Anthony Anderson shares the secret to his tasty sweet potato pie recipe

Do use this secret ingredient in a tasty sweet potato pie recipe like Anthony Anderson?

What comes to mind when you think of a tasty sweet potato pie recipe? For Anthony Anderson, there is a secret ingredient that goes into his favorite, family pie recipe. While Anderson might be a foodie at heart, he wanted to put his family’s taste buds to the test.

During the holiday season, it seems that everyone is baking pies. From grandma’s special pecan pie to classic apple pies to even some food mash-ups like Piecaken, the pie seems to the popular holiday dessert.

While all recipes are different, one key ingredient, or even secret ingredient, sets one pie apart from another. It all comes down to the spices.

Even though baking shows can talk about soggy bottoms and dense pie crusts, a great pie is tasty because of the filling. From fruit to crème, the pie filling is the part that makes people swoon. The crust might have flavor in the brown, but the filling is the flavor jam.

Although television fans know Anthony Anderson from Blackish and other roles, he is a huge foodie. He has had re-occurring roles on Food Network and knows his way around a kitchen.

With the holidays around the corner, Anderson and his family are looking forward to the holiday season. He said, “For the Anderson family, Thanksgiving has always been about preparing the meal together, sharing what we’re most thankful for, and finishing our celebration with homemade Sweet Potato Pie.”

This year, Anderson partnered with McCormick on a little pre-Thanksgiving prank. While that tasty sweet potato pie recipe might be a family tradition, he was curious to see if his family would give a blue ribbon to his baking skills.

Anderson said, “Another annual holiday tradition is goofing around with my family. I pulled off a prank to show my family that I not only have serious baking chops that can rival my Big Momma, but that the spices from McCormick truly awakens the flavor of the pie.”

While his family’s reactions are priceless, the video does show that spices do make a big difference in making a tasty sweet potato pie recipe. For Anderson, the secret is coriander. That spice adds a nuance to the other pie spices. And, with a touch of lemon for brightness, this sweet potato pie recipe is one that everyone should try.

Here’s how to make Anthony Anderson’s tasty sweet potato pie recipe.

Ingredients:

8 Servings

• 3 medium sweet potatoes, (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 3/4 teaspoons McCormick Gourmet™ Organic Ground Coriander
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups whole milk, divided
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon McCormick® All Natural Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 (9-inch) frozen unbaked deep dish pie crust

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork. Place on foil-lined baking pan. Bake 45 minutes or until fork tender. Cool sweet potatoes completely. Peel sweet potatoes, discarding skin. Cut flesh into chunks and place in large bowl. Mash with potato masher until smooth. (You should have about 2 cups of mashed sweet potatoes.)
• Place butter, brown sugar, spices, salt and half of the milk in medium saucepan. Add mashed sweet potatoes. Cook on low 5 minutes, stirring until butter is melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature.
• Place eggs, remaining milk, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with wire whisk until creamy. Whisk sweet potato mixture into egg mixture until well blended. Pour filling into pie crust.
• Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Bake 1 hour longer or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.
• While this recipe is delicious on its own, you can add your own twist. From a flavored whipped cream to even a salted caramel drizzle, there are many ways to make this tasty sweet potato pie recipe your own.

Does your family have a favorite holiday dessert recipe? What is the baking secret?