Miso Caramel Sweet Potato Pie

November 21, 2023marissamakes

Prep time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 8-10

As someone who didn’t grow up eating a lot of sweet potato pie, I’ve always found it to be a bit too sweet. I love sweet potatoes, and I love spices, but I’ve always struggled to find a sweet potato pie that isn’t toothachingly sweet. This miso caramel sweet potato pie is perfectly balanced. It relies on the salty and umami taste of the miso to create a riff on a salted caramel, which helps to cut the sweet flavor from the pie filling. Don’t be intimidated by the miso if you haven’t used it before: white miso is very mild and works deliciously in sweet applications! This recipe is sure to be a favorite at your holiday gatherings.

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Tips for making this miso caramel sweet potato pie

The filling for this sweet potato pie is really very easy to make. Simply prepare the caramel, and roast the potatoes. Then combine everything in one bowl. You can use a mixer, electric beaters, or mix by hand. So easy!

I recommend using garnet sweet potatoes for this recipe, which are the usual orange-fleshed ones. Feel free to experiment with other varieties if you like, but be aware that the sweetness level and texture will vary.

miso caramel sweet potato pie styled with autumn leaves and pumpkins

How to make the perfect pie crust

You can find my full write up and recipe for my favorite all-butter pie dough here. The most important things to remember when making all-butter dough is not to let it get too warm, and not over handle it. Over handling results in too much gluten development. This will make the crust too chewy and tough.

The addition of apple cider vinegar gives the dough a lovely flakey texture when baked. Don’t be alarmed by the vinegary smell of the raw dough: the vinegar bakes out of it in the oven. Trust me, you don’t want to skip this step!

For this sweet potato pie, you can make a full recipe of this dough if you would like extra dough to decorate with. You can halve it if not.

Tips for making miso caramel

Caramel always seems a bit scary to make, but with a few tips, it’s very easy. This miso caramel comes together in a snap, and doesn’t require a candy thermometer or any fancy equipment. To make the miso caramel, all you need is white granulated sugar, heavy whipping cream, white miso, and a bit of patience.

The basic steps of making a caramel are these: melt the sugar in a large, heavy bottomed pot. When the sugar is melted and golden, stir in the heavy cream. Add the miso, and you’re done!

I like to stir the sugar and water together first, and then leave it alone to do its thing. I do suggest using a wet pastry brush to brush down the sides of the pot while the caramel cooks to discourage any crystallization from occurring.

Caramel is very sensitive to temperature changes and moisture, so be careful when adding the heavy whipping cream. Use a pot that is big enough to accommodate a lot of expansion. The caramel will bubble and sputter a lot when the cream is added to the melted sugar. Just take your time, keep stirring, and stand back if it starts sputtering. It will calm down as the temperatures even out. Always be sure to use room temp heavy cream to keep the hot sugar from sputtering too badly.

The caramel will thicken and solidify as it cools. If it gets too firm to pour, simply microwave it at 30 second intervals until you get the right texture. Just be careful: caramel is, after all, predominantly sugar, so it gets VERY hot to the touch even after short bursts in the microwave.

Tools for making this sweet potato pie

You don’t need much special equipment for this pie, just a 9″ or 10″ pie dish. For the filling, you can make it by mixer, with electric beaters, or by hand.

How to store this pie

This pie will keep well in the fridge, wrapped, for up to 1 week. The caramel will keep in the fridge, in a lidded container for up to 1 month. The caramel will solidify in the fridge, so you can microwave it at 30 second intervals to loosen it up when needed.

I hope you enjoy this Miso Caramel Sweet Potato Pie recipe! Be sure to tag me on instagram so I can see your bakes, and leave me a comment below! Your feedback helps other bakers who are giving this recipe a try, and I love hearing about your bakes!

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Miso Caramel Sweet Potato Pie

  • Prep time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 1 hour
  • Total time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Serves: 8-10

This miso caramel sweet potato pie is perfectly balanced, and relies on the salty and umami taste of the miso to create a riff on a salted caramel, which helps to balance the sweet flavor from the pie filling

Ingredients

For the crust

For the miso caramel

  • 3/4 cup granulated white sugar, (150g)
  • 1/4 cup water, (59ml)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, room temp (118ml)
  • 2 tbsp mild white miso

For the pie filling

  • 2 lbs garnet sweet potatoes, (about 2 large, 453g)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temp (1 stick, 113g)
  • 1 cup white sugar, (200g)
  • 1/2 cup milk, (118ml)
  • 2 large eggs, room temp
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 recipe miso caramel, (above)

Method

Make the pie dough

  • 1)

    Prepare the pie dough according to the instructions. Make the full recipe if you would like to make a decorative top crust or cutouts, and make a halved recipe if you only want the bottom shell. Chill for 1-2 hours.

Roast the sweet potatoes

  • 1)

    Preheat the oven to 425°F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Allow to cool fully.

Make the miso caramel

  • 1)

    While the pie crust is chilling and the potatoes are cooling, combine the sugar and water in a large pot over medium heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and then stop stirring while the caramel cooks. Use a wet pastry brush to brush down the sides of the pot to prevent sugar crystals from building up. Cook the caramel until it is a golden amber color and then remove from heat.

  • 2)

    Carefully add in the heavy cream while constantly whisking. The mixture will bubble up, so be careful, and keep stirring until fully incorporated. Stir in the miso and set aside to cool.

Make the filling

  • 1)

    Reduce oven heat to 350°F. Once the caramel has cooled to room temp and the crust has firmed up, prepare the filling. Scoop out the flesh of the sweet potatoes and combine with the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat until smooth.

  • 2)

    Add the rest of the filling ingredients, including the caramel, and beat until combined and smooth. Roll out your pie crust, as desired into a 9″ or 10″ pie pan. Pour the filling into the unbaked crust.

  • 3)

    Bake at 350°F for about 55-60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

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