These tasty Southern-style Candied Yams are made in one easy skillet with a buttery brown sugar cinnamon nutmeg syrup. Impress your guests with this tasty and simple yam recipe.
Its sweet flavor is so delicious with baked ham, ham steak, slow cooker turkey, and roasted pork. This is a must-try for any sweet potato casserole lover and a great side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Sweet Potatoes: You would be hard-pressed to find a true yam in a grocery store here. Yams and sweet potatoes are two different starchy root vegetables. However, in the United States, the names are used synonymously for sweet potatoes.
- Butter: unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, adjust the added salt to the recipe to taste.
- Spices: ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, kosher salt, and black pepper
- Vanilla extract: pure vanilla extract
How to make Candied Yams
First, add the sweet potatoes, sugars, butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla to a large skillet or pot over medium heat. As the sugars and butter melt, stir to combine all the ingredients and coat the potatoes with the sugar mixture.
Bring the mixture to a low boil, cover it with a lid or aluminum foil, and reduce it to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Gently turn the sweet potatoes as they are cooking. Turn the heat up during the last few minutes of cooking to thicken the sauce. For best results, serve promptly.
Preparation Tips
- Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into uniform size chunks. Sweet potatoes can be challenging to cut, so be prepared and be safe.
- Stir the potatoes just enough to mix the spices and glaze both sides of the potatoes.
- Is your stovetop extra busy? It’s no problem; prepare them in a baking dish in the oven using the same concept. Bake covered at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, stirring to combine and baste several times. Then remove the top and cook until fork tender and glazed.
- For an extra special treat, sprinkle with toasted pecans. Or use an oven-proof skillet, top with mini marshmallows, and bake uncovered at 400 degrees until the marshmallows melt and lightly brown.
Prepare It In Advance
Prepare this dish up to 2 days in advance and let those flavors mingle. Be careful