, and allergy-friendly pie, doesn't mean you'll miss out on flavor or satisfaction. It truly is delicious. And it's so easy to make, too!
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Ingredient Notes
- pie crust - I highly recommend this oil-free vegan pie crust. It's so delicious and easy to work with, but any other vegan pie crust you enjoy is fine, too.
Update: I now have a nut-free pie crust adapted from the one made with almond flour. It is also gluten-free and oil-free. It's made with sunflower seeds and tastes amazing with the sweet potato filling! - sweet potatoes - I find organic sweet potatoes have much more flavor than conventional. So for any recipe where sweet potatoes are the star, it's always good to buy organic.
If you're in the mood for a shortcut, feel free to use canned sweet potato puree. You'll need 2 ½ cups. - milk - use any unsweetened non-dairy milk you like, such as oat, soy, or almond milk.
- raw cashews - these give our pie a bit of richness since we're not using butter, coconut, etc. See the Substitutions section below for nut-free options.
- maple syrup - pure maple syrup sweetens the pie and lends lovely flavor. I don't recommend replacing it.
- arrowroot starch - feel free to use corn starch instead.
See recipe card below for quantities and complete instructions.
How to Make Vegan Sweet Potato Pie
Making any pie from scratch requires a few steps, but the whole process for this vegan sweet potato pie really is easy. Here's how to do it...
First, roast the sweet potatoes in a 400 degree oven until soft. Set aside to cool. This step can be done days in advance if needed.
Next, prepare this easy vegan pie crust, and trust me, it really is easy. If you've struggled with traditional pie crusts in the past, definitely give this one a try. It will become your new go to! Pre-bake the crust for just 7 minutes then set aside.
Now, it's time to make the filling. If using cashews, combine them with the milk and blend until smooth. Then add the remaining filling ingredients and blend again.
If using nut or seed butter instead of cashews, you can combine all of the filling ingredients in the blender at once. Blend until silky smooth.
Pour the filling into the pie crust, and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. The pie is done when the center looks barely set.
Let the pie cool for a few minutes then refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours before serving.
Tips and Serving Suggestions
Since this sweet potato pie is fairly tall (deep dish) it's nearly impossible to fully bake it without a few cracks gracing the top. But I say, don't sweat it! They don't interfere with the flavor, and that's what really counts!
You'll find a lot of tips online for preventing cracks in sweet potato pie, but those pies are made with butter, milk, and eggs. Honestly, those rules just don't apply to our lighter vegan pie.
If your pie has a few cracks on top and you don't like the way it looks, you can always cover it with non-dairy whipped topping, whipped coconut cream, vegan marshmallows (see Variations below), or quick-candied pecans!
Substitutions
- nut-free - make the sweet potato filling nut-free with these swaps: use raw sunflower seeds, tahini, or coconut cream instead of cashews, and opt for a nut-free milk. For a nut-free pie crust option, try this whole-wheat crust.
Variations
- orange - add the zest of one orange to the pie filling.
- chai spice - instead of the spices listed, use 1 ½ teaspoons chai spice blend. Depending on its spiciness, you may want a little more or less.
- coconut - use full-fat canned coconut milk for the milk, and sprinkle the top of the baked pie with freshly toasted coconut flakes.
- marshmallow - if you're not avoiding refined sugar, add Dandie's vegan marshmallows on top.
How to do it:
When the pie is done baking, arrange small marshmallows on top. Turn on your oven's broiler. With the pie about 6 inches away from the heat, broil until the marshmallows are golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Keep a close eye on it so they don't burn!
Equipment Needed
Sweet potato pie filling is often mixed by hand for a more rustic texture, but we need a blender since we're including whole cashews. For simplicity's sake I opted to add all of the filling ingredients to the blender. Blending also creates a silky smooth filling which we really enjoy.
However, if using nut/seed butter instead of cashews, feel free to use an electric mixer instead of a blender.
Another option for creating a slightly more textured pie filling, is to blend only the cashews and milk. Then pour that into a bowl with the remaining ingredients, and beat with an electric mixer.
How to Store Leftover Pie
Cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 3 days. Technically, it's safe to eat for up to about 5 days, but as with any pie, the crust will gradually soften the longer it sits.
Sweet potato pie freezes well. Be sure to wrap tightly to protect from air. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
I hope you love this healthy Vegan Sweet Potato Pie as much as we do. If you try it be sure to rate the recipe and leave a comment below to let us know!
More Vegan Holiday Desserts
If you're new to vegan baking, be sure to check out these Top 12 Tips!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Sweet Potato Pie (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
Ingredients
Pie crust:
- 1 unbaked Gluten-Free Vegan Pie Crust (tap for the recipe) - See Notes for nut-free option
For the filling:
- 1 ½ lbs. sweet potatoes, about 3 med/large - You'll need 2 ½ cups mashed sweet potato.
