Millionaire Bean Pie

A delicious spicy dessert made with cooked pinto beans, spices, brown sugar, and other ingredients. Tastes like a sweet potato pie. Excellent warm or cold.  How cool is that?!

I first heard of bean pies over 20 years ago.  Every weekend on my way to a favorite hair salon in Atlanta, I’d drive through a popular area where Muslims were selling bean pies.  People were always stopping to purchase them!  Business was booming.

Although I never purchased one, I asked my stylist if she had ever tasted a bean pie.  Her enthusiastic response was refreshing. She said they tasted like a really good sweet potato pie.

The traditional bean pie is a sweet custard pie associated with the Nation of Islam.  The filling contains mashed navy beans, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, and spices.  This creative dessert dates back to the 1930s when Elijah Muhammad, founder of the Nation of Islam, told his followers to avoid pork and unhealthy starches. 

Muslims created the bean pie as a healthier substitute for the sweet potato pie.  Navy beans replaced sweet potatoes.

Although I’m not a Muslim, I’m inspired by their creative use of navy beans.  A google search revealed black beans and pinto beans are also used to make bean pies. 

I used pinto beans, shredded carrots and no eggs to make my version.  Shredded carrots, an optional ingredient, adds texture and thickness.  

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Millionaire Bean Pie

A spicy dessert made with cooked pinto beans, spices, brown sugar, and other ingredients. Tastes like a delicious sweet potato pie. Excellent warm or cold. Recipe and photography by Beverly Davis for CornbreadMillionaire.com.

Course

Dessert

Cuisine

American

Prep Time

2.5 hours

Cook Time

30 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups pinto beans, cooked See recipe notes for cooking tips.
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup fresh carrots, shredded (optional)
• 2 regular 9" pie crusts Homemade or store-bought.
• kosher salt (optional) Sprinkle a pinch on top of each serving.

Course Dessert Cuisine American Prep Time 2.5 hours Cook Time 30 minutes Servings servings Ingredients 3 cups pinto beans, cooked See recipe notes for cooking tips. 1 cup light brown sugar, packed 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup fresh carrots, shredded (optional) 2 regular 9" pie crusts Homemade or store-bought. kosher salt (optional) Sprinkle a pinch on top of each serving.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a blender, add cooked pinto beans, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, melted butter and sweetened condensed milk.
3. Pulse once or twice OR until smooth. Stir in shredded carrots (if using). Set aside.
4. Add filling to prepared pie crusts (instructions below).
5. Bake 30 to 40 minutes. Filling will be jiggle slightly. Will firm as it cools.
6. Cool baked pie 10 minutes before serving. If desired, sprinkle each serving with a pinch of kosher salt (optional). Serve warm or cold.

Pie Crusts

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place each pie crust (homemade or store-bought) in a pie pan. Generously pierce bottom and sides with a fork.
3. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes in a glass pan and 8 minutes in an aluminum pan OR until puffy.

   

Recipe Notes

How to Prepare Pinto Beans

1.  Remove/discard debris from pinto beans.
2.  Soak 1 hour.
3.  Rinse thoroughly.
4.  Cook pinto beans with chunks of ham or use my favorite brand of smoked pork ham  distributed by Royal Foods.  This a friendly mention.  Not a paid endorsement.

5.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt to pinto beans after cooking.  Stir until evenly distributed.  Well seasoned pinto beans are delicious as is and in this recipe.

6.  If using my favorite Hurst Beans brand of pinto beans, do not use Ham Flavor packet.  Save for later.