A key component in soul food menus, Southern Candied Yams are sweet potatoes slow cooked in a buttery, brown sugar glaze until perfectly tender. They come together on the stovetop in about 30 minutes for the best holiday or Sunday dinner side dish!
Candied yams are a staple side dish for soul food meals! They pair well with other southern side dishes like Smoky Mustard Greens and Baked Mac and Cheese; plus, you can cook them in the oven or on the stovetop - whatever is most convenient.
My authentic candied yams recipe is both easy and delicious, with the perfect balance of flavor and a soft (but not mushy) texture. In just a few minutes, you can have these rich and decadent potatoes on your plate to enjoy. I can't wait for you to try these!
The Coined Breakdown
- Total Cost per serving: $1.05
- Total Cost (about 8 servings): $8.37
- Those Other Guys: $5.99 per serving
Ingredients
- Sweet Potatoes - Yep, we actually don't use yams in candied yams - go figure! (I go more into detail on the why behind this below.) Slice sweet potatoes into ½-inch thick medallions. You can cut them into half moons or quarters to cook even quicker.
- Brown Sugar & White Sugar - Dark brown sugar has enough molasses to create that deep, caramel-like flavor. A little white sugar helps bulk up the glaze as well.
- Butter - I recommend salted butter to cut through all of the sweetness.
- Maple Syrup - Just a hint of pure maple syrup enhances the overall flavor of the dish.
- Orange - To help counter the sweet flavors, some citrus is key. We use both the juice and the zest.
- Vanilla Extract - Grab a quality vanilla extract or paste if you can.
- Spice Mix - Ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger are the bulk of our seasoning mixture. These spices are warm and quintessentially Fall!
Variations and Substitutions
Extracts: You can add a hint of lemon or almond extract for a different flavor profile.
Cream: Some people add a splash of heavy cream to their sweet potatoes for more richness.
Toppings: Chopped pecans or walnuts can add crunch and texture to candied yams.
Spirits: Make a boozy version by adding in a little alcohol to the glaze. A quality rum, bourbon, or brandy will do the trick.
Carrot Soufflé: For a dish with a surprisingly similar flavor profile to sweet potatoes, try my Carrot Soufflé with Crumble Topping.
How to Make Candied Yams on the Stovetop
Step 1: Start out by scrubbing the sweet potatoes (they are usually super dirty right out of the store!) before peeling and slicing into ½-inch rounds.
You can leave them as is, or quarter them to cook a little faster.
Step 2: Meanwhile, add butter, brown sugar, our spice mix, vanilla, maple syrup, and the zest and juice of one orange to a large Dutch oven.
Ensure the pot is big enough to be able to hold all of your potatoes.
Step 3: Cook that down until a thick syrup forms.
Add in your potatoes and ½ cup of water to thin out the sauce; it will continue to thicken as it simmers.
Step 4: Stir to cover the potatoes, then cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes.
Once the sweet potatoes are just turning tender, continue cooking uncovered until the sauce reduces to a thick glaze. It's that easy!
Recipe Pro Tips
- Prep your sweet potatoes. Even though we are peeling them, be sure to thoroughly wash the outsides first. They are typically really dirty when you buy them, and any dirt will stick to your knife while cutting. Slice them into even slices so they cook all at the same time.
- Check the texture. You don't want your sweet potatoes to turn mushy; to avoid that, be sure to check the texture a few minutes before reducing the sauce. If you're making these ahead of time, I would cut the overall cooking time by 5 - 10 minutes.
- Watch the glaze. If your syrup is already too thick by the time you add the sweet potatoes, be sure to thin it out with a little water. My recipe below already accounts for this, but you may need extra.
Recipe FAQs
Great question!
In the United States, we use the terms yams and sweet potatoes interchangeably - especially because most grocery stores only sell sweet potatoes, not yams.
Yams are large, starchy tubers with rough brown skin and a white-colored flesh. They have a naturally mild flavor and are mostly used in Caribbean and West African cooking.
