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, and warming spices and baked in the oven to fork tender.
The Best Candied Yams
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, along with stuffing, green bean casserole, garlic green beans, creamy mashed potatoes, and corn casserole, is a must for our holiday gatherings.
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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 keeping warm and sharing with a crowd convenient.
- If you want something creamy and lighter, try my mashed sweet potatoes or whole-baked potatoes next.
Ingredients
- Fresh Sweet Potatoes - Choose medium to large sweet potatoes that are smooth and firm, with no bruises or cracks. Dark reddish-brown ones are usually sweeter and have bright orange flesh. Fun fact: yams and sweet potatoes are different!
- Orange Juice - Zest and juice 1-2 oranges for a fresh, citrusy flavor that balances the sweetness. You can also use peach nectar or pineapple juice, or skip the juice if you prefer.
- Spices - Use warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for a cozy fall flavor, or try pumpkin spice!
- Brown Sugar - You can use dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor, light brown sugar for a sweeter taste, or just white sugar. There are also substitutes for brown sugar.
- Cornstarch: - This helps thicken the sauce so it sticks to the yams.
- Vanilla Extract - Adds a rich, aromatic flavor to the yams.
- Butter - Use unsalted butter for a creamy, sweet taste. Avoid salted butter.
Optional topping: You can add a crunchy topping or mix-ins - we love homemade granola or nuts and raisins just.
📋 You can find the full ingredient list in the Recipe Card below the article.
How To Make Baked Candied Yams
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a 9 or 8-inch (I used 8- 11, 11-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 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 immediately with roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, relish, or leftover turkey shepherd's pie.
Recipe Troubleshoot
Why did my yams burn?
You may have sliced them unevenly or very small/thin. Cut them into uniform slices, about 1-2 inch pieces.
Do I need to boil the yams first?
NO, it is unnecessary in this recipe, and in fact, it will turn your sweet potatoes into a mushy, overcooked mess.
Yams vs. Sweet Potatoes
The terms are used interchangeably in US stores, but they're different.
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, choose 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
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 should 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 and cold.
🎅 Christmas Mood: 68 Best Gluten Free and Dairy Free Christmas Recipes (Easy To Make!)
Serving Suggestions
Candied yams are a classic holiday side dish, more often served during Christmas and Thanksgiving dinner.
Serve it with something lighter, such as roasted turkey or chicken or 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 them refrigerated for 3-4 days.
- To Reheat - Remove the yams from the fridge, preheat your oven to 400°F, place them in a covered baking dish, and bake for 25-35 minutes or until warmed through.
- To Freeze - Freezing is not recommended, as the yams may become mushy when reheated. If you do freeze cooked sweet potatoes (like mashed or whole roasted), thaw them in the fridge overnight before reheating. Note that their texture might be slightly softer than freshly cooked.
- Make-Ahead Instructions - For the best flavor, prepare the yams 1-2 days in advance. Keep them covered and refrigerated. Reheat the casserole in a warm oven at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes or until piping hot. I like to cover mine with aluminum foil to keep them 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 the 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 into the oven until the marshmallows are melted.
- Dairy-free - The only ingredient you'd need to swap here is butter. Plant-based butter or ghee (which has dairy but excellent choice for lactose-free people) will work equally well here.
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Recipe Card
Baked Candied Yams (Candied Sweet Potatoes)
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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.
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
NUTRITION
Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
Candied Yams: 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 labeled as yams are sweet potatoes.
True yams are similar in shape but have rough skin similar to bark trees. They have white flesh and a mild, almost neutral starchy taste.
These are rare in regular stores. Sweet potatoes, with smooth skin and sweet flesh, are easily available in every store.
If someone in the US mentions "yams," they're likely referring to sweet potatoes.
The candied yam recipe is a Southern side dish. Sweet potatoes (not yams, as these are different things) are cooked with butter and sugar until they are 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 to 2-3 days ahead before cooking. I like to keep them in aluminum foil or submerged in a water bowl in the refrigerator.
Yams are root vegetables that come from Africa and are similar to yuca (cassava).
They have pale flesh and a mild taste, much like regular potatoes, but they aren't sweet like sweet potatoes.
In the United States, people often call sweet potatoes "yams." This is technically incorrect, but the term has stuck over the years.
So when you hear someone say "yams," they're probably talking about a dish made with sweet potatoes.
You could, but there are clear benefits to making this casserole from scratch.
Homemade is not heavily processed and won't have the additional (unnecessary) nasty ingredients you would find in canned yams.
Yes, this dish has sugar in it, but using fresh yams is far healthier than using from a can. It's probably cheaper, too.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
Prepare a holiday staple - candied sweet potatoes from scratch with just a few simple steps.
Myrtle
I love your candied yams receipe.
Julia | The Yummy Bowl
glad you loved it Myrtle!