Sweet Potato Delights: Decadent Flavor, Minus the Sugar!

By Karen Heslop

Nothing tops off a great Thanksgiving meal like a nice slice of sweet potato pie. It’s a staple of the holidays and a much-loved replacement for pumpkin pie. However, a traditional recipe can pack quite a punch when it comes to sugar and calories. Here’s how to bake a pie that your body and tastebuds love!

Do You Really Need A New Recipe?

Well, a regular recipe for sweet potato pie calls for a lot of sugar. If you need to watch your sugar intake, then it’s definitely not a good idea to have your fill of the tasty pie.

According to the experts, one slice of sweet potato pie can have up to 30g of sugar. That’s as much as a regular-sized chocolate bar or a can of soda. The picture gets even worse when you consider that most of us have more than one slice of pie in a single sitting!

Your Sugar-Free Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

Servings: 1

Ingredients

1 40 oz. can sweet potatoes drained, rinsed, and mashed or 5 cups of roasted sweet potatoes, mashed

2 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk

½ cup of heavy whipping cream

½ cup golden monk fruit or sugar-free sweetener of your choice

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp salt

⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp unsalted butter softened

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1 pre-made refrigerated pie crust for 8-inch or 9-inch pans or homemade pie crust (see low-carb recipe below)

Whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice for garnish

Method

Crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2.  Grease the inside of an 8-9 inch pie dish with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Gently place the pie dough over the buttered dish.
3. Press the edge of the crust into a decorative shape or press the edge of the dough with a fork tong.
4. Place the pie crust pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 3 minutes. 
5. Remove the crust and set aside while preparing the filling.

Filling:

1. In a large mixing bowl add the sweet potatoes, eggs, and cream. Blend with a stand mixer or hand mixer.
2. Add the monk fruit (or sweetener), spices, vanilla, cornstarch, and remaining butter (⅓ cup). Mix with a stand mixer or hand mixer until the mixture is smooth.
3. Add the pie filling to the prepared pie crust. 
4. Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Drop the heat to 300°F and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean, about 45-60 minutes.
5. Remove the pie and set it on a counter to cool for 3-4 hours to allow the pie to set. Serve or cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

• Top with whipped cream, and sprinkle with pumpkin spice or nutmeg.

Low-Carb Pie Crust

Servings:1

Ingredients

¾ cup coconut flour

2 tbsp Organic coconut palm sugar or sugar alternative

⅛ tsp kosher salt

2 large eggs at room temperature

3 tbsp coconut oil

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8-9 inch pie plate and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together coconut flour, coconut sugar, and salt
3. In a small bowl beat the eggs, coconut oil, and vanilla together. Fold into dry ingredients and mix until dough forms and all ingredients hold together.
4. Press into the prepared pie plate and gently pierce the pie crust with a fork.
5. Bake for 10 minutes or until set.
6. Cool and fill with pie filling.

Sweet Potato Pie Might Be Good For You

Sweet potatoes are considered to be extremely rich in nutrients. They have vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are great for your health.

For example, fiber helps your gut health while potassium is good for controlling your blood pressure. Vitamin C helps to maintain your immune system and Vitamin E protects your body from oxidative damage.

Of course, you can get these health benefits from using the canned sweet potatoes but you’ll get even more if you roast and mash them yourself. With all those benefits, it’s a good idea to make sure the pie is as healthy as possible.