The idea came from the frosting on my chocolate sweet potato cake. That combination of sweet potato, dark chocolate, and yogurt was so silky and mousse-like that I wanted to turn it into a dessert of its own.
The only ingredient that normally needs baking is the sweet potato, and you can microwave it instead if you want to keep the entire pie oven-free.
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Why this recipe works
- Rich and creamy without dairy: Sweet potato and thick vegan yogurt create a smooth base, while melted dark chocolate gives the filling its rich chocolate flavor and helps it set.
- Easy cookie crust: There's no pastry-making or blind-baking involved. Simply combine cookie crumbs with melted vegan butter and chill.
- Not overly sweet: I recommend tasting the chocolate filling before adding maple syrup, as the sweet potato and chocolate may already give you enough sweetness.
- Made for preparing ahead: The pie needs time to chill and set, making it especially useful when you're planning desserts in advance for Thanksgiving or entertaining.
Key ingredients
Here's everything you need to make this no-bake sweet potato pie. Find the complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Sweet potato: You'll need 400g (14 oz) of cooked sweet potato puree. I usually roast the sweet potatoes until completely tender, but microwaving them works too, so you don't need to turn on the oven at all.
Make sure the sweet potato is completely soft before blending. Any extra puree can go into my vegan sweet potato muffins or vegan sweet potato coffee cake.
Dark chocolate: I use 70% dark chocolate for an intense chocolate flavor. Semisweet chocolate is a good option if you prefer a slightly sweeter filling. I recommend using a good-quality chocolate bar rather than chocolate chips, as chips often contain stabilizers and don't always melt as smoothly.
Vegan Greek-style yogurt: This lightens the sweet potato and chocolate filling and adds a slight tanginess. Use a thick yogurt rather than a runny one. Vegan sour cream, vegan skyr, thick coconut yogurt, or soft silken tofu can also be used.
Pure maple syrup: This is optional. Taste the filling once everything else has been blended before adding it, depending on your chocolate and sweet potatoes, you may not need much additional sweetness.
Vegan cookies: I usually use digestive-style cookies for the crust. For a more US-style option, vegan graham crackers work perfectly. Biscoff or gingersnaps are also great if you want a more spiced fall flavor.
Vegan whipping cream: Use a dairy-free cream specifically designed for whipping so it holds its shape on top of the pie.
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How to make chocolate sweet potato pie
Here's a visual overview of this recipe. Please refer to the detailed card at the end of this page for full written instructions.
Start with the cookie crust. Crush the cookies into fine crumbs, then mix them with melted vegan butter until the texture resembles wet sand. Press the mixture firmly into the base of a 9-inch pie pan (a flat-bottomed glass is really useful for compacting it evenly).
Pop the crust into the freezer while you make the filling.
Once your cooked sweet potato has cooled, add it to a food processor or blender with the vegan yogurt, melted dark chocolate, vanilla, and salt. Blend until completely smooth and silky, scraping down the sides as needed.
Taste the filling before adding any maple syrup. I prefer doing it this way because the sweetness will vary depending on the sweet potatoes and chocolate you use. Add the maple syrup a tablespoon at a time only if you think it needs it.
Spread the filling evenly over the chilled cookie crust, smooth the surface, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.
Just before serving, whip the chilled vegan cream with cocoa powder until light and fluffy. Spoon it over the pie and finish with plenty of dark chocolate shavings.
Christina's Recipe Tips
Use a chocolate bar rather than chocolate chips. Because chocolate is such a big part of the filling, using a good-quality bar gives you the smoothest melt and the best flavor.
Make sure the sweet potato is completely tender. You want it very soft before blending so there aren't any fibrous pieces left in the finished filling.
Use thick yogurt. A Greek-style vegan yogurt works best here. If you're substituting it, choose something similarly thick rather than a runny plant-based yogurt.
Taste before sweetening. I deliberately leave the maple syrup until the end. Blend the filling first, taste it, then add only as much as you need.
Give the pie enough time to chill. It needs at least 2 hours in the refrigerator for the chocolate filling to set properly. If you're making it for Thanksgiving, preparing it the day before makes things especially easy.
Add the whipped topping after thawing if freezing. The pie itself freezes well, but I prefer freezing it without the whipped cream and adding that fresh before serving.
Variations
Gluten-free: Use your favorite gluten-free vegan cookies or graham crackers for the crust.
Biscoff crust: Swap the plain cookies for Biscoff for a caramelized, warmly spiced crust.
Gingersnap crust: Vegan gingersnaps are especially good if you're serving the pie for Thanksgiving or during the holidays.
Without whipped cream: The filling is rich enough to serve on its own, or finish it simply with dark chocolate shavings.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, it's easy to make this recipe gluten-free. Simply use gluten-free cookies in the crust, just be sure to check the labels to confirm they're also vegan. It's also a good idea to double-check your vegan butter and yogurt, as some brands may contain hidden gluten.
