Description
These maple sweet potato pie bars combine a buttery Biscoff cookie crust, smooth and creamy maple sweet potato filling, and a generous layer of maple-sweetened, cinnamon-spiced whipped cream.
Ingredients
Biscoff Cookie Crust
- 32 Biscoff cookies (8.8 oz/250g)
- 5 Tablespoons (71g) unsalted butter, melted
Sweet Potato Filling
- 1 lb (454g) sweet potatoes (about 2 medium, weighed before cooking)
- 3 Tablespoons (43g) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 3 pieces
- 1/2 cup (120g/ml) heavy cream, at room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons (60g) pure maple syrup
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I use dark)
- 2 Tablespoons (15g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Maple Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360g/ml) heavy cream, cold
- 3 Tablespoons (60g) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Cook the sweet potatoes: Place the whole, unpeeled sweet potatoes in a large pot. Cover them with water, then bring to a boil on the stovetop. Boil for 45 minutes, or until a fork or knife easily slides through the center.
- Meanwhile, make the crust: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the bars out. Use a food processor or blender to grind the Biscoff cookies into fine crumbs. In a medium bowl, stir the Biscoff crumbs and melted butter together until combined. The mixture will be sandy. Break up any large clumps.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. With medium pressure using your hand or the bottom of a measuring cup, pat the crumbs down to make a compact crust. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to slightly cool while you prepare the filling.
- Make the filling: Drain the sweet potatoes and let cool until you can comfortably handle them. The skins should peel right off. Cut the sweet potatoes into large chunks, then place in a food processor or blender. Add the butter, heavy cream, and maple syrup and blend/process until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the food processor with a silicone spatula. Add the brown sugar, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. Blend/process again until smooth. Finally, add the eggs and pulse just until incorporated. Do not over-mix.
- Spread the filling into the pre-baked crust. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top looks set and the center no longer jiggles when you tap the pan. For a more accurate test of doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer in the center; the bars are done when the internal temperature is between 175–185°F (79–85°C).
- Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan set on a cooling rack, then transfer the pan to the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 1 day.
- Make the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3–4 minutes. Lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang and set them on a cutting board. Spread the whipped cream topping over the chilled bars in a generous layer, then cut into squares.
- Cover and refrigerate leftover bars for up to 4 days. For the best texture, keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This is a great dessert to make 1 day in advance because the bars need time to chill. The crust itself can be prepared ahead of time. Cool the pre-baked crust completely, then cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. To freeze, let the baked bars cool completely. Once completely cooled, cover the pan tightly with a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 7.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Large Pot (such as a Dutch oven) | Food Processor | 9-inch Square Baking Pan | Offset Spatula | Instant-Read Thermometer | Cooling Rack | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand)
- Graham Cracker Crust: You can substitute this graham cracker crust for the Biscoff cookie crust. Proceed with step 3 in the recipe above, including pre-baking it for 10 minutes.
- Sweet Potatoes: 1 pound is usually about 2 medium sweet potatoes (weighed before cooking). I recommend boiling whole sweet potatoes with the skins on to help prevent them from absorbing excess water. You can boil the sweet potatoes 1 day ahead of time; refrigerate them until needed, then bring to room temperature before making the filling. You can also use plain baked or roasted sweet potatoes if that’s easier. Just make sure they’re soft enough to puree until smooth.