PrintPumpkin pie vs. sweet potato pie
As the eatin' season begins, it seems to me that someone out there can discuss the difference between pumpkin pie and sweet potato pie. I've only had SP pie once, a good while back. But it seems to me that they're both basically the same thing, a custard with cooked, pureed flesh and similar spicing, which is variations on cinnamon/ginger/nutmeg/mace. But that's only a theoretical description. Lots of folks seem to prefer one to the other. Help me out here. What's the difference? Why do you prefer one to the other?
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
12 Comments:
You have to treat them differently. The flavor is similar, with pumpkin edging out on the earthiness. I decided to take the Sweet Potato Pie in a much different direction to get it out of the rut. I did a Vanilla Bean Sweet Potato Pie with Brown Sugar Pecan crust. Try using Ceylon Cinnamon which is more floral and muted, nutmeg or mace, and Vanilla or Maple for a softer and unique version on your sweet potato. Skip the cloves and allspice and hard biting cinnamon.
ExpatChef at 10:31AM on 11/06/07
The only difference I've ever found is that SP Pie is not as firm as Pumpkin Pie. And the color is different.
I'll happily eat either though : )
StudentStomach at 11:54AM on 11/06/07
The best sweet potato pies I've had seem to have more of a molasses flavor, and very little in the way of spices. Maybe a pinch of nutmeg...
Pumpkin pie almost seems like it's just a vehicle for the spices. My preference is to go lighter on them so that you can actually taste the pumpkin, but I think I'm in the minority.
Dominic
the zen kitchen
dvchurch at 12:14PM on 11/06/07
My experience has always been that the pumpkin pie ( has been more flavorful than the sweet potato pie. Though this could have been just the way that my Grandmother's recipe worked out. Generally, you had to be careful that you were getting the pie that you wanted, otherwise you were in for a unfortunate surprise.
feep at 12:57PM on 11/06/07
Pumpkin, Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash are pretty interchangeable as pie ingredients. Any one would work with a recipe for the other. As a matter of fact, to save money cooks sometimes use part butternut squash in their pumpkin pies.
If you roasted any of the above, you probably wouldn't be able to tell much difference between pies baked out of any of them. I think butternut would probably be too mild on its own but could be added to pumpkin to stretch it with no real ill effects.
It's a good time of year to have a test run! Plenty of willing guinea pigs. :D
chiff0nade at 2:56PM on 11/06/07
I looked through a Betty Crocker Cookbook circa the 1950s. It said to use sweet potatoes as a substitute if you didn't have pumpkin . . . so I'm guessing there's not a lot of difference between the pies.
Today I roasted a blue hubbard squash. Its destiny might be pie, If I don't sit down with a spoon and eat every bit of it for dinner. It's so much better than canned . . . I have half a can of pumpkin in the fridge, and I don't want to waste it, but I certainly don't want to eat it either. :(
KarynMC at 3:27PM on 11/06/07
The consistency of my sweet potato pie is very different than pumpkin pie, which does have a custard like feel. The sweet potato pie, which has eggs and heavy cream, among other things, comes out like a mashed potato pie, which though smoothe, is not like custard.
Mich23 at 5:08PM on 11/06/07
see...i think sweet potato pie is WAY different. not only in the consistency...(sweet potato is so velvety and thick...pumpkin pie definitely more of a custard consistency). but the taste is very different for me...the spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, etc) seem to work so much better with the sweet potato than the pumpkin.
also, pumpkin pie reminds me of my Midwestern holiday fare growing up, where as sweet potato pie reminds me of southern and soul food cooking, which means comfort to me now days.
lanaberry at 5:36PM on 11/06/07
My sweet potato pie recipe (with pecans) is from a southern cookbook. I like it better than pumpkin because it's from fresh potatoes, not something in a can. I'm not about to tackle stringy, huge pumpkins. I'll admit that most wouldn't know the difference, if I didn't tell them, but it really does taste better.
PerkyMac at 3:34PM on 11/08/07
I'll take a sweet potato pie over pumpkin any day. And yes, there is a big difference. If you want your sweet potato pie to taste really rich and luscious, make it with eagle brand milk, and add a couple tbsps of grated orange peel to the filling.
skylar0ne at 10:16PM on 11/11/07
I agree with the comments about difference in texture and spicing, and between the two, a great sweet potato pie will win out over a great pumpkin pie. Yumm...
Christina at 1:23AM on 11/12/07
The Fresh Market was giving samples of pie on the way out of the store Saturday. I stopped only when the pie lady mentioned it was sweet potato pie. Delish! Didn't detect much difference from pumpkin. Smooth consistency in the mouth, much like pumpkin and a delicate sweetness. Fresh Market's prepared food is about as "express" as I'll go and I consider their products to be "risk free."
chiff0nade at 7:49AM on 11/12/07