These baked candied yams are a beloved dish for Thanksgiving table and many holiday dinners. Sweet potato cubes are coated in a sticky, flavorful buttery syrup, brown sugar, warming spices and baked in the oven to fork tender.
Whether you make it with marshmallows or not, these sweet yams are sure to be the highlight of your holiday dinner. These yams are gluten-free and can be made vegan.
Side dishes are often the show-stoppers at our holiday dinners. This recipe is a must for our holiday gatherings, along with green bean casserole, creamy mashed potatoes and corn casserole.
Table Of Contents
Why It's Yummy
- Ease - this sweet potato casserole keeps things simple! With clear instructions and just a few ingredients, you'll have these yams oven-ready in a snap.
- Made for sharing - bring and share this southern staple casserole dish at holiday gatherings. Its one-pot style makes it convenient to keep warm and share with a crowd.
- Perfectly sweet flavor - brace yourself for these yams that kick up the sweetness a notch! The sweet potatoes are covered in a zesty orange-brown sugar glaze that's buttery, sweet, and wonderfully gooey, creating an incredibly tasty dish! A perfect combo of cinnamon and nutmeg brings a cozy and rich flavor to the dish.
- If you’re looking for something creamy and lighter, try my mashed sweet potatoes or whole-baked potatoes next.
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Ingredients
My few comments on the ingredients + don't forget to read the Tips section!
The full recipe and ingredients can be found in the recipe card below this post.
- Fresh sweet potatoes - Opt for medium-large, smooth-skin firm ones without bruises, blemishes, or cracks. Choose the darker reddish-brown colored sweet potatoes which will have a rich bright orange flesh inside. This type of sweet potato tends to be more sweeter than the rest. Did you know that yams and sweet potatoes are different things? Read about the differences in the next paragraph!
- Orange juice - Zest 1-2 oranges and squeeze out the juice. Orange brings freshness and a nice citrusy aroma balancing off the sweetness of baked candied yams. Alternatively, peach nectar, and pineapple juice could work here too. If you want to skip the juice is fine too.
- Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg - All warming spices, perfect for the festive fall season. Or try pumpkin spice!
- Brown sugar - Opt for either dark brown sugar (deeper molasses flavor) or light brown sugar (sweeter caramel flavor). You can definitely make this with just white sugar as well or try these brown sugar substitutions instead.
- Cornstarch - Thickens the sweet liquid, helping it cling to the yams.
- Vanilla Extract - Infuses the yams with a rich, aromatic taste.
- Butter - Unsalted butter lends velvety, sweet creaminess to the potatoes. Unsalted butter is not recommended.
Optional topping: You can add a crunchy topping or mix-ins - we love homemade granola or nuts and raisins just.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 9 or 8 inch (I used 8 x11 inch) pan or 2-quart baking dish with olive oil or butter.
Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer within the prepared dish.
In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, maple, and ginger.
Whisk them together until well blended.
Pour the candied mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes.
Gently toss the sweet potatoes to ensure they are thoroughly coated in the flavorful sauce.
Bake the sweet potatoes for a span of 45-50 minutes, pausing to stir every 15-20 minutes.
Test the sweet potatoes for doneness, they should be firm yet fork-tender.
After baking, allow the yams to rest for a few minutes.
This helps the flavors meld and the textures settle. They should become even more tender and acquire a delightful caramelized finish.
Optional: How to add marshmallows.
After baking, sprinkle the marshmallows over the top of the tender sweet potatoes.
Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the marshmallows are melted and have taken on a golden brown hue. Serve right away!
📋 FLAVOR & TEXTURE: These candied sweet potatoes are soft, buttery, caramelized on the edges, bursting with flavors like vanilla, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and ginger, and enhanced by orange aroma.
Recipe Troubleshoot
Why did my yams burn?
You may have sliced them unevenly or very small/thin. Take care to cut them into uniform slice, about 1-2 inch pieces.
Do I need to boil the yams first?
No, in this recipe it is unnecessary and in fact, this will turn your sweet potatoes mushy overcooked mess.
Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes
The terms are used interchangeably in US stores, but they're not the same. Real Yams have rough, dark skin and mildly sweet or neutral starchy flesh, while sweet potatoes have smooth skin, softer flesh, and a sweet taste.
Yams originated in Africa and are rare in our grocery stores. You have better luck finding them in specialty stores or online. Read more in depth about yams vs sweet potatoes.
For this recipe, go with a vibrant orange "yam." Depending on the store, it might be labeled as either a yam or a sweet potato (In the US).
Difference between yams and sweet potatoes
Recommended Equipment
- Casserole dish
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Airtight Food containers
- Mixing bowls
Tips
- Pre-boil soak - Prior to boiling, briefly soak the yams in cold water for around 30 minutes. This method helps remove excess starch, ensuring the yams are tender without becoming too mushy. This is optional, but shoudl give slightly better results!
- Place yam slices in the dish carefully, adding glaze between each layer for consistent sweetness in every bite.
- Cut the yams into uniform slices to ensure even cooking. This prevents some pieces from getting overly soft while others remain undercooked.
- You can cut the sweet potatoes into medium thick rounds or half moons, but in this case add extra minutes for baking.
- Testing for Doneness - Use a fork to test the tenderness of the yams. They should be easily pierced but not overly mushy.
- How long to cook? It usually takes about 45-50 minutes, but may be shorter or longer due to various factors such as your oven, casserole dish, type of sweet potato and size of slices.
- Traditionally baked candied yams are served hot as a side dish but I find that they taste delicious both hot or cold.
