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  • Γ—

    Sweet Potato-Pecan Pie

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This delicious pie is similar to pumpkin pie but it is made with sweet potatoes (or yams) instead of pumpkin. The filling is sweetened with dates, thickened with a little oat flour, and the Pecan-Date Crust is just like a sweet, crumbly cookie!

    Sweet Potato-Pecan Pie

    Note: As mentioned above, this pie can be made with yellow-brown sweet potatoes or garnet or jewel yams (for an explanation of the difference between yams and sweet potatoes, see this post). There are two recipes below: one for the crust and one for the filling, with photos to follow on how to roll out the crust and assemble the pie. If you're looking for a Pumpkin Pie recipe, click here.

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    Pecan-Date Pie Crust


    • Total Time: 35 mins
    • Yield: Makes one 8-inch pie crust 1x
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    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 1 ΒΌ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
    • 2 Β½ ounces raw, unsalted pecans (about Β½ cup)
    • Β½ teaspoon cinnamon
    • 2 Β½ ounces pitted dates (4 to 5 Medjool or 8 to 10 Deglet Noor), chopped
    • 1 Β½ tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

    Instructions

    1. Place the oats, pecans, and cinnamon in a food processor, and process until the texture resembles coarse flour.
    2. Add the dates, and process for about 1 minute, or until the mixture just begins to clump together. Add the milk and process until the mixture starts to ball up into dough (this will happen quickly).
    3. Form the dough into one big ball and place it on a large piece of parchment paper on top of a cutting board or other flat surface. Press the ball flat with your hands and then place another large piece of parchment paper over the top.
    4. Preheat the oven to 375Β°F. Set aside an 8-inch pie pan.
    5. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough into a circle that is about β…› inch thick. The circle should be slightly larger than the upper edge o the pie pan. (If your circle is irregularly shaped, just cut a piece of dough from another area and press it in.)
    6. Peel off the top piece of parchment paper and carefully invert the rolled-out crust onto the pie pan. Peel away the remaining piece of parchment paper. Gently ease the crust into the contours of the pan and lightly press into place.
    7. Trim away any hanging crust (don't wrap the crust over the edge of the pan since this will make it harder to cut after it's baked). You do not need to poke the crust with a knife.
    8. Place a piece of aluminum foil over the entire crust, loosely tucking under the corners. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned.
    • Prep Time: 25 mins
    • Cook Time: 10 mins

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: β…› recipe (1 slice, without filling)
    • Calories: 134
    • Sugar: 6.6g
    • Sodium: 0.5mg
    • Fat: 7.4g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.7g
    • Carbohydrates: 16.5g
    • Fiber: 2.8g
    • Protein: 2.6g
    • Cholesterol: 0

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @straightupfood and hashtag it #straightupfood - we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

    Sweet Potato-Pecan Pie


    Above: Here is the pie made with a jewel yam, so it has a darker color and looks more like pumpkin pie. The photo at the top of this page is made with a yellow sweet potato, so it's not as dark in color.

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    Sweet Potato-Pecan Pie Filling


    • Total Time: 1 hour
    • Yield: 6 to 8 (makes one 8-inch pie) 1x
    Print Recipe
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    Ingredients

    Scale
    • ΒΌ to Β½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (Β½ cup will result in a firmer filling)
    • ΒΎ cup unsweetened nondairy milk
    • 4 ounces pitted dates (7 to 8 Medjool or 14 to 16 Deglet Noor), chopped
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
    • 1 Β½ cups (packed) baked sweet potato (about 1 pound before cooking; see Notes)
    • 1 ΒΌ teaspoons cinnamon
    • ΒΌ teaspoon ground ginger
    • β…› teaspoon ground cloves
    • 1 prebaked Pecan-Date Pie Crust
    • 15 to 20 raw, unsalted pecan halves to decorate the outside edge, plus ΒΌ cup chopped pecans for the center of the pie