- 1 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy milk such as oat or almond
- ½ cup raw cashews (See Notes) - Sub raw sunflower seeds or ¼ cup almond butter or tahini if desired
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 3 Tablespoons arrowroot starch - Or corn starch
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- scant ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Helpful tips and options are covered in the post above. Please review before beginning.
Bake the sweet potatoes:
- This step can be done 1 to 3 days in advance. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C), and line a baking sheet with foil. Wash and dry the sweet potatoes, then prick each one several times with a fork. Place sweet potatoes on the pan, and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until soft, flipping at the 30 minute mark. Cook time will depend on the thickness of the sweet potatoes.
- Allow potatoes to cool. Discard the skins, and measure out 2 ½ cups of sweet potato flesh.
Pre-bake the crust and make the pie:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Prebake the pie crust for 7 minutes, or follow package directions if using a store-bought crust. Set crust aside to cool.
- Combine the cashews and milk in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the remaining filling ingredients: mashed sweet potato, maple syrup, arrowroot, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. The mixture will be fairly thick. Pour into the prebaked pie crust, and use a spoon or silicone spatula to smooth the top of the pie.
- Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center looks just set. *Depending on the crust you're using, you may need to cover the edges with foil or a pie crust shield after 25 - 30 minutes to prevent it from getting too brown. If using my gluten-free crust recipe, the crust should be okay uncovered the whole time.
- Let the pie cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate uncovered. Once the pie is cool, cover until ready to serve. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 to 4 hours before slicing. See Notes if making in advance.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used. We calculate this information using the online calculator cronometer.com.
Mary
OMG! Cashew-free option! I.LOVE.YOU!!!!!!!
(Also, thank you!)
Dora
Hi Lori, can I use agave syrup instead of maple syrup?
ty
Dora
Lori
Hi Dora,
I haven't tried that swap myself but it should work fine. Hope you enjoy the pie!
JoAnne
Hi there,
Could you use butternut squash in place of sweet potato, as long as you made sure all the water was squeezed out?
Thanks,
JoAnne
Lori
Hi Joanne,
I think that's a great idea! In fact, I think I'll add butternut squash pie to my to-do list for the next holiday season. If you try it let us know!
daisy
Oh, Lori! I made this for Thanksgiving and it is absolutely the BEST pie I've ever made! I used a walnut/maple syrup/vanilla crust and it paired so well with the filling. I can't tell you how thankful I am that you test these alternative recipes out, because I know I wouldn't have the patience. So far, everything I have made from your blog has been fabulous! Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving those of us with sensitivities delicious things to eat. Blessings...daisy
Marianne
I’m making this vegan sweet potato pie for a good friend who has gone vegan to help with health issues. It sounds delicious. I don’t have a blender. Is a food processor ok to blend the cashews and oat milk, and then the rest of the ingredients? Thank you.
Lori
That's so thoughtful of you, Marianne.
The food processor will take a little longer to get the cashews completely smooth but could work if blended long enough. You can also just start with nut butter instead (as mentioned above), and then the filling will definitely be smooth.
I hope you and your friend enjoy the pie!
Marianne
The pie and the crust were a huge hit, even with non-vegans. I used almond butter and an electric mixer; the filling was smooth and delicious, not too sweet, which everyone liked. Final and huge praise to the pie crust recipe. I was skeptical it would come together as easily for me as for everyone else, but it worked like magic. No fighting to roll it out. Your advice about keeping the edge of the dough thin is wise. I used too much “repair” dough in a few spots and those spots were hard. But a lesson learned. My friend was so happy. Thank you Lori! Good holidays to all.
Jules
I made this tonight, prebaked the crust for five minutes, and took it out at the soonest time suggested. The filling tastes amazing. I'm less impressed with the crust. The edges were kind of hard and lacked flavor. 🙁 I thought maybe it needed more water, but it held together fine when I rolled it out so I thought it would be fine. Then when I cut into it after it cooled, the crust was not done underneath. Unfortunate.
Lori
That is unfortunate, and I'm sorry to hear the crust didn't work for you, Jules. I'm curious which flour you used? Did you use the rice flour or a different one? I've made the recipe countless times at this point and heard from so many people who have also made it successfully, so I would really like to figure out what may have gone wrong.
Feel free to email me at lori @ myquietkitchen.com. I'm glad you enjoyed the sweet potato filling.
Marie
Hi Lori! You did it again! Thank you for a wonderful recipe. And thank you for all you do to help people with going vegan vegetarian.
Lori
That's so kind of you, Marie. Thank you!
Trish
Fabulous! I prefer dessert less sweet than most, so I used 2 dates instead of the maple syrup, and made it crustless. Next time, I'll see how thick it is without the cornstarch and maybe eat it raw. Thanks for sharing your talents!