These sweet potato pie bars are an easy dessert recipe that is going to be perfect for your holiday feasts. Serve up many slices with this one pie and enjoy all your favorite flavors in every bite.
These sweet potato bars are a delicious graham cracker crust beneath a homemade sweet potato filling and then topped with toasted marshmallows for the ultimate gooey sweet topping. You’re going to love making this easy pie recipe almost as much you’re going to enjoy eating it.
What Are Pie Bars?
They’re a super simple and easy way of turning a traditional pie into a modern solution. How many times do you try to slice a round pie only to end up with small slices? Making this sweet potato pie bars recipe means that you’re making a flat square (or rectangular) pie with about 24 servings! Way more than one pie and way more convenient for slicing and serving.
Ingredients
- Graham Cracker Crumbs
- Granulated White Sugar
- Unsalted Butter
- Cooked Mashed Sweet Potato
- Brown Sugar
- Large Eggs
- Boxed Vanilla Pudding
- Sweetened Condensed Milk
- Vanilla Extract
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Marshmallow Fluff
For the exact measurements and amounts needed, please see the recipe card below.
How to Make Sweet Potato Pie Bars
Graham Cracker Crust
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Take a piece of parchment paper and create a “sling” inside of the pan, this means that it covers the bottom and goes up the sides so that the dessert can later be lifted out by the paper. Set aside the pan.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl combine all of the crust ingredients and mix until the crumbs have been well coated and can stick together when pressed.
Pour the graham crumbs into your prepared baking dish and then press the crumbs down into a nice and even layer using your clean hands or a baking spatula. Make sure to press everything together tightly.
Bake in your preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Sweet Potato Filling
While the crust is baking in the oven, prepare the filling in a large mixing bowl. If you haven’t already, cook and mash your sweet potatoes.
Add your mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and butter to a large mixing bowl and mix together until smooth. About 2-3 minutes with an electric mixer. Get rid of as many chunks of potato as you can.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, while mixing on medium speed in between until well combined.
Turn the mixer to low speed and add in the vanilla pudding dry mix (do not prepare the pudding mix, we only want the powder).
Add in the condensed sweetened milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and blend together for 3 minutes.
Pour the prepared filling into the baked crust and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top of the potato pie is a nice golden brown.
Add another layer of sweetness when the pie has finished baking by topping it with marshmallow fluff.
Turn your oven to broil and then place the marshmallow-topped pie back into the oven on the middle rack. Broil for 2 minutes (at most) while keeping a close eye on the pie. The marshmallow can go from toasted to burnt fast and you may not need 2 minutes to make it look great.
Cover the pie and allow it to cool to room temperature for at least 1 hour to help the filling set.
Once the pie has cooled completely, gently lift the pie out of the pan by pulling out the parchment paper
Slice into 18-24 squares with a sharp knife.
Serve and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- If using whole graham crackers, just simply pulse in a food processor or highspeed blender until you get a consistent crumb texture.
- If using fresh uncooked sweet potatoes, you’ll need two medium-large sweet potatoes. Peel and chop into chunks, boil in water until they become fork tender. Drain water and mash.
- Rinse the knife with hot water in between each cut to keep marshmallows from sticking to everything.
Substitutions
- Sweet potatoes. If you do not have sweet potatoes you can use yams. Cook and prepare in the same way or use drained yams from the can, if you try to remove as much excess moisture as you can before using.
- Marshmallows. The marshmallow fluff is very sticky and can be a bit of a pain to work with. If you want an easier ingredient to work with, use large marshmallows. Just cut them in half and line them in a single layer on top of the baked pie filling with the cut side facing down.
FAQs
How Long Is Sweet Potato Pie Good For?
These pie bars can last up to 5 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. This should give you plenty of time to enjoy them while they’re fresh.
What Does Sweet Potato Pie Taste Like?
This pie tastes similar to that of a pumpkin pie but a little creamier. They’re both orange pies and spiced with similar flavors but sweet potato pie is a much more popular dessert in the south and often seen topped with marshmallows whereas a pumpkin pie is topped with whipped cream.
Do You Eat Sweet Potato Pie Warm or Cold?
This pie is best served cold or when at room temperature. Serving it when it is still hot and fresh from the oven (while tempting) can be a bit of a mess as the filling hasn’t had time to set fully.
If you liked this sweet potato pie recipe, then you’re going to love these sweet potato favorites!
- Sweet Potato Coffee Cake
- Sweet Potato Biscuits
- Baked Sweet Potato Donuts
- Sweet Potato Hash with Salmon and Eggs
- Homemade Sweet Potato Pie Recipe
Sweet Potato Pie Bars
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 3 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
- ¼ cup Granulated White Sugar
- ¾ cup Melted Unsalted Butter
Sweet Potato Pie Flling
- 4 cups Cooked Sweet Potato (mashed)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
- 4 large Eggs
- 2 small boxes Vanilla Pudding Mix (dry, not prepared)
- 2 cans (28oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 13 oz Marshmallow Fluff or Large Marshmallows (halved)
Instructions
Graham Cracker Crust
- Preheat oven to bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish by greasing the bottom and sides with oil spray. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl combine all the ingredients (graham crumbs, white sugar, and melted butter) and mix until graham crumbs have been well coated and can stick together when pressed.
- Turn graham mixture into the prepared baking dish and press down firmly using clean hands or a baking spatula into an even layer on the bottom of the pan. Make sure to press everything tightly. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Sweet Potato Pie Filling
- While the graham cracker crust is baking in the oven, begin preparing the filling in a large mixing bowl. If you haven’t already, cook your sweet potatoes and then mash (see note). Add your cooked sweet potatoes, brown sugar, and softened butter to the bowl and mix using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture has become smooth. You want to get out as many sweet potato chunks as possible.
- Add one egg in at a time, mixing on medium speed in between. Starting on a slow speed, mix in the dry vanilla pudding mix (DO NOT PREPARE PUDDING), condensed milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Return mixer to a medium-high speed and blend for another 2-3 minutes.
- Pour prepared mixture into the baked and cooled graham cracker crust, spread into an even layer. Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until top of potato pie is golden brown.
- To add another layer of sweetness, when the sweet potato pie is done baking, top with marshmallow fluff or halved large marshmallow pieces (see note). Turn your oven to broil and place marshmallow topped pie back in the oven on the middle rack. Broil for 2 minutes max! Keep a very close eye on this to avoid lighting the marshmallows on fire.
- Cover and cool in the pan at room temperature for at least 1 hour to set the pie filling. Once Pie is completely cooled and set, gently lift out of the pan by pulling on the parchment paper. Cut into 18-24 squares with a large sharp knife. Tip: rinse the knife with hot water in between each cut to keep marshmallow from sticking to everything. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
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