5 Star Reader Comment
My sister-in-law always makes the sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving and they are delicious. We went to NC from FL for Thanksgiving this year, and we were sad to have no leftovers when we got home. So we did a “do-over” Thanksgiving yesterday and I made these. They were just perfect!
Kelly
The Side Dish That Never Has to Compete for Attention
There is a seat at every holiday table reserved for this dish, right between the turkey and the green beans, and it never gets moved. I have never once needed to dress this up with orange zest or a splash of bourbon to make it feel special. Butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg have always been enough.
My boys know what is coming the moment this dish hits the oven. The whole kitchen smells warm and a little like fall no matter what month it actually is, and that smell alone tells everyone dinner is close. Making this for my family is one of the parts of the holidays I look forward to most, not because it is complicated, but because it is not.
Enjoy!
Yams or Sweet Potatoes? Here Is What You Are Actually Buying
People use these two words interchangeably, but they are not the same vegetable. Yams are a root vegetable grown in Africa and Asia, with rough brown skin and white flesh. Sweet potatoes, the ones you will find in nearly every grocery store in the United States, are grown in the Americas and have smooth skin with orange flesh.
What most of us call candied yams are actually candied sweet potatoes, and that is exactly what goes into this recipe. Sweet potatoes are sweeter and creamier than true yams, which is exactly why they work so well here.
Eight Ingredients, Zero Fuss
- Sweet potatoes are the star here, and any variety will work, though I always reach for the classic bright orange ones.
- Brown sugar and granulated sugar work together to build the rich, caramelized syrup that coats every piece.
- Ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg bring that familiar, cozy spice, while a touch of salt rounds out all the sweetness so the dish does not taste flat.
- Butter and vanilla bring the whole syrup together, adding richness you can taste in every bite.
Recipe Variations
- Marshmallows: It may be controversial, but I don’t use mini marshmallows in my candied yams recipe. But you can! Once the candied yams are done cooking, sprinkle miniature marshmallows over the potatoes and place them under the broiler for a few seconds until browned and melted.
- Pecans: Chopped toasted pecans are great sprinkled on during baking, and candied pecans are a delicious finishing touch before serving.
Small Things That Make a Big Difference in the Pan
Keep the potato rounds similar in size. Even thickness means every piece finishes cooking at the same time, instead of some pieces turning to mush while others stay firm.
Do not boil the potatoes until fully tender. You want them tender at the edges but still a little firm in the middle. They finish cooking in the oven, and starting too soft means they will fall apart by the time they are done baking.
Stir gently when you coat the potatoes in syrup. Sweet potatoes break easily once they start to soften, so a light hand keeps the rounds looking neat instead of turning the whole dish into mash.
Let the dish rest for the full 5 minutes before serving. The syrup is thin and bubbling straight out of the oven. A short rest lets it thicken slightly and cling to the potatoes instead of pooling at the bottom of the dish.
Taste your syrup before it goes over the potatoes. This is your one chance to adjust sweetness or spice before it is baked in, so give it a quick taste while it is still in the saucepan.
Boil, Glaze, Bake – How To Make
- Slice the sweet potatoes into rounds, then boil them just until tender on the edges but still firm in the middle.
- While they cook, make the syrup on the stovetop with the butter, sugars, spices, vanilla, and salt.
- Drain the potatoes, pour the syrup over them, and gently toss to coat before transferring everything to a baking dish.
- Bake until the potatoes are soft in the middle and the syrup has caramelized around them. For full details, quantities, and cook times, see the recipe card below.
Do the Work the Day Before
Prep the potatoes a day ahead. Boil and slice them, then store them in the refrigerator so all that is left on the big day is making the syrup and baking.
Store leftovers properly. Keep any extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.
Plan it around your oven space. Since this bakes at 350°F, it can often share oven space with other holiday sides set at a similar temperature, which helps on a day when every burner and rack is already spoken for.
More Comfort Food Side Dishes
Ingredients
- 3 pounds peeled sweet potatoes
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees
- Slice sweet potatoes into rounds and place in a large pot, and cover with water. Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook for approximately 5 minutes until the potatoes are tender on the edges but slightly firm in the middle. Drain the potatoes and place them back in the cooking pot.
- While the potatoes are cooking, make the sugar syrup by adding the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla and salt to a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar has melted, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the sugar mixture over the sweet potatoes. Gently stir to coat the potatoes, then place them into a baking dish. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and carefully toss in potatoes in the syrup. Return to the oven and cook for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are done and the syrup has caramelized.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
Notes
-
- Marshmallows: It may be controversial, but I don’t use mini marshmallows in my candied yams recipe. But you can! Once the candied yams are done cooking, sprinkle miniature marshmallows over the potatoes and place them under the broiler for a few seconds until browned and melted.
- Pecan: Chopped toasted pecans are great sprinkled on during baking, and candied pecans are a delicious finishing touch before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
When I serve this traditional Southern side dish for dinner, it’s usually for a complete holiday feast. I will serve them alongside Southern Style Green Beans and Simple Oven Roasted Turkey and Brown Sugar Mustard Bake Ham. And don’t forget the Homemade Apple Crostata and Bourbon Maple Pecan Pie for dessert!
Frequently Asked Questions
Once the potatoes are coated in the sugar syrup, they must cook in the oven until soft and tender in the middle, which takes about 30 to 35 minutes.
Sweet potatoes are loaded with minerals and Vitamins A, B, and C, making them a superfood.
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can reheat them in the microwave or on the stovetop.
If you tried this Southern Candied Yams Recipe or any other recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks!
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I made this for part of Christmas dinner and everyone loved it. I made a double recipe for six adults and two children hoping to have leftovers for a few days; there’s barely any left. The only change I made to the recipe was subbing allspice for the nutmeg (was out of nutmeg) and it was awesome! The two kids hate sweet potatoes; they had seconds of this dish!
Thank you for sharing! This makes me so happy.
Happy New Year!
~Donya
My sister-in-law always makes the sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving and they are delicious. We went to NC from FL for Thanksgiving this year, and we were sad to have no leftovers when we got home. So we did a “do-over” Thanksgiving yesterday and I made these. They were just perfect!
Kelly! Thank you for sharing. I love all of it.
Merry Christmas to you and your family,
~Donya
Nice twist for different cooking