Candied Yams are tender, buttery, tangy, and sweet with a delicious brown sugar citrus glaze. This easy and simple Thanksgiving side dish is quick to prepare making it the perfect stress-free side.
Plus, you only need a handful of pantry staple ingredients to transform these sweet potatoes into something delicious and flavorful. Serve brown sugar glazed yams for holiday dinners or any night of the week you are craving a sweet side dish.
Why You'll Love the Candied Yams
- It's quick and easy. This sweet potato recipe is so easy to prepare, especially if you prep the sweet potatoes ahead of time. You literally throw them into your casserole pan, make a quick 5-minute glaze with simple pantry staple ingredients, and then pour it over the yams. Toss everything together and pop into the oven. It only takes 15 minutes of active prep time to get these vegetables in the oven!
- Serve it on Thanksgiving or all season long. Although candied yams are a classic and nostalgic side dish to serve at the Thanksgiving table, you don't have to limit yourself to the holidays. We make this recipe throughout the fall and winter season. I mean, why not? It's a great side for family dinners or fall dinner parties. Plus, leftovers are great in a soup or over a salad the next day.
- Sweet and savory flavor. Just because something takes little time and effort to prepare, doesn't mean that its lacking in other areas. This side dish is loaded with flavor in every bite. It's sweet, buttery, and tangy — all in one.
Ingredient Notes
To make delicious Candied Yams, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- yams or sweet potatoes - you will need to peel and slice the yams (or sweet potatoes) into ½ inch slices.
- butter - you can use salted or unsalted butter. If using salted, don’t add in the extra salt that is called for in the recipe.
- orange juice and orange zest - we add these to give the yams a citrus flavor. If you don’t want an orange flavor, free free to leave these out and add in water instead.
- dark brown sugar - we prefer our candied yams less sweet so we only added in ⅓ cup. For traditional candied yams which are quite sweet, add in 1 cup of sugar.
- ground cinnamon
- pure vanilla extract
- salt
- pecans - optional to add on top when serving.
- rosemary - optional to add on top when serving.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, a 9x13-inch casserole pan, and a small saucepan.
How to Make the Best Candied Yams
- Assemble yams. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole pan with some oil or butter. Arrange the sliced yams in the pan.
- Make sweet sauce. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, about 1 minute. Add orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil then turn the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Pour the sauce over the yams.
- Toss. Toss the yams well until coated completely with the sauce.
- Bake. Bake uncovered in a 375 preheated oven for 15 minutes. Then, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes until tender. Baste with the sauce occasionally during baking.
- Serve. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with chopped pecans and fresh rosemary on top, if desired.
Recipe Variations
There are a few different ways that you can customize these Candied Sweet Potatoes with different toppings. Try adding:
- Marshmallows. Add a layer of marshmallows in the last 5 minutes of baking and pop into the oven until browned.
- Bacon. Top with cooked bacon bits for a delicious salty flavor that pairs with the sweet yams really well.
- Nuts. We added pecans but you can switch them up with other nuts such as walnuts.
- Streusel. Add a streusel (crumb topping) over the yams before baking. To make a streusel, mix together ½ cup of flour, ¼ cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Add ¼ cup butter and use a fork to smash the butter into smaller pieces. Then, use your fingers to press the ingredients together until it forms crumbles.
How to Serve
Candied Yams are typically served as a side dish with fall and winter dinners while sweet potatoes are in season. They're also the perfect side dish to serve on Thanksgiving.
Some holiday entrees that pair well with roasted acorn squash are:
- Roast Turkey
- Dutch Oven Roast Chicken
- Wild Rice Stuffed Butternut Squash
- Instant Pot Turkey Breast
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Sheet Pan Thanksgiving Dinner
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Store leftover candied yams in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to Reheat
Reheat leftover candied yams by roasting in a 350F preheated oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through, or in a 350F air fryer for 5 minutes until warm.
How to Freeze
Spread leftover candied yams on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Then transfer them into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat your desired serving size straight out of the freezer by sautéing until heated through and crisped up. You can also bake it from frozen, microwave, or air fry.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Prep the yams in advance. The majority if the prep in this recipe comes from slicing up 4-5 yams. Make this recipe a little easier on Thanksgiving by slicing them up ahead of time (of to 2 days in advance). Store the sliced yams in a bowl covered in water until ready to cook.
- Add leftover sweet potatoes to salads. Slices of brown sugar glazed sweet potatoes are delicious over a fall salad. Add it in place of butternut squash in the following salads: Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad, Fall Harvest Salad, or Thanksgiving Salad.
- Make soup with leftovers. Another option for leftovers is to throw it into a soup. This may be the better option as the yams get very soft, almost breaking apart. Add some chicken or vegetable stock, simmer, blend, and top with your favorite soup garnishes. You can also use it in your favorite soups to add sweetness and bulk.
More Side Dish Recipes
- 50 Best Fall Side Dishes
- Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
- Maple Roasted Acorn Squash
- Creamed Corn
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash
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Recipe
Candied Yams
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6-8 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Candied Yams are tender, buttery, tangy, and sweet with a delicious brown sugar citrus glaze. This easy and simple Thanksgiving side dish is quick to prepare making it the perfect stress-free side.
Ingredients
- 5 medium yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½-inch thick pieces (about 3 pounds)
- ½ cup butter
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ teaspoon orange zest (optional)
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar (up to 1 cup for traditional very sweet candied yams)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pecans, chopped (optional, for serving)
- fresh rosemary (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a 9x13-inch casserole pan with some oil or butter.
- Arrange the sliced yams in the pan. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, about 1 minute. Add orange juice, orange zest, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir well until smooth. Bring the sauce to a boil then turn the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the sauce over the yams and toss well to coat.
- Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Then, cover with aluminum foil and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes until tender. Baste with the sauce occasionally during baking.
- Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve warm with chopped pecans and fresh rosemary on top, if desired.
Notes
How to store: Store leftover candied yams in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
How to reheat: Reheat leftover candied yams by roasting in a 350F preheated oven for about 10 minutes until warmed through, or in a 350F air fryer for 5 minutes until warm.
How to freeze: Spread leftover candied yams on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours. Then transfer them into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat your desired serving size straight out of the freezer by sautéing until heated through and crisped up. You can also bake it from frozen, microwave, or air fry.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: candied yams, candied sweet potatoes, brown sugar glazed yams, sweet potato side dish
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