Buttery shortbread crust topped with silky, spiced sweet potato filling. These bars are easy to make, perfect for fall gatherings, and can be made ahead for a stress-free dessert option.
Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, sugar, salt, vanilla, and softened butter. Mix until a soft dough forms.
1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Press dough evenly into the bottom of the pan and bake for 15–18 minutes, or until lightly golden.
Make the Sweet Potato Filling
Cook and peel your sweet potato. I baked mine in the oven at 400F for 55 minutes. Cut them into into chunks.
Add all filling ingredients (sweet potato, sugars, spices, cornstarch, vanilla, and milk) to the blender.
1 & 3/4 cup cooked sweet potato, 12 oz evaporated milk, 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1& 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon salt
Pulse or blend until smooth and fully combined. Add in the eggs and the egg yolk last and pulse a few more times to get everything incorporated.
2 large eggs, 1 egg yolk
Assemble and Bake
Pour the sweet potato filling over the hot pre-baked shortbread crust.
Bake for 30-37 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center is slightly jiggly. A toothpick inserted should come out mostly clean. Start checking at around 30 minutes then every 2 minutes after that
Cool and Serve
Allow bars to cool completely, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to set.
Lift the bars out using the parchment paper, cut into squares, and serve with whipped cream if desired.