Sweet Potato Cheesecake Pie is smooth, richly spiced, and absolutely dreamy! With a buttery vanilla wafer crust, a velvety sweet potato cheesecake filling infused with warm cinnamon and ginger, and a dollop of whipped topping. Perfect for holiday gatherings, make-ahead desserts, or whenever you need a little something special.
Love More Sweet Potato Recipes? Try My Southern Maple Sweet Potato Casserole or this Sweet Potato Pie next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Rich and full of fall flavor, this Sweet Potato Cheesecake Pie combines two classic desserts into one irresistible treat. With a smooth layer of spiced sweet potato filling over a velvety cheesecake base, all in a buttery crust, every bite is pure comfort. Perfect for holidays or special occasions, it’s a dessert that always impresses.
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Sweet Potato Cheesecake Pie
- Total Time: 4 hours 55 minutes
- Yield: 16 individual cheesecake
Description
These Sweet Potato Cheesecake Pies combine the best of sweet potato pie and creamy New York cheesecake in individual portions. Made with a buttery vanilla wafer crust and a velvety filling of sweet potatoes, cream cheese, ricotta, and warm spices, they’re cooked to perfection using the sous vide method for crack-free, restaurant-quality results every time. The addition of lemon extract brightens the warm cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, while the touch of dark brown sugar adds depth. These make-ahead desserts are perfect for Thanksgiving, holiday gatherings, or anytime you want an impressive yet easy dessert!
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 1 (11-ounce) box vanilla wafers, finely crushed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 1/4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (plain; cooled)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3/8 cup granulated sugar
- 3/8 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
For the Finish (optional):
- Whipped topping
- Pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for sprinkling
Instructions
Mix crushed cookies, sugar, and soft butter in a bowl. Should look like wet sand at the beach. Grab a handful and squeeze it. Holds together then crumbles? Good. I use my hands. Faster. Less dishes to wash.
Put cream cheese, ricotta, sweet potatoes, milk, both sugars, both extracts, and all the spices in a big bowl. Beat on medium until smooth. No white lumps anywhere. Takes longer than you think. Scrape the sides twice or stuff gets stuck there. Nobody wants lumpy cheesecake.
Turn mixer to low. Add eggs one at a time. Mix until you can’t see yellow streaks. Stop there. Don’t keep going. Too much beating makes them puff up weird instead of staying thick and creamy.
Two tablespoons of crust in each jar. Mash it down hard with a spoon or your thumb. Pack it tight. Fill jars with batter almost to the top. Leave a tiny gap—like two quarters stacked. Wipe rims with a wet paper towel. Close lids snug. Don’t go crazy tightening them.
Fill container with water. Set machine to 176°F. I do 90 minutes at this temp. Or 185°F for 60 minutes if you’re in a hurry. Wait for water to heat up before adding jars.
Put jars in standing up. Some float. Annoying but normal. Plate on top holds them down. Now leave. Go watch TV. Fold laundry. Paint your nails. Machine does everything.
Pull jars out with tongs when timer beeps. Hot. Don’t touch with bare hands unless you want burns like I got. Let them cool on counter until just warm. Move to fridge. Minimum 3 hours. Overnight’s way better.
Take off lids. Add whipped cream. Dust with cinnamon and nutmeg. I throw crushed vanilla wafers on top sometimes. Looks pretty. Hand out spoons.
Notes
- Don’t overtighten those lids: Finger-tight is perfect! You want the lids snug enough to stay on but loose enough to allow a tiny bit of air to escape during cooking. Overtightening can trap pressure and affect the texture.
- The headspace sweet spot: Fill to about 1/8 inch from the rim. Too much empty space and your jars will float like little boats; too full and you might get spillover. Finding that balance is key!
- Test for doneness: If you’re unsure, gently jiggle a jar. The center should have a slight wobble (about the size of a quarter) but the edges should be set. They’ll firm up more as they chill.
- Room temperature everything: Besides the cream cheese and ricotta, let your eggs sit out for 30 minutes before using. Room temp eggs incorporate more smoothly and create a more uniform texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes + Chill Time: 3 hours (or overnight)
- Cook Time: 90 minutes (at 176°F) or 60 minutes (at 185°F)
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Sous Vide
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Crust:
- 1 (11-ounce) box vanilla wafers, finely crushed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces ricotta cheese
- 1 1/4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (plain; cooled)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3/8 cup granulated sugar
- 3/8 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 large eggs
For the Finish (optional):
- Whipped topping
- Pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for sprinkling
Yield: About 16 (4-ounce) jars
Why These Ingredients Work
Sweet Potatoes: Bake them at 400 until they’re falling apart soft. About 45 minutes for me but depends on size. Scoop out the insides while hot, mash them up, cool completely in the fridge. I used warm ones once to save time and my batter turned into soup. Poured it all down the drain and cried a little.
