The Best Homemade Candied Yams Recipe: Sweet Potato Perfection for Your Holiday Table
Prepare to elevate your holiday feast with this absolutely irresistible candied yams recipe. These aren’t just any sweet potatoes; they are lusciously coated in a warm, decadent glaze of brown sugar, rich butter, golden honey, and fragrant cinnamon, then baked slowly to tender perfection. The result is a side dish so sweet, savory, and comforting, it’s guaranteed to be the star alongside your main course.
This classic holiday side dish is incredibly versatile and pairs beautifully with a range of festive entrees. Imagine it nestled next to your loaded mac and cheese, complementing the sweetness of honey jalapeno cheddar cornbread, or balancing the savory notes of a perfectly baked ham with brown sugar glaze. It’s a quintessential addition to Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion meal where you want to impress with minimal effort but maximum flavor.
Why You’ll Adore This Baked Candied Yams Recipe
There are countless reasons why this particular candied yams recipe stands out and quickly becomes a family favorite:
- Ultimate Comfort Food with a Nutritional Boost: These candied yams are the epitome of a warm, comforting dish. Beyond their deliciousness, sweet potatoes are an excellent source of essential nutrients. They are rich in Potassium, vital for heart health, and packed with Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that supports your immune system. Who knew indulgence could be so good for you?
- Fills Your Home with Incredible Aromas: As these yams bake, your kitchen will be enveloped in the most enchanting scent of warm spices, sweet brown sugar, and caramelized butter. It’s the smell of holidays, comfort, and pure deliciousness, creating an inviting atmosphere that will make everyone eager for dinner.
- Rich, Decadent, and Surprisingly Easy to Make: Despite their luxurious taste and appearance, these candied yams are incredibly straightforward to prepare. The glaze comes together with minimal fuss, and the oven does most of the work, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your holiday meal. Every bite offers a rich, buttery, and deeply sweet experience that feels incredibly special without requiring advanced culinary skills.
- A Versatile Holiday Staple: While perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas, these candied yams are a welcome addition to any gathering. Their sweet profile complements savory meats and other vegetable sides beautifully, making them a go-to for any festive occasion.
Key Ingredient Notes for Perfect Candied Yams
Understanding your ingredients is the first step to creating a truly spectacular dish. Here’s what you need to know:
Yams (Sweet Potatoes): For this recipe, feel free to use any variety of red or orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. While often labeled “yams” in American grocery stores, what we commonly use for this dish are actually sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas). Look for firm, unblemished sweet potatoes. Varieties like Beauregard, Garnet, or Jewel are excellent choices due to their naturally sweet flavor and moist texture, which holds up beautifully during baking. Aim for sweet potatoes of similar size so they cook evenly.
Orange Zest: This ingredient is a secret weapon! Adding fresh orange zest introduces a bright, citrusy note that cuts through and beautifully balances the intense sweetness of the sugars and honey. It adds a layer of complexity and freshness that makes the dish less cloying and more sophisticated. Don’t skip it; I highly recommend adding it for that extra pop of flavor.
Brown Sugar: The star of our glaze! Brown sugar, with its molasses content, adds a deep, caramel-like sweetness and contributes to the beautiful, rich color of the glaze. You can use light or dark brown sugar, depending on your preference for intensity; dark brown sugar will yield a more robust molasses flavor.
Honey: Honey adds another layer of natural sweetness and helps create that wonderful sticky, syrupy consistency in the glaze. It also imparts a subtle floral note that enhances the overall flavor profile of the dish.
Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter allows you to control the salt content of your dish. Butter is crucial for richness, flavor, and helping the glaze thicken and adhere to the sweet potatoes, creating that signature candied texture.
Cinnamon & Nutmeg: These warm spices are the heart of any classic candied yams recipe. Cinnamon brings a comforting, aromatic sweetness, while nutmeg adds a touch of earthy warmth and complexity. Freshly grated nutmeg offers a superior flavor, but pre-ground works just fine.
Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract deepens and rounds out all the sweet and spiced flavors in the glaze, adding an extra layer of gourmet taste.
Expert Tips for the Best Candied Yams
- Embrace Versatility with Spices: This recipe is incredibly forgiving and easily adaptable to your taste preferences. While cinnamon and nutmeg are classics, feel free to experiment! A pinch of pumpkin pie spice blend, allspice, or a tiny dash of ground cloves can add another dimension of warm, festive flavor. Adjust the spices to suit your palate.
- Storing and Reheating Leftovers: Any leftover candied yams can be placed in an air-tight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm them in the microwave or in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until heated through. If they seem a bit dry, you can add a tablespoon of water or orange juice before reheating to revive the glaze.
- Add a Crunchy Texture: For an delightful contrast in texture, consider adding some chopped walnuts or pecans. Toasting the nuts lightly before adding them will enhance their flavor even further. Stir them into the yams during the last 30 minutes of baking, or sprinkle them on top just before serving for an extra layer of crunch and nutty goodness.
- Achieving Perfect Tenderness: The thickness of your sweet potato slices directly impacts cooking time. For best results, try to cut them into uniform 1 to 1.5-inch slices to ensure even cooking. If you prefer softer, melt-in-your-mouth yams, slice them a bit thinner or bake them for slightly longer. Always check for tenderness with a fork before serving.
- Choosing the Right Baking Dish: A 9×13 inch baking dish is ideal for this recipe, allowing the sweet potatoes to spread out in a single layer (or close to it) and cook evenly, while also allowing enough surface area for the glaze to reduce and thicken.
