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a slice of sweet potato pie bar sitting on a plate, ready to serve
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Sweet Potato Pie Bars

Sweet Potato Pie Bars have a thick graham cracker crust, fresh sweet potato filling, and tall toasted homemade marshmallow topping. The perfect fall treat, and a terrific Thanksgiving dessert!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Inactive Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 9 large or 16 small bars
Author Tessa Arias

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 18 (270 grams) full graham crackers
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons (169 grams) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

  • 2 cups (16 ounces or 454 grams) fresh sweet potato puree (not canned)
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar*
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups (356 grams) whole milk
  • 1/2 cup (119 grams) heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon bourbon (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Topping:

  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (120 grams) light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

For the crust:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch metal baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang.
  • Place the graham crackers, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Add the melted butter and pulse until moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack and let cool completely. Maintain oven temperature.

For the filling:

  • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat all the sweet potato filling ingredients until well combined. Pour over the graham cracker crust and bake for 40 minutes, or until set but still slightly wobbly in the middle. Let cool to room temperature.

For the marshmallow topping:

  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form.
  • Meanwhile, in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan** set over medium-high heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook until a candy thermometer registers exactly 240°F. Immediately remove from heat. Turn the egg white mixture on low speed and carefully and gradually drizzle the syrup into the egg whites. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is thick and glossy and looks like marshmallow fluff, about 7 minutes longer. Add in the vanilla and beat until combined.
  • Spread the marshmallow topping evenly over the sweet potato layer. Use a kitchen torch to gently torch the marshmallow layer until lightly golden. Alternatively, place the pan under the broiler and broil for about 1 minute, or until lightly golden. Don't step away - the broiler can go from toasted to burnt FAST!
  • Refrigerate the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares and serving. The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, though they are best served soon after the marshmallow is made.

Notes

*Feel free to lower or omit the sugar in the sweet potato filling if you prefer things less sweet.
**Be sure to use a heavy-bottomed saucepan for the sugar mixture, as thinner saucepans can scorch the mixture before the necessary temperature is reached.
Be sure to use foil to line your pan, not parchment paper, as parchment may catch fire when torching or broiling your marshmallow-topped bars.
See the blog post above the recipe for step-by-step instructions on how to make fresh sweet potato puree, marshmallow tips, and more.