Sweet Potatoes are large tubers with a soft, reddish-brown skin. The flesh can be orange, white, or even purple! These have a naturally sweet flavor.
Due to the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, enslaved peoples began utilizing sweet potatoes in their traditional recipes - as it was the closest substitute to the yam. The misnomer spread across the U.S. over time, and now we tend to use both terms to reference the same dishes. Check out this article by Magdalena O'Neal at Ghetto Gastro for more history behind the vocabulary!
No need! Because we slice the sweet potatoes into ½-inch pieces, they will steam and cook completely in the sauce on the stovetop.
These are a really indulgent dish with a good helping of sugar and butter. I only recommend enjoying on occasion if you're monitoring your health!
However, sweet potatoes on their own are extremely healthy and nutritious. Try my recipe for Baked Sweet Potatoes with Chai Butter or Air Fried Sweet Potato Fries for a lighter option.
These are also easy to bake, with no pre-boiling required. I also put these instructions in the recipe notes below if you would like to print out the recipe card.
1. Go ahead and wash, peel, and slice your sweet potatoes into half-inch medallions or quarters. Add them to a baking dish with a little butter rubbed onto the sides.
2. In a small saucepot, create your syrup. (Add the water at this step.) Reserve the vanilla extract until the syrup is ready, removing the pot off of the heat and stirring it in last.
3. Preheat your oven to 350℉.
4. Pour the brown sugar glaze over all of the potatoes in the baking dish, using a spatula to ensure each piece is covered.
5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes. If they still aren't tender by now, continue baking and check every 5 minutes.
6. Finally, remove the foil and baste the potatoes in their glaze. Bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes until the top is nice and browned. Enjoy!
You can! I recommend reducing the overall cooking time by 10 minutes. Let the pan cool completely before wrapping tightly and storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
When you're ready to enjoy, reheat on medium-low on the stovetop until they are warmed and the glaze has thickened. You shouldn't have mushy sweet potatoes using this method, as we reduce the original cook time.
If you tried this Southern Candied Yams Recipe, or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Thanks for visiting!
Candied Yams (Stovetop or Baked)
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Vegetable Brush
- Vegetable Peeler
- Chef's Knife
- Dutch Oven (with lid)
- Silicone Spatula
- Microplane
Ingredients
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4 count)
- ½ cup dark brown sugar (loosely packed - about 70 grams)
- ½ cup granulated white sugar (about 70 grams)
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon salt (or 1 full teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 count orange (will use the zest and the juice)
- ½ cup water
Instructions
Stovetop Instructions (see Notes for oven directions)
- Wash, peel, and slice your sweet potatoes into half-inch medallions or quarters. Set aside.3 pounds sweet potatoes
- In a large Dutch oven, pour in both sugars, butter, the dried spices, maple syrup, and vanilla extract.½ cup dark brown sugar, ½ cup granulated white sugar, ¼ cup salted butter, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ½ teaspoon allspice, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Zest one orange, then squeeze the juice into the pot. Pour in a half cup of water as well.1 count orange, ½ cup water
- Heat the Dutch oven on medium heat until a syrup begins to form. Pour in your sliced potatoes, using a silicone spatula to ensure each piece is coated.
- Once the glaze begins to boil, turn the heat to medium low. Cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.The potatoes should now be tender with a little bite to them.
- Stir everything once again to cover the potatoes. Cook uncovered for another 10 - 15 minutes, until the syrup has reduced. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Go ahead and wash, peel, and slice your sweet potatoes into half-inch medallions or quarters. Add them to a baking dish with a little butter rubbed onto the sides.
- In a small saucepot, create your syrup. (Add the water at this step.) Reserve the vanilla extract until the syrup is ready, removing the pot off of the heat and stirring it in last.
- Preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Pour the brown sugar glaze over all of the potatoes in the baking dish, using a spatula to ensure each piece is covered.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes. If they still aren't tender by now, continue baking and check every 5 minutes.
- Finally, remove the foil and baste the potatoes in their glaze. Bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes until the top is nice and browned. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Let me know what you think!