Southerners are known for serving wholesome food in a, let’s say, unhealthyish fashion. They either served it fried, like this Southern Fried Corn, or sweetened, like this Sweet Potato Casserole. But I do love how they roll! 😉 And it gets better than that! Because this pretty pop of orange side dish that can also double up as a dessert will surely add vibrant color to your Thanksgiving holiday table.
Southern Candied Yams
These candied yams here make a great sweet side of wholesome veggies. And what makes this extra special are the flavors that coat very well in every sweet potato chunk. And yes, these yams are the same thing as sweet potatoes. If you’d like to try true yams, check out my African Yam Soup recipe. Aside from the brown sugar, I also added two tablespoons of maple syrup for an extra depth of sweetness. And I also squeezed in some lemon and orange juice to balance the sweetness. The result? A skillet of heavenly candied yams with warm and cozy flavors from cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla. 👌
Recipe Ingredients
As much as I’d like to stick to the traditional recipe, I just can’t resist adding my own personal touch. Presenting Candied Yams version 2.0. 🤩 Here’s what you’ll need:
Yams – Our side dish superstar here is incredibly rich in fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Aside from being nutritious, they are also pretty versatile, making them an excellent choice for desserts and soups. Yes, they are sweet potatoes. True yams are a different vegetable and taste more like Irish potatoes.Butter – Oh, you’ll surely fall in love with its rich buttery flavor. Plus, it creates a beautiful caramel-like sauce when combined with sugar.Brown and White Sugar – Not only do they add sweetness to our dessert-like side dish, but they also give our sauce a nice amber color and thick consistency.Maple Syrup – It’s sweet like caramel with added earthy and woody flavor profile. However, it may be hard to get where you are. In that case, honey, corn syrup, or light molasses make a great substitute.Ginger, Cinnamon, Allspice, and Nutmeg – Feel and taste the holiday with these spices to complete our classic holiday comfort food. Their warm and cozy flavors will surely bring warmth to your soul. Truly comforting, indeed!Orange and Lemon Juice – But of course, the citrusy flavors from orange and lemon juice will add character to our candied yams while adding cheerful contrasting flavors as well.Vanilla – It just won’t taste the same without this must-have flavor enhancer, which you can easily make at home with only two ingredients. Yes! That’s right! Try it now with my Homemade Vanilla Extract recipe.Pecans – The nutty surprise is a bonus treat adding more texture and crunchiness to our sweet side dish. You can also easily replace it with your favorite nuts such as walnut, cashew, almond, and pistachio.
Recipe Variations
Plain and Simple – Sometimes, going back to the basics is pretty relaxing, too. Simply omit the added spices, and you’re good to go.Bourbon-Infused – Take our candied yams recipe to a higher level with a splash of bourbon or rum, and you’ll surely love the added boozy kick. 😋Marshmallows – Enjoy the soft pillowy goodness with gooey marshmallows on top. Yes, please!Streusel Toppings – Make it more festive with buttery, crumbly streusel toppings. Using a fork or pastry cutter, mix ½ cup of flour, ½ cup of brown sugar, 4 tablespoons of cold butter cut in small cubes, and ¼ cup of chopped pecans until it forms crumbles. Simply sprinkle them on top of candied yams and bake them until golden brown.Hot and Spicy – Oh yes! The contrasting flavor of sweet and spicy is genuinely one of a kind. The added twist of a dash of cayenne is surprisingly G-O-O-D!More Spices – You can also swap or add more spices, such as cloves and star anise, for more flavor variations of this yam recipe.
Tips and Tricks
Serving and Storage Instructions
Make-Ahead Candied Yams
Cut and Toss – Cut the yams and toss them in buttery sugar glaze.Store – Transfer them into a clean and dry sealed container and store them inside the fridge for up to two days.Bake – When ready to serve, simply bake them as instructed.
Storing Leftover Candied Yams
Cool – Let the candied yams cool completely before storing them in a sealed container.Refrigerate – They can stay fresh for about 3-5 days refrigerated.Freeze – Extend the shelf life for about 3-6 months by freezing your leftover yams. However, there’s a big chance that they’ll turn into mush after thawing and reheating. Make sure to remove as much air as possible to avoid this.
Reheating
Microwave – Reheat on medium power at 30-second intervals until warm.Stove – Heat the greased or non-stick skillet on medium-low, occasionally stirring to prevent scorching at the bottom of the pan.Oven – Cover the baking pan with foil and reheat in a 350°F/177°C oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated.
What Goes Well with Candied Yams?
Our Southern Candied Yams here are, without a doubt, a must-have in every Thanksgiving and holiday dinner. With that said, we can go all out and serve it with these equally remarkable dishes below to complete our holiday menu.
Roast Turkey BreastSouthern Baked Mac and CheeseParmesan Crusted Baked AsparagusBrown Sugar Glazed HamKale Salad
More Sweet Potato (Yam) Recipes to Try
Sweet Potato SaladCurry Chickpeas Stuffed Sweet PotatoesSweet Potato Casserole with Pecans
More Thanksgiving Side Dishes to Try
Green Bean CasseroleSweet Potato Casserole with MarshmallowsCornbread DressingCranberry SauceCream Cheese Mashed Potatoes
How to Make Candied Yams
Prepare the Yams
Preheat Your Oven to 350℉/177℃.Wash, Peel, and Cut – yams or sweet potatoes into about ½ an inch thick, keeping each piece close in size for even cooking. (Photos 1-3)Set Aside – Place in a 13×9 casserole dish, then spread the yams out in an even layer. Set aside while you prepare the butter sauce. (Photo 4)
Make the Butter Sauce
Add Butter – in a medium skillet or sauce and place over medium heat. (Photo 5)Season – As soon as butter melts, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, ground ginger, cinnamon spice, allspice, and nutmeg. (Photo 6)Boil and Simmer – Bring mixture to a boil, frequently stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3-4 minutes. (Photo 7)Pour the Orange and Lemon Juice – Remove saucepan or skillet from heat and then add orange juice and lemon juice. (Photo 8)
Pour the Butter Sauce and Bake
Add the Butter Mixture – Pour the butter mixture over the yams, making sure every inch of the yams is covered with sauce. (Photo 9)Cover and Bake– Tightly cover the dish with aluminum foil paper. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, then remove foil, stir, and spoon sauce over yams.Uncover and Bake – Return dish in the oven and continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes or until yams are fork tender and sauce thickens slightly. (Photo 10)Garnish – Remove, stir in vanilla extract and serve warm, sprinkled with roasted pecans, optional.Enjoy!
Watch How To Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”FOK2X6X6″ upload-date=”2021-11-17T08:09:34.000Z” name=”Candied Yams (Sweet Potatoes)” description=”Incredibly fork-tender Candied Yams bathed in a glossy fragrant buttery brown sugar glaze with a zesty hint of lemon and orange. And sensational flavors from warm spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger- bring holiday goodness in this amazing side dish. It doubles as a dessert because of its glistening caramel-like finish.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”] This blog post has been updated with new photos, additional write-up, and a video.