Serving Suggestions
Candied yams are a classic holiday side dish, more often served during Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner.
Serve it with something lighter, roasted turkey, or chicken, flaky white fish or go for more Southern classics like ham and a juicy steak.
And don't forget more sides to go with your easy candied yams:
Freezing And Storing Instructions
- To Store. Leftover candied yams can be stored in an airtight container once they're fully cooled. Keep refrigerated for 3-4 days.
- To Reheat. Take them out from the fridge, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, place the yams in a covered baking dish, and bake 25-35 minutes or until warmed.
- To Freeze. I don’t recommend freezing these as they may turn out mushy once you reheat them. Frozen cooked sweet potatoes, such as mashed or whole roasted ones, should be thawed in the fridge overnight before reheating. Just a heads up, their texture might be slightly softer than when freshly cooked!
- Make-Ahead Instructions. You can make these yams 1-2 days (best flavor, although they can be stored for longer) ahead and keep it covered and refrigerated. Re-warm the casserole just before serving, in warm oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celcius) for 10 minutes or until piping hot. I like to cover mine with aliminum foil so they remain moist and juicy.
Variations
- Add-ons - This homemade candied yams recipe is already awesome, but for an extra touch, sprinkle a bunch of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds on top (add these towards last minutes of baking to prevent burning) or mix in the sweet potatoes.
- If you have pumpkin pie spice, add a pinch or two, it pairs well with sweet potatoes.
- Marshmallow magic - Elevate the sweetness by topping with mini marshmallows after baking. Just briefly pop the casserole back to oven until marshmallows are becoming melted.
- Dairy free - The ony ingredient you'd need to swap here is butter. Plant based butter or ghee (has dairy but excellent choice for lactose-free people) will work equally well here.
FAQs
Go for the reddish-brown-skinned sweet potatoes (like Jewel or Beauregard) with orange flesh – they're the sweeter, juicier kind, and their cool color comes from lots of beta-carotene; sweet potatoes (scientific name: Ipomoea batatas) come in different colors like orange, purple, yellow, and white, each with its own texture and sweetness vibe.
Yams and sweet potatoes are different root vegetables. In the US, what is labelled as yams are actually sweet potatoes. True yams are similar in shape but with rough skin similar to bark tree, with white flesh and have mild, almost neutral starchy taste. These are rare in regular stores. Sweet potatoes have smooth skin and sweet flesh and are easily available in every store. If someone in the US mentions "yams," they're likely referring to sweet potatoes.
Candied yam recipe is a Southern side dish, where sweet potatoes (not yams as these are different things) are cooked with butter and sugar until they get really tender and super sweet. It's served as a side dish but feels and looks like a dessert!
Yes, unlike regular white potatoes, sweet potatoes can be peeled up to 2-3 days ahead before cooking. I like to keep them in aluminum foil or submerged in a bowl of water in the refrigerator.
Yams are root vegetable similar to yuca (cassava) originated from Africa. They have pale flesh and usually have a very mild to neutral taste, similar to regular potato. But they are not sweet like sweet potatoes. In the United States people call sweet potatoes ‘’yams’’, technically incorrect but this term has stuck for many years and when you hear someone say yams, he’s probably refering to a dish made with sweet potatoes.
You could, but there are clear benefits of making this casserole from scratch. Homemade is not heavily processed and won't have the additional (unneccessary) nasty ingredients like you would find in canned yams. Yes, this dish has sugar in it but using fresh yams is far more healthier than using from a can. Probably cheaper too.
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Happy Cooking,
Love,
Julia
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Recipe
Baked Candied Yams (Candied Sweet Potatoes)
INGREDIENTS
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces)
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar (packed)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- olive oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 9 or 8 inch (I used 8 x11 inch) pan or 2-quart baking dish with olive oil or butter.
- Arrange the sweet potatoes in a single layer within the prepared dish.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, melted butter, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, maple, and ginger.
- Whisk them together until well blended.
- Pour the candied mixture evenly over the sweet potatoes. Gently toss the sweet potatoes to ensure they are thoroughly coated in the flavorful sauce.
- Bake the sweet potatoes for a span of 45-50 minutes, pausing to stir every 15-20 minutes. Test the sweet potatoes for doneness, they should be firm yet fork-tender. After baking, allow the yams to rest for a few minutes. This helps the flavors meld and the textures settle. They should become even more tender and acquire a delightful caramelized finish. Enjoy!
- Optional: How to add marshmallows. After baking, sprinkle the marshmallows over the top of the tender sweet potatoes. Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the marshmallows are melted and have taken on a golden brown hue. Serve right away!
Video
NOTES
- Fresh sweet potatoes - Opt for medium-large, smooth-skin firm ones without bruises, blemishes, or cracks. Choose the darker reddish-brown colored sweet potatoes which will have a rich bright orange flesh inside. This type of sweet potato tends to be more sweeter than the rest. Did you know that yams and sweet potatoes are different things? Read about the differences in the next paragraph!
- FLAVOR & TEXTURE: These candied sweet potatoes are soft, buttery, caramelized on the edges, bursting with flavors like vanilla, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and ginger, and enhanced by orange aroma.
- Why did my yams burn? You may have sliced them unevenly or very small/thin. Take care to cut them into uniform slice, about 1-2 inch pieces.
- Do I need to boil the yams first? No, in this recipe it is unnecessary and in fact, this will turn your sweet potatoes mushy overcooked mess.
PRIVATE NOTES
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Prepare a holiday staple - candied sweet potatoes from scratch with just a few simple steps.