Cream Cheese + Ricotta: Grabbed ricotta by mistake at Target once. Was already home when I noticed. Too lazy to go back. Used it anyway. Way better than all cream cheese. Not as heavy. My neighbor Maria who’s Italian said her grandma always put ricotta in cheesecake and why didn’t I know that already.
Vanilla Wafer Crust: Graham crackers bore me. Vanilla wafers taste like the cookies my grandma had in that blue tin on her counter. Easier to crush too. Ziplock bag, rolling pin, let my frustrations out. My kids think it’s funny watching me beat up cookies.
Lemon Extract: First time I made these I skipped this because it sounded dumb. Tasted flat. Boring. My friend ate one and said something was off. Made them again with the lemon. She ate three and took two home. That tiny bit of citrus makes everything wake up.
Warm Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg. Basic stuff. I use extra cinnamon because I love it. My cousin thinks that’s too much and uses less. Her jars still turn out great.
Dark Brown Sugar: White sugar’s fine. Brown sugar’s better. That molasses taste adds something. Makes the color nicer too.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- Sous vide precision cooker and container: Got an Anova on Amazon for like $100. My friend has a different one. They’re all basically the same
- 16 small canning jars with lids: 4-ounce size. Target has them. Walmart has them. Get wide-mouth ones or filling them sucks
- Hand mixer: Beating cream cheese by hand is hell. Don’t do it
- Mixing bowls and spatula: Whatever’s in your kitchen
- Food processor or zip-top bag and rolling pin: I use the bag. Hate cleaning the food processor
- Weights or rack (optional): Jars float sometimes. Need something to hold them under water
How To Make Sweet Potato Cheesecake Pie
Step 1: Prepare Your Vanilla Wafer Crust
Mix crushed cookies, sugar, and soft butter in a bowl. Should look like wet sand at the beach. Grab a handful and squeeze it. Holds together then crumbles? Good. I use my hands. Faster. Less dishes to wash.
Step 2: Whip Up the Dreamy Filling
Put cream cheese, ricotta, sweet potatoes, milk, both sugars, both extracts, and all the spices in a big bowl. Beat on medium until smooth. No white lumps anywhere. Takes longer than you think. Scrape the sides twice or stuff gets stuck there. Nobody wants lumpy cheesecake.
Step 3: Add the Eggs (Gently!)
Turn mixer to low. Add eggs one at a time. Mix until you can’t see yellow streaks. Stop there. Don’t keep going. Too much beating makes them puff up weird instead of staying thick and creamy.
Step 4: Assemble Your Jars
Two tablespoons of crust in each jar. Mash it down hard with a spoon or your thumb. Pack it tight. Fill jars with batter almost to the top. Leave a tiny gap—like two quarters stacked. Wipe rims with a wet paper towel. Close lids snug. Don’t go crazy tightening them.
Step 5: Set Up Your Sous Vide Bath
Fill container with water. Set machine to 176°F. I do 90 minutes at this temp. Or 185°F for 60 minutes if you’re in a hurry. Wait for water to heat up before adding jars.
Step 6: Cook to Perfection
Put jars in standing up. Some float. Annoying but normal. Plate on top holds them down. Now leave. Go watch TV. Fold laundry. Paint your nails. Machine does everything.
Step 7: Cool and Chill
Pull jars out with tongs when timer beeps. Hot. Don’t touch with bare hands unless you want burns like I got. Let them cool on counter until just warm. Move to fridge. Minimum 3 hours. Overnight’s way better.
Step 8: Garnish and Serve
Take off lids. Add whipped cream. Dust with cinnamon and nutmeg. I throw crushed vanilla wafers on top sometimes. Looks pretty. Hand out spoons.
You Must Know
Cold sweet potatoes or don’t even start. Not room temperature. Not slightly warm. COLD from the fridge. I used warm ones once because I was impatient. Batter went liquid. Dumped the whole thing. Started over. Cried. Now I make sweet potatoes the day before. Keep them in the fridge overnight. No more mistakes.
Personal Secret: Push mashed sweet potatoes through a strainer before you add them. Extra step. Makes a mess. Gets rid of every single stringy bit and lump. Comes out smooth as butter.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Everything room temp. Cold cream cheese stays lumpy forever. Let it sit out at least an hour. Eggs too. Ricotta too.
- Finger tight on lids. Turn them until snug then stop. Don’t hulk out on them. Traps pressure. Messes up texture.
- Fill almost to top. Leave maybe an eighth of an inch. More space means floating jars. Less space means spillover. Pain either way.
- Jiggle test works. Shake a jar gently. Middle wiggles about the size of a quarter. Edges solid. That’s done. Firms up more in the fridge.
