Candied Yams Recipe that combines warm spices, maple, citrus, and butter to create tender, melt-in-your-mouth sweet potatoes with incredible flavor.
Author’s Notes
Saucy, Caramel-y, And Gone 😍
If you’ve been following my recipes for any length of time, you already know my love for sweet potatoes. I squeeze them into just about any recipe I can! My two current favorite ways to eat them: sweet potato burrito bowls (STILL a lunch staple after all these years!) and my Sweetgreen harvest bowl copycat.
But beyond eating them almost daily, they’re my forever favorite Thanksgiving side. Roasted, tucked into a casserole, or in this very candied yams recipe…these candied sweet potatoes are extra saucy, rich, and caramel-y in the best way. Nothing pairs better with turkey and cranberry sauce!
I’m curious: How do YOU like your sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving? Roasted, casserole, candied, or do they not make the cut?
Ingredients In This Candied Yams Recipe
| Ingredient | Tip |
|---|---|
| Sweet potatoes | Slice evenly so they cook at the same speed and soak up the sauce. |
| Butter and brown sugar | Use very soft, fresh brown sugar. |
| Maple syrup and vanilla | Use real (pure) maple syrup and pure vanilla for the best flavor depth. |
| Warm spices | Adjust these to your taste by adding more of the spices you love and less (or none) of the ones you don’t. |
| Clementine zest and juice | Adds brightness and acidity that cuts through the richness and keeps things balanced. |
How To Make This Candied Yams Recipe
- Prep potatoes: Peel, slice, add to a greased dish, and season with salt.
- Heat oven: Preheat to 375°F.
- Make sauce: Melt everything in a pot, boil 2 minutes, then add vanilla and clementine.
- Bake: Bake 20 minutes uncovered, stir, cover, bake 20 minutes, stir, and bake again.
- Finish: Let the sauce thicken as it cools, then taste and adjust salt.
Storage
How to Store: This Candied Yams Recipe stores well. Cover and refrigerate for 3-5 days. The sauce thickens in the fridge but loosens as it warms. Reheat in the microwave until hot and saucy again.
How to Make Ahead: To prep ahead, peel and slice the sweet potatoes up to 1 day early and keep them in an airtight bag in the fridge. Make the sauce in advance and store it in an airtight container, then warm it before pouring over the potatoes when you’re ready to bake.
Love Sweet Potatoes? Try These:
Candied Yams Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes peeled & cut into 1/2-inch discs
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 clementine oranges or mandarins
Instructions
- Peel the sweet potatoes and slice into 1/2-inch rounds. Coat a 9×13-inch ceramic baking dish with cooking spray (avoid metal pans; they can add a slight metallic flavor). Add the potato slices, sprinkle with salt, and toss to coat.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the butter melts. Stop stirring and bring to a gentle boil. Boil for 2 minutes without stirring.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla. Zest the clementines to get 1/2 teaspoon zest, then juice them to get 2 tablespoons juice. Add both to the sauce and mix.
- Pour the warm sauce over the potatoes. Gently toss to coat as evenly as possible.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, stir the potatoes, cover with foil, and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. Remove, stir again, recover with foil, and bake 20 more minutes or until the potatoes are fully tender.
- Remove from the oven. The sauce will look thin, but thickens as it cools. Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed. Enjoy warm.
