The Best Candied Yams Recipe – Classic Thanksgiving Side

Nothing says thanksgiving like this Candied Yams recipe next to a big ol’ turkey on the table! These perfectly tender caramelized candied yams are so sticky and good and so easy to make…You’ll want to through this together for Sunday dinners too. This is the perfect Thanksgiving side dishes for those of us with a sweet tooth. Don’t forget to grab your printable recipe card below.

This easy candied sweet potato recipe is a southern staple, (that we enjoy in Idaho too) and is just like the one your grandma used to make… It’s truly the best candied yams recipe! This classic southern side dish is perfect whether you are making it for a family dinner or a special occasion holiday side dish. Caramelized sweet potatoes are a delicious side dish that comes together in the oven with just a couple of pantry staples that you probably already have.

Sweet Potatoes or Yams?

I like to buy the really bright orange flesh garnet and jewel varieties of sweet potato (or yam) at the grocery store for candied yams. Garnet sweet potatoes are also called “red yams”… However, most “Yams” grown in the USA are actually a variety of Sweet potatoes, not yams. Don’t worry, you’re not missing out, real fresh yams are also a root vegetable but they’re not as good or sweet as sweet potatoes! You can also call these candied sweet potato recipes.

Candied Yams Recipe

• 6 medium-sized “red yams” or sweet potatoes peeled and sliced.
• 6 tbsp salted butter (If you are watching your salt intake, You can also use unsalted butter. I just like the flavor of salted butter better!)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick broke in half.
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (Don’t skimp on the dark brown sugar, it makes the best part of this dish!)
• 1 tbsp real vanilla extract

Directions

• First Preheat your oven to 350° F.
• Then wash your yams.
• Peel, then chop yams into about 1/4 – 1/2 inch thick slices.
• Place your yams into a 9×13 casserole dish.

In a Medium Saucepan

We make the candied mixture or brown sugar glaze with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium saucepan on the stove. After it carmelizes you just pour it over the sweet potatoes before baking.

• Place the butter into a medium-sized pot, and melt it over medium heat.
• Once the butter is melted, add white & brown sugar, ground cinnamon or cinnamon stick, and ground nutmeg.
• Turn the stove off and give it a good mix, then add the vanilla extract.

Baking Candied Yams:

• First, pour the candied caramel sauce over the “yams”, trying to coat all the yams with the sauce.
• Cover your baking dish with aluminum foil, and cut vent holes on the top in all 4 corners. (If you don’t cut vent the holes there is too much moisture in the pan and it becomes soupy instead of candied.)
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.
• Remove your baking dish from the oven after 30 minutes, and turn yams to coat them all again in the candied sauce.
• Cover your yams with the same vented aluminum foil again, and set your timer to bake for another 25 minutes.
• Remove candied yams from the oven, and let them cool on the counter for 10 mins before your serve.
• And Enjoy this perfect side dish!

Are Candied Yams the Same as Sweet Potatoes?

The potatoes or “yams” used in candied yam recipes are actually sweet potatoes. True yams are imported to the US and not as good! Real yams are brown on the outside, white on the inside, and they are not as sweet either!

What Do You East With Candied Yams?

This delicious recipe goes wonderful with any holiday meal. I like to serve it with Roasted Turkey Breast, green beans casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and PIE are the best with candied yams! You can also serve them for a Sunday Dinner with Boston Butt Roast, a traditional roast beef, hot homemade bread, green salad, and chocolate cake! The possibilities are endless! You may also be interested in making candied yams with maple syrup on the stovetop!

Do You Boil Your Yams Before Baking?

NO, in this sweet potatoes recipe you do not boil your yams before baking if you are making candied yams in the oven. You can make candied yams on the stove, but this easy recipe is for oven-roasted candied yams. 

How To Serve Candied Yams

I like to make things a little more special for Thanksgiving day. Your casserole dish gets a little messy when you make them in the oven with splashes of candy mixture on the sides… So I like to put this classic holiday side dish on a pretty serving dish for the Thanksgiving Table! Make sure to pour the butter mixture left at the bottom of your baking dish (or candy sauce) over the yams in the serving dish… Don’t leave the best part in the pan!

How To Store Leftovers

Candied yams are just as good the next day! If you are lucky enough to have any leftover sweet yams, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy them through the holiday season, for up to a week.

Don’t forget to print your free Thanksgiving Coloring Pages to keep everyone busy while you’re cooking!

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