Not Pumpkin, Not Pecan: The Seasonal Grocery Store Pie Shoppers Say Is 'The Best' They've 'Ever Tasted'

There's a new pie available at Sprouts Farmers Market, and it's not pecan, pumpkin, or even a take on apple. It still fits the fall theme, but there's a twist to it — it's a purple sweet potato pie made in collaboration with purveyor Frieda's Produce.

Sprouts' product has a deeply purple color to it but still retains the classic flavor you'd expect on account of the vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Though it's sweetened with both cane sugar and sweetened condensed milk, it's a bit less sweet than traditional sweet potato pies. Commenters who've been lucky enough to snag the dessert are saying things like, "The best pie I've ever tasted," and "It's seriously so freaking yummy!"

Not to be confused with ube — a sweeter, starchier yam with similar coloring — purple sweet potatoes are much more comparable to orange sweet potatoes. They do have a little less sweetness and more pronounced earthiness, and they're also starchier than the orange variety, which gives them a creamier profile in baked goods. The purple hue of this nutritious potato comes from anthocyanins, which are the same antioxidant compounds that give blueberries their vibrant color. 

Frieda's Produce does sell its purple sweet potatoes at select grocery stores (one of them being popular Asian chain H Mart), but the pie itself appears to be exclusive to Sprouts Farmers Markets. Sprouts has locations in 25 U.S. states – its largest presence is in California, with many stores in Arizona, Colorado, Florida, and Texas. The 20-ounce pie is available in the grocery store's bakery section for $7.99.

For those who don't have access to a Sprouts grocery store, purple sweet potatoes are a little more accessible at specialty markets. You can try baking your own dessert with them, and plenty of recipes for purple sweet potato pies are available online. Based on all the excitement on social media, there's also a chance the festive pies will be sold out, so your only option may be to try experimenting at home instead.