- Weigh them. Put jars on a scale. Same amount in each one. Cook evenly. Nobody gets shorted.
Flavor Variations / Suggestions
Maple Pecan Paradise: Replace 2 tablespoons brown sugar with maple syrup. Real maple. Not fake. Chop pecans into crust. Dad wants these every birthday or he pouts.
Bourbon-Kissed: Two tablespoons bourbon in the filling. Adults only. Tastes expensive. Perfect for New Year’s.
Chocolate Sweet Potato: Melt 4 ounces dark chocolate. Add a tablespoon cocoa powder. Mix into filling. These taste like fancy restaurant dessert. Best friend begs for them constantly.
Citrus Burst: Orange extract instead of lemon. Add orange zest. Different. Really good. Refreshing.
Gingersnap Crust: Gingersnaps instead of vanilla wafers. Spicier. More Christmas-y. December favorite around here.
Lighter Version: Low-fat cream cheese works okay. Not as rich. My sister who’s always dieting says they’re still good.
Make-Ahead Options
Built for advance prep. I do them 2-3 days early. Lids on. Stay cold. Done. Taste better after sitting anyway. Flavors mix together more.
Assembly line approach: Crush cookies and make crust 2 days ahead. Leave on counter in sealed container. Sweet potatoes 2-3 days ahead. Refrigerate until ready.
Freezing option: Month in freezer if jars are freezer-safe. Tight lids. Thaw overnight in fridge. Texture’s slightly different but still tastes great.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
- No lemon extract around? Teaspoon of lemon zest works. Extract’s better. Zest can be bitter. But zest beats nothing.
- Some folks do 170°F for 2 hours. Tried it once. Took forever. Staying with 176°F.
- Rather bake? Put crust in 9-inch pie pan. Pour in filling. Water bath. 325°F. About 50 minutes. Cool completely. Refrigerate overnight. Works fine. Not as foolproof.
- All cream cheese instead of ricotta? Sure. 24 ounces total. Way heavier though. Denser. Still good. Just different.
Serving Suggestions
Take these everywhere now. Parties. Holidays. Work stuff. Look fancy. Everyone gets their own. No cutting. No mess. Last Thanksgiving my oven was packed with turkey and sides. These didn’t need oven space. Lifesaver.
Eat from jar with long spoon. Or flip onto plates if you’re fancy. Caramel drizzle on top. Crushed cookies. Toffee bits when I’m feeling wild. Coffee. Tea. Wine. All good.
Any occasion works. Thanksgiving. Christmas. Bad Tuesday at work. Neighbor pays me actual cash money to make them for her book club every month. That’s how good these are.
How to Store Your Sweet Potato Cheesecake Pie
Refrigerator: Lids on. Stay cold. Four days max. Jars keep fridge smells away. Stack them if you need space.
Freezer: Month tops. Freezer-safe jars only. Tight lids. Thaw overnight in fridge. Texture changes a bit. Still good.
Reheating: Don’t. Cold dessert. Straight from fridge. That’s when they’re best.
Food safety note: Fridge within 2 hours. Dairy and eggs go bad sitting out. Food poisoning sucks.
Allergy Information
Contains: Dairy (cream cheese, ricotta, butter, milk), eggs, wheat (vanilla wafers)
Dairy-Free Option: Dairy-free cream cheese. Coconut cream instead of ricotta and milk. Vegan butter for crust. Different but my lactose-intolerant cousin liked them.
Gluten-Free Option: Gluten-free vanilla wafers or crushed gluten-free graham crackers. Everything else stays same.
Egg-Free: Sorry. Can’t help. Eggs make them set. No substitute works right.
Nut-Free: No nuts unless you add them. Check vanilla wafer box though. Some get made near nuts.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
Can I make this in a regular pie pan instead of jars?
Yeah. Press crust in 9-inch pie pan. Add filling. Water bath. 325°F. 50-60 minutes. Edges set, middle jiggles. Cool. Refrigerate overnight. Sous vide’s easier. Baking works though.
My jars keep floating in the water bath—what do I do?
Fill them more. Less empty space. Still floating? Plate on top. Just keep them under water so they cook right.
Can I use canned sweet potato puree instead of making my own?
Sure. Plain puree. NOT pie filling. Pie filling’s got sugar and spices already. Ruins everything. I make my own because I control moisture. Canned works when I’m lazy though.
Do I really need the lemon extract?
Yes. Weird ingredient. Works amazing. Skip it and everything tastes boring. No extract? Use lemon zest. Extract’s better though.
How do I know when they’re done cooking?
Shake one gently. Middle wiggles a little. Quarter-sized wobble. Sides firm. Still liquidy all over? More time. Rock solid everywhere? Bit overcooked but still fine.
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! How’d yours turn out? Changes? Ate too many? Tell me in the comments.
