Why Sweet Potato Pie Will Always Outsmart Pumpkin Pie
(and Your Grandma Knows It)
Let’s just get this out of the way: pumpkin pie is basically baby food in a crust. There, I said it. Don’t clutch your pearls. It’s fine. It’s edible.
People eat it because tradition says we should, not because their souls crave it at 11 PM on Thanksgiving night. Meanwhile, sweet potato pie has been carrying the weight of dessert tables on its caramel-colored shoulders for generations — and nobody talks about it enough.
Here’s why (and yes, science “agrees” with me):
1. Flavor That Doesn’t Need a Spice Rack’s Permission
Pumpkin pie on its own tastes like the inside of a wet gourd (because, surprise, that’s exactly what it is). That’s why you need an entire squad of spices — cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, maybe even some ginger if you’re feeling rebellious — to make it edible.
Sweet potato pie? She strolls in already sweet, creamy, and downright lovable, needing nothing but a touch of brown sugar and maybe a splash of vanilla. Minimal effort. Maximum glory.
📊 Study: 87% of people admitted they only “like” pumpkin pie because of cinnamon and nutmeg, not the pumpkin itself. The other 13% were lying.
2. Texture That Doesn’t Resemble Canned Dog Food
Pumpkin pie is the definition of “soggy wobble.” You cut a slice, and suddenly it looks like a gelatinous swamp clump sitting on your plate.
Sweet potato pie, though? Thick, velvety, rich — like it knows you’ve had a hard year, and it’s here to hug you from the inside out.
📊 Survey: 9 out of 10 forks prefer to sink into sweet potato pie because “at least it doesn’t jiggle like anxiety.”
3. The Southern Grandma Factor
Sweet potato pie comes with history. Culture. Ancestral wisdom baked into every forkful. It’s not just dessert; it’s heritage. When a Southern grandma serves you sweet potato pie, you don’t argue. You accept it like communion.
Pumpkin pie? That’s the canned sermon from aisle seven at Costco.
📊 Fact: 92% of grandmas confirm that sweet potato pie heals heartbreak faster than therapy. The other 8% were baking cornbread and didn’t answer.
Want to stay up to date with the news and resources from EdwardsSchoen?
Sign up for our monthly newsletter to stay in the know!
4. Whipped Cream Compatibility
Pumpkin pie needs whipped cream like your cousin needs a job — desperately.
Sweet potato pie? Sweet potato pie, on the other hand, doesn’t need a disguise — but will graciously accept a dollop as an accessory, not as a life raft.
📊 Poll: Whipped cream voted to “retire early” if assigned to pumpkin pie for one more Thanksgiving.
5. Leftover Power Level
Cold pumpkin pie in the fridge the next morning tastes like regret.
Cold sweet potato pie tastes like breakfast of champions. Magical breakfast energy bar. Don’t question it. Just eat it with coffee and admit your life is better now.
📊 Data shows sweet potato pie has a 76% chance of being eaten straight out of the pan at 8:43 AM the next day while standing in your pajamas.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Thanksgiving_Leftover_Sandwich_002-03b235f7fe6c4c8fb39e156cc214e4ca.jpg)
The Top 10 Best Thanksgiving Day Sides & Desserts
(because let’s be honest, the turkey is always dry, and you came here for the carbs anyway)
- Mashed Potatoes with Gravy – A creamy, salty lake of joy. If you don’t make a gravy volcano, did you even Thanksgiving?
- Stuffing/Dressing – The reason you loosen your belt. The only thing people fight over harder than WiFi passwords.
- Sweet Potato Pie – Already discussed. Crown it. Frame it. Worship it.
- Mac & Cheese – The cheddar-based antidepressant side that makes kids shut up and adults cry tears of cheddar-based happiness.
- Green Bean Casserole – Yes, it’s mushy. Yes, it has fried onions. Yes, it will disappear before halftime of the football game.
- Dinner Rolls – Nobody admits it, but you ate six of these before dessert. They are edible sponges for gravy and family secrets.
- Cranberry Sauce – Polarizing. You either love it or you think it’s the jelly equivalent of a clown at a funeral. Still belongs on the list.
- Pecan Pie – Sweet enough to power a Tesla. (pro tip: add some chocolate chips to the mix. Thank me later!)
- Deviled Eggs – Technically not a side, but also, technically gone before dinner. Uncle Bob ate nine. Nobody said anything.
- Pumpkin Pie – Fine. I’ll let it sneak in at number 10. Because Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie would feel weird, like a football game without commercials. It’s not the star, but it’s earned a background role.
So yes, pumpkin pie is “classic,” but sweet potato pie is superior in flavor, texture, and soul.
On Thanksgiving Day, you don’t need “classic.”
You need something worth unbuttoning your pants for.
📊 Final Fact: 100% of people who disagree with this post are wrong, and their opinions will not be counted.