    Instructions

    1. Grind the rolled oats into flour with a blender and then transfer to a small bowl.
    2. Place the nondairy milk, dates, and vanilla into the blender, and set aside for at least 15 minutes (so the dates can soften).
    3. Preheat the oven to 375Β°F. Set aside your prebaked pie crust.
    4. Add the baked sweet potato to the blender with the milk, dates and vanilla, and blend until smooth.
    5. Add the oat flour, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves to the blender mixture, and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides a couple times. (This will be thick, so use your blender's tamper if it has one, or you can also use a food processor.)
    6. Pour the pie filling into the prebaked pie crust and smooth out evenly. Arrange the pecan halves around the outside of the pie and the chopped pecans in the middle.
    7. Wrap a few 3-inch-wide strips of aluminum foil around the edge of the pie crust (keeping the edges of the foil from touching the filling) to prevent the crust from overbrowning.
    8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the crust is a medium brown. Remove the pie from the oven and remove the foil strips. Cool completely before slicing.

    Notes

    To bake the sweet potato, place the unpeeled potato on a baking sheet, and bake at 400Β°F for 60 to 70 minutes, or until very soft when pierced with a knife.

    To make this a pumpkin pie, substitute 1 can (15 ounces) 100% cooked pumpkin (not "pumpkin pie mix") or 1 Β½ cups (packed) baked pumpkin.

    To make this a yam pie, substitute 1 Β½ cups (packed) baked yams. Yam pie will be darker in color than sweet potato pie.

    • Prep Time: 30 mins
    • Cook Time: 30 mins

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: β…› recipe (1 slice, without crust)
    • Calories: 154
    • Sugar: 13.4g
    • Sodium: 20mg
    • Fat: 5.4g
    • Saturated Fat: 0.5g
    • Carbohydrates: 25.4g
    • Fiber: 3.9g
    • Protein: 3.2g
    • Cholesterol: 0

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @straightupfood and hashtag it #straightupfood - we can’t wait to see what you’ve made!

    Steps
    Two


    Above: Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper or on a flexible, plastic chopping mat.

    One


    Above: Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough, and roll it out into a circle using a rolling pin, to about β…›-inch thick.

    Four


    Above: Use the pie pan as a guide in cutting the crust. Leave a little extra as shown.

    Five


    Above: Flip the pie pan, the crust and the parchment paper (or mat) over, and peel away the top parchment paper (or the cutting mat, which I used here; I'm using a spatula on the underside to loosen the crust from the mat).

    Six


    Above: The crust should now be laying on top of the pie pan.

    Seven


    Above: Gently ease the crust into the contours of the pie pan.

    Eight


    Above: Trim off any extra, overhanging crust, being careful not to secure the crust under the pan lip (this will make cutting it later a challenge.)

    Nine


    Above: Cover the uncooked crust with foil and loosely curl the edges under. Bake for 10 minutes.

    Ten


    Above: After the crust has baked and cooled for at least 10 minutes, spread the filling evenly inside the crust (I've used an orange jewel yam for my filling in this photo).

    Eleven


    Above: Place some pecans around the outter edge (or make whatever design you like).

    Thirteen


    Above: Add the chopped pecans to the center. Place a few aluminum foil strips around the edges to keep the crust from over-browning; secure them underneath first...

    Fourteen


    Above: ...then on top, being careful not to let the foil dip into the filling. Bake for 30 minutes.

    Fifteen


    Above: Cut the pie after it has cooled.

    « Raw Cranberry-Persimmon Relish
    Baked Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce »

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christina

      November 18, 2015 at 3:12 pm

      Wow! That pie looks ah-mazing! Question, does it have to be baked in a metal pie pan? All I have is glass.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 18, 2015 at 4:27 pm

        No it doesn't. Generally speaking, metal cooks things up a little crisper than glass but I wouldn't go out a buy a new pan. πŸ™‚

        Reply
        • Christina

          November 19, 2015 at 2:18 pm

          Thank you! πŸ™‚

          Reply
      • Daniel Grimes

        November 25, 2015 at 10:50 am

        jesus christ. this is bloody good. I love eating indulgent food that is also healthy!

