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