If you are making your own pie dough, prepare it the night before, allowing it to chill for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. On a floured work surface, roll out the chilled dough into a 12-inch circle. Place it in a 9-inch pie dish, molding the excess dough around the edge for a thick rim. Crimp or flute the edges as desired. In a small bowl, beat together 1 large egg and 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream to create an egg wash, and brush it over the edges of the crust. Chill the prepared pie crust in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 15 minutes while you make the filling. I find chilling the crust at this stage helps prevent it from shrinking during baking.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with water. Bring to a boil and cook for 45–50 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft. Drain the hot water, then run the potatoes under very cold water. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins, slice into large chunks, and place in a mixing bowl. For easier peeling, be sure to let the sweet potatoes cool until they can be handled comfortably.

Using a handheld or stand mixer (or a blender), beat the peeled, boiled sweet potatoes (from Step 2) on medium-high speed until completely smooth. Add the unsalted butter, brown sugar, heavy cream, eggs, flour, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. Mix on high speed until the filling is smooth and everything is fully combined. I like to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to ensure a well-blended, creamy filling.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Pour the sweet potato mixture from Step 3 into the prepared and chilled pie crust (from Step 1), smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake the pie for 55–60 minutes, until the center is only slightly jiggly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. If the edges of the crust start to brown too quickly, use a pie crust shield or cover them with aluminum foil partway through. Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours to let the filling set properly. I like to let the pie cool completely before slicing for the cleanest cuts.

Once the pie has cooled and set, decorate the top with whipped cream before serving. Store any leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For a festive presentation, I find that piping the whipped cream around the outer edge is quick and looks beautiful.