Yes. I normally roast the sweet potatoes, but you can cook them in the microwave instead. Once they're completely soft, let them cool before making the filling.
The cookie crust and chocolate filling themselves don't require any baking.
Yes. Freeze the pie without the whipped cream topping for up to one month. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then add the cocoa whipped cream and chocolate shavings before serving.
For shorter storage, keep the pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More vegan pies for Thanksgiving
If you're planning your Thanksgiving dessert table, try my vegan pecan pie made with maple syrup instead of corn syrup, or browse all of my vegan Thanksgiving desserts.
For more cozy fall baking, try my vegan sweet potato coffee cake with pecan streusel or these vegan sweet potato muffins with maple and cinnamon.
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ★★★★★ rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment as well, thanks!
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📖 Recipe
No-Bake Chocolate Sweet Potato Pie
Ingredients
Crust
- 250 g (8.8 oz) vegan cookies GF if needed *note 1
- 120 g (8 ½ tablespoons) vegan butter melted
Filling
- 400 g (14 oz) sweet potato puree cooked *note 2
- 300 g (1 ¼ cups) vegan Greek-style yogurt *note 3
- 280 g (9.8 oz) 70% dark chocolate melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon sea salt to taste
- 1-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup optional, to taste
Topping
- 240 ml (1 cup) vegan whipping cream chilled *note 4
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 40 g (1.4 oz) dark chocolate
Instructions
- Prep sweet potato: If starting with raw sweet potatoes, you'll need around 650g. Roast them on a lined baking sheet for 40-45 minutes at 425°F (220°C) until soft. Cool to room temperature and puree or mash with a fork. You'll need 400g of cooked sweet potato puree in total.
- Prepare: Lightly grease a 9-inch pie tin with a small amount of oil or vegan butter. Line the base with a round of parchment paper, cutting small slits around the edges to help it sit neatly into the tin without creasing.
- Crust: Add the cookies to a large ziplock bag and crush them using a rolling pin until finely ground. Transfer the crumbs to a mixing bowl, pour over the melted vegan butter, and mix with a spatula until the texture resembles wet sand. Alternatively, you can blend the cookies and butter in a food processor until evenly combined.
- Press the crust mixture into the base of the prepared pan. Use a spoon or the bottom of a flat glass to smooth and firmly compact it into an even layer. Place the crust in the freezer to set while you prepare the filling.
- Filling: Add all of the filling ingredients to a food processor, except for the maple syrup (if using). Blend on high until completely smooth and creamy. Give it a taste and, if you'd like it sweeter, blend in the maple syrup.
- Spoon the filling into the prepared crust and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to smooth out the surface. Transfer the pie to the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours, or until set.
- Toppings: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the chilled vegan whipping cream and cocoa powder until light and fluffy. Spoon the whipped cream on top, then finish with a generous sprinkle of chocolate shavings.
Notes
- Vegan Cookies: I use digestives, but you can also use biscoff, ginger nuts, or vegan graham crackers.
- Sweet Potato: If starting with raw sweet potatoes, you'll need around 650g raw (400g of cooked sweet potato puree) in total.
- Greek-Style Yogurt: Sub with vegan sour cream, vegan skyr, or very thick coconut yogurt.
- Vegan whipping cream: You can use any type (coconut, soy, oat), just make sure it's designed for whipping and not a single cream.
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I made this for Thanksgiving this year and it ATE! My family loved it, including my kids. A big thumbs up for this one. I’ll definitely be making it again!
Hi Andi,
Ahh I love hearing this, thank you! So happy it was a hit with your family (and the kids too!).
Not good at all. The Greek yogurt was so overpowering and sour tasting. I even used 4 tablespoons of maple syrup and it didn’t make a difference. So I sweetened the whipped cream to see if it would make the pie better but it didn’t not. Unfortunately it was a waste of about $25
Hi Brian,
I’m really sorry to hear that it didn’t work out for you and that it felt like a waste, I know how frustrating that is. The Greek-style yogurt does add tang to balance the sweetness, but it sounds like it may have been especially strong in the brand you used. Thank you for giving it a try and for your honest feedback.
Hi! When you say sweet potato, do you mean like the orange American version? Aka a Yam or do you mean a true white sweet potato?
Hi Trix,
Yes, it's the orange version 🙂
Are you supposed to melt the chocolate?
Hi Emily,
Yes, my apologies for not specifying!
Yes
This No-Bake Chocolate Sweet Potato Pie recipe was suggested to me by the algorithmic recommendations, but the first step is literally to bake sweet potatoes for 45 mins 🤷♂️ I don't understand
A no-bake pie means that the crust and filling are not baked together or at all. It doesn’t mean the ingredients might not be cooked. A pie with uncooked sweet potatoes would be…odd. You could potentially boil and mash the sweet potatoes so you wouldn’t have to use an oven in any step.