        Reply
    2. Moonwatcher

      November 18, 2015 at 3:29 pm

      This is a beautiful pie, Cathy. And it's delicious--and healthy--too. Thank you! xo

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 18, 2015 at 4:27 pm

        πŸ˜‰ Thanks Maria!

        Reply
    3. Ellen

      November 18, 2015 at 3:41 pm

      Hi Cathy, I made your Pumpkin Pie with the Pecan Crust last year and decided this year I would make it with Sweet Potatoes instead because I didn't like the canned pumpkin taste and the fresh sweet potatoes I had subsititued in your Pumpkin Squares, that were also excellent, tasted better. Ha! This is exactly what I was planning to do too.

      Thank you for your dedication.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 18, 2015 at 4:27 pm

        Ha! Just for you. πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    4. Iris Silverstein

      November 18, 2015 at 5:59 pm

      Hi Cathy. Can't wait to try this recipe. If I make it the day before do you suggest storing it overnight in the refrigerator?
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 18, 2015 at 8:58 pm

        Hi Iris, yes, probably best and covered with plastic wrap. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    5. Helyn @ Helyn's Plant-based Kitchen

      November 18, 2015 at 4:36 pm

      This looks fabuloso, Cathy! Thanks for sharing! :))

      Reply
    6. Teri of NC

      November 21, 2015 at 7:42 pm

      Thanks for the great recipe! I think this has the best vegan pie crust I've ever tried since going WFPB. Awesome!

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 22, 2015 at 12:16 am

        Thanks Teri! Yes, I love this crust, and it's pretty easy. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. Ryan

      November 23, 2015 at 6:36 pm

      Making this for thanksgiving thanks for the recipe! Would purple sweet potatoes work as well?

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 23, 2015 at 7:28 pm

        I think they would. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    8. Dane Rogers

      November 24, 2015 at 1:30 pm

      Thank you Cathy for yet another wonderful recipe. Your crust has been my standard for a couple of years. Yesterday, I tried a new twist and used English walnuts because I gathered lots of them this year. I also grew sweet potatoes for the first time. Your recipe made them into a delight!

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 24, 2015 at 7:42 pm

        Thanks Dane! πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    9. Wendy @ Plantivores

      November 25, 2015 at 6:04 pm

      Just took mine out of the oven. It smells divine! The few nibbles I tried have me so excited to eat it tomorrow! Thanks for a great recipe!

      Reply
    10. Meenoo

      December 27, 2015 at 8:04 am

      Hi Cathy! Love your recipes -- thank you so much for what you do. I made this pie, along with your Enchilada casserole, Creamy coleslaw, and mashed potatoes (I did add steamed kale in those -- my only contribution to your recipes!) for our Christmas dinner. The meal was fabulous and everyone loved every dish! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Cathy

        December 27, 2015 at 12:43 pm

        Great to hear! Thanks Meenoo! πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    11. Roz K. Walker

      January 03, 2016 at 12:15 pm

      I love sweet potato pie, but my mother's recipe is loaded with butter, sugar and dairy. I thought I had to cut it from my meal plans, but this recipe is restoring my hope! I can't wait to try it!

      Reply
      • Jacqueline Mapp

        February 16, 2018 at 5:55 pm

        Rob if you made this please share your thoughts . I miss baking sweet-potato pies and if I could a diary free, gluten free recipe, I will be overjoyed. Thanks

        Reply
        • Jacqueline Mapp

          February 16, 2018 at 5:57 pm

          Sorry about spelling of your name...auto correction.

          Reply
    12. Suzanne

      February 23, 2016 at 7:44 am

      Wow! This looks like something my husband might like! Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
    13. Cathy Harrison

      May 23, 2016 at 12:39 pm

      I just read How Not to Die and it mentioned your site. I'm just going plant based. Your recipes look delicious but difficult to write them down. Do you have a cookbook? (Don't have computer or printer?)