- Pre-boiling for Faster Cooking (Optional): If you’re short on time, you can par-boil the sweet potato slices for 5-7 minutes before baking. This will significantly reduce the oven cooking time, ensuring tender yams in a shorter period. Drain them well before adding them to the baking dish and glaze.
What Should I Do If My Candied Yam Glaze Is Too Runny?
While this recipe is designed for the glaze to thicken naturally in the oven, sometimes factors like sweet potato moisture content or covering the dish too long can result in a thinner glaze. If you find your glaze isn’t as thick and syrupy as you’d like, there’s an easy fix.
You can create a simple cornstarch slurry to thicken it up. I recommend mixing 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Once your yams are almost done, stir this slurry directly into the glaze in the baking dish. Let the yams continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the glaze has beautifully thickened to your desired consistency. The heat will activate the cornstarch, creating a luscious, candy-like coating. However, keep in mind that if you consistently cook the yams uncovered during the final baking stage, as instructed in the recipe, the glaze should naturally reduce and thicken perfectly without the need for additional cornstarch.
Should I Add Marshmallows to My Candied Yams?
The debate over marshmallows on candied yams is a classic holiday discussion! Personally, I don’t typically add miniature marshmallows on top of my candied yams. I find that this recipe, with its generous coating of brown sugar, honey, and spiced glaze, is perfectly sweet and rich enough on its own without the added sweetness of marshmallows. The pure flavor of the caramelized sweet potatoes truly shines through.
However, if you are a fan of that classic marshmallow topping, go for it! To add marshmallows, simply sprinkle a layer of mini marshmallows over the top of your candied yams during the last 10-15 minutes of baking. Keep a close eye on them, as they can brown and toast very quickly under the heat. You want them to be golden brown and slightly gooey, not burnt. The melted marshmallows will add an extra layer of sweetness and a wonderfully soft, sticky texture that many people adore during the holidays.
The Health Benefits of Sweet Potatoes (Yams)
Beyond being delicious, sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse, making this candied yam recipe a guilt-free indulgence. They are an excellent source of beta-carotene, which the body converts to Vitamin A, crucial for vision, immune function, and skin health. They also provide a good amount of Vitamin C, supporting immunity, and potassium, essential for maintaining healthy blood pressure. Their fiber content aids digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness. So, while you’re enjoying the sweet, comforting flavors, you’re also nourishing your body!
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Candied yams are a fantastic make-ahead dish, perfect for reducing stress on busy holiday cooking days.
- To Make Ahead: You can prepare the sweet potato slices and the glaze up to 1-2 days in advance. Store the peeled and sliced sweet potatoes submerged in cold water in the refrigerator to prevent browning. Prepare the glaze and store it separately in an airtight container in the fridge. On the day of serving, simply drain the sweet potatoes, assemble the dish, and bake as directed. Alternatively, you can fully bake the candied yams, let them cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Reheat gently in the oven at 300°F (150°C) until warm, adding a splash of water or orange juice if the glaze appears too thick.
- To Freeze: Candied yams freeze surprisingly well! Bake the dish completely, then allow it to cool entirely. Transfer the yams and glaze to a freezer-safe, airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm in a 325°F (160°C) oven, covered, for about 20-30 minutes, or until heated through. Uncover for the last 10 minutes to allow the glaze to re-caramelize slightly.
More Delicious Side Dishes You’ll Probably Enjoy
Looking for more inspiration to complete your meal? Explore these other fantastic side dish recipes that are sure to be crowd-pleasers:
- Creamy Garlic Butter Mushrooms: An elegant and flavorful addition to any meal.
- Slow Cooker Creamed Corn: A hands-off, incredibly rich and creamy corn dish perfect for gatherings.
- Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes: For a quicker, healthier sweet potato option with crispy edges.
- Honey Roasted Carrots: Simple, sweet, and perfectly caramelized carrots that everyone will love.
We hope you love this candied yams recipe as much as we do! It’s a true holiday classic that brings joy to every table.
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Candied Yams
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Ingredients
- 6 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1-inch slices (approx. 3-4 lbs)
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp honey
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp orange zest (optional, but recommended for balancing sweetness)
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
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Thoroughly scrub the sweet potatoes clean. Peel them using a vegetable peeler, then cut them into uniform 1 to 2-inch slices. Aim for consistent thickness for even cooking.
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Arrange the sliced sweet potatoes in a single layer (or slightly overlapping if necessary) in a 9×13 inch baking dish and set aside.
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To prepare the delectable glaze, combine the unsalted butter, nutmeg, cinnamon, white sugar, brown sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Cook this mixture over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
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Continue cooking until the mixture thickens slightly and begins to bubble vigorously, indicating that the sugars are dissolving and the flavors are melding. Once it reaches this stage, remove the saucepan from the heat.
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Stir in the vanilla extract and optional orange zest into the hot glaze, mixing until well combined.
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Carefully pour the warm glaze evenly over all the sliced sweet potatoes in the baking dish, ensuring they are well coated.
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Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. This initial covered baking helps to steam the sweet potatoes, making them tender.
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After 40 minutes, remove the foil. Gently baste the sweet potatoes with the rich glaze that has accumulated in the dish. Return the uncovered dish to the oven and continue to cook for an additional 45 minutes. During this time, the glaze will begin to thicken and caramelize, and the sweet potatoes will become even more tender. Once these 45 minutes are up, baste the yams once more, and cook for a final 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are perfectly tender when pierced with a fork and the glaze is beautifully thick and syrupy.
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Serve your perfectly candied yams warm and enjoy this ultimate holiday treat!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
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