These candied yams are sweet and buttery and feature brown sugar and warm spices. A traditional southern candied yams recipe passed down from generation to generation.
Marrekus makes the best candied yams! This recipe was passed down from his grandmother to his mother and then to him. He recalls her peeling and slicing sweet potatoes, then coating them in a brown sugar candied sauce. When his grandmother would bake them in the oven you would think that a pie or cake was coming out, and not a Thanksgiving side dish to go with turkey and ham.
This candied yams recipe isn’t just reserved for the holidays. We make this classic soul food recipe to go with smothered chicken, fried chicken, cabbage, fish and spaghetti, and collard greens. It’s an easy recipe that’s the perfect accompaniment to Sunday supper.
[feast_advanced_jump_to]How to make candied yams
Making candied yams is easy! This recipe calls for fewer than 10 ingredients, and you likely already have most of them in your pantry. When it comes to preparing this candied yams recipe in the oven, the only special equipment required is a 9- by 13-inch baking dish and a saucepan.
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- sweet potatoes
- butter
- cinnamon and nutmeg
- sugar and brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- salt
Directions
Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously coat your dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter. While the oven is preheating, clean sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt. Then, peel and slice them into ½-inch thick rounds, and arrange them in the prepared dish.
In a saucepan placed over medium heat, melt the butter. As the butter melts, add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and both types of sugar. Whisk until all the ingredients have combined with the butter. Then, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
Pour the melted butter mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes, ensuring that each slice gets coated thoroughly. Now, cover the baking dish securely with aluminum foil. Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and let sweet potatoes bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Carefully take the dish out of the oven. Using a spoon, generously coat the candied yams with the candied sauce mixture at the bottom of the dish. Then, re-cover the dish with foil. Continue baking until the sweet potatoes become tender when pierced with a fork, and the sauce has thickened, enough to coat a spoon. This typically takes an additional 15-20 minutes.
Note: If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can remove the foil during the last 5 minutes of baking, allowing it to reduce further.
Once the candied yams are done baking, take them out of the oven. Allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
What to serve with candied yams
Candied yams are a popular Thanksgiving side dish that is best served alongside turkey, mashed potatoes, collard greens, cabbage, cornbread dressing, and macaroni and cheese.
For a Sunday soul food supper, you can also serve them with fried chicken, fish and spaghetti, smothered chicken, and pinto beans.
Frequently asked questions
This recipe calls for sweet potatoes, which have dark reddish brown potato skin and orange flesh.
Yes! Peel and slice them into ½-inch thick rounds.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for a total of 50 minutes. The initial bake is 30 minutes. Then, remove from the oven and spoon the candied sauce mixture at the bottom of the dish over the sweet potatoes. Continue baking until they become tender when pierced with a fork, and the sauce has thickened. This typically takes an additional 15-20 minutes.
Yes! Cover in foil to avoid burning. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can remove the foil during the last 5 minutes of baking, allowing the liquid to reduce further.
Candied yams are done when they become tender when pierced with a fork, and the sauce has thickened.
CANDIED YAMS RECIPE
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Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes -
Yield: 6 servings
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeIngredients
- nonstick cooking spray (or softened butter)
- 5 sweet potatoes (medium, orange-fleshed, about 3 pounds)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Generously coat baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or butter.
- Clean the sweet potatoes thoroughly to remove any dirt. Then, peel and slice sweet potatoes into ½-inch thick rounds, and arrange them in prepared baking dish.
- Melt the butter in saucepan over medium heat.
- Add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and both types of sugar.
- Whisk until all the ingredients have combined with the butter.
- Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour melted butter mixture evenly over sweet potatoes, ensuring that each slice gets coated thoroughly.
- Cover baking dish securely with aluminum foil. Place the baking dish into the preheated oven and let sweet potatoes bake for approximately 30 minutes.
- After this initial baking period, carefully take baking dish out of the oven. Use a spoon, generously coat sweet potatoes with candied mixture. Then, re-cover the dish with foil.
- Continue baking until sweet potatoes become tender when pierced with a fork, and sauce has thickened, enough to coat a spoon., about 15-20 minutes.
- Once the sweet potatoes are done baking, remove from oven.
- Allow candied yams to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can remove the foil during the last 5 minutes of baking, allowing it to reduce further.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: side dish, thanksgiving
Method: oven
Cuisine: soul food
Keywords: candied yams, candy yams, candied sweet potatoes, sweet potatoes, thanksgiving, side dish, soul food
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