      Reply
      • Cathy

        May 23, 2016 at 2:55 pm

        Hi Cathy, I am working on a cookbook now, out this fall. πŸ˜‰ Thank you!

        Reply
    14. Sarah

      June 11, 2016 at 8:48 am

      What can I use as substitute for the nuts? Can this crust be even be made without nuts?

      Reply
      • Cathy

        June 11, 2016 at 9:43 pm

        I would use seeds (maybe sunflower), if you can eat those, or nut/seed butter. I'm not sure if just dates and grains would hold up; the fat in the nuts helps hold it all together. You could also just make a crustless pie. Or do something more like Pumpkin Pie Squares, which also don't have a crust. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    15. Sarah

      June 12, 2016 at 6:28 am

      Thank you, we've enjoyed you recipes so far the pineapple stir fry is our favorite!is it ok to add corn starch to thicken sauces or something else you recommend? I did it with the beef less stew (YUM!) wish I did it to the Tu No casserole? Looking forward to your book coming out we love the pictures with receipes too.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        June 12, 2016 at 7:34 am

        Thanks Sarah! πŸ™‚ You can use cornstarch, sure. Please feel free to leave a comment on the Pineapple Stir Fry, since it doesn't have that many. Thanks!

        Reply
    16. Amy

      August 02, 2016 at 1:34 pm

      Loved it! Even better than a regular pumpkin pie. Very liberating for me to be able to eat dessert without feeling guilty.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        August 02, 2016 at 4:59 pm

        Thanks Amy! πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    17. Sharon

      September 09, 2016 at 9:55 am

      new to plant based... how do you grind oats??

      Reply
      • Cathy

        September 10, 2016 at 8:25 am

        Hi Sharon, just put some rolled oats into a blender and blend until it looks like flour, about 20 seconds. High-speed blenders, like a Vitamix, work really well for this, but you can use any blender. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    18. lt

      September 19, 2016 at 1:23 pm

      Can steel-cut oats replace rolled oats? Is it okay to use soy milk? Thank you in advance.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        September 19, 2016 at 7:10 pm

        Soy milk is fine. If ground, using steel-cut is probably fine to sub. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    19. Julie Rider

      October 02, 2016 at 4:35 pm

      I have been learning to use flax egg in replacing eggs in recipes...in the past my pumpkin pie would have eggs to firm it up...could I use the flax egg mixture with similar results?

      Reply
      • Cathy

        October 02, 2016 at 4:38 pm

        I don't use flax eggs in my cooking, so am not sure how it would work. I would usually add more oat flour in this recipe.

        Reply
    20. Amy Crenshaw

      October 12, 2016 at 9:50 am

      Can you substitute the rolled oats for gluten free baking flour? If so how much flour would you use. I need to make it wheat free and can't find rolled oats that say they aren't processed in a plant where wheat is not present

      Reply
      • Cathy

        October 12, 2016 at 12:08 pm

        I think that would work just fine. When I grind oats, the final flour is nearly the same measurement as the oats; you could start with a lesser amount and work up to more if it seems it needs it.

        Reply
        • Amy

          October 12, 2016 at 12:30 pm

          Thank you very much for responding.

          Reply
    21. Mel

      October 29, 2016 at 4:39 am

      I've had trouble with mixing/blending the dates. I'm using medjool dates. What can I be doing wrong? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Cathy

        October 30, 2016 at 12:01 pm

        You could let them soak longer and/or blend them longer (high-speed blenders work best when you really want a smooth consistency).

        Reply
    22. Carrie Draper

      November 02, 2016 at 9:08 pm

      This pie is fabulous! I also love your baked falafels and your pesto sauce. That is 3 for 3 healthy recipes that my kids love. Thank you for being awesome and, more importantly, for sharing that awesome with the world!!! 😊. My life is better because of people like you!! 😊😊

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 02, 2016 at 9:48 pm

        Aw, thanks so much Carrie! πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    23. Remko & Marion

      November 12, 2016 at 11:21 pm

      Hmmm, delicious! We baked it last night and are having it for breakfast, in bed! Ha ha 😝.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 13, 2016 at 4:53 pm

        Niiice! πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    24. crystal

      November 22, 2016 at 7:13 pm

      This pie is sooo incredibly smooth and rich without any added oil! Will definitely be making again. I will try using a metal pie tin next time I bake it to get a crispier crust on the bottom as I used glass this time and it was a bit too soft for me.

      Reply
    25. Christian Lake

      November 23, 2016 at 3:36 pm

      I have only been reading this blog for a few minutes, but I just made the pumpkin pie filling, and I can already tell this is going to be one of my favorite places to find recipes. One of my favorite foods before being vegan was lasagna. Do you have a good, whole food, recipe for lasagna? I couldn't find any recipes so far on the blog.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 23, 2016 at 7:18 pm

        Hi Christian, thank you! πŸ˜‰ I'm glad to hear that! I don't have a lasagna recipe, which is weird, I know. It's never been a favorite go-to meal. But I should get a recipe going. The closest thing I have is the Mushroon-Basil Au Gratin. Thanks for the comment!

        Reply
        • Christian Lake

          November 24, 2016 at 6:31 am

          Awesome! Potatoes Au Gratin is also something I used to love, I will try that recipe this week! Thanks

          Reply
    26. Faith Scott

      December 06, 2016 at 11:15 am

      OMG! Thank you for sharing such a fabulously delicious Sweet Potato Pie recipe! And the crust is absolutely the best! Made the pie for the first time on yesterday. Family devoured it! Making another one today! Lol

      Reply
    27. theelectricsoul

      January 09, 2018 at 5:20 pm

      Wow! This reminds us of our travels to South Carolina! Excited to try it!

      Reply
    28. Anita

      May 24, 2018 at 1:39 am

      This looks delicious and healthy too, its a must try. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    29. Carol Muphy

      February 03, 2019 at 10:09 am

      This looks fantastic and I want to try it but wondering if you think walnuts would taste about the same in this recipe? Pecans are crazy expensive where I live!

      Reply
    30. Leah Stolar

      July 04, 2020 at 7:05 pm

      The pie was a complete success and very pretty! I added a little more plant milk to the crust to form a ball and it rolled out nicely. I made the pie from the cookbook and didn’t think that it might be in the blog. It would have been nice to see the photos which are incredibly helpful. Next time I’ll check the blog first.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        July 05, 2020 at 11:56 am

        Ah yes, that is one recipe that has step by step photos. πŸ™‚

        Reply
    31. Meryl

      November 17, 2020 at 9:59 am

      Hi Cathy. This WFPB sweet potato poetry in a pie plate! I doubled the recipe for the crust since I had a 9 inch pie pan. (yes I have some left over LOL.) With the extra dough I was able to build op the edge of the crust enough that it didn't burn in the oven. I increased the filling by about 50% too. I also opted for coconut cream for the plant milk. It came out great! Thanks!

      Reply
      • Cathy

        November 17, 2020 at 7:41 pm

        Wow, that sounds great, Meryl! πŸ™‚ Thanks for the comment!

        Reply
    32. Susan

      December 27, 2022 at 8:19 am

      Hi Cathy, do you think this crust would not get too tough if I used it with a pie filling that needs to bake 45 minutes?

      Reply
      • Cathy

        December 27, 2022 at 10:14 am

        That is a long time, so I think it would get overbaked. You'd want to be sure and cover the edges showing so they don't overbrown. You could do a practice one. πŸ™‚

        Reply
        • Susan

          December 28, 2022 at 11:05 am

          Thank you, i think I'll wait to use it for a pie that bakes a shorter time. I look forward to trying it soon.

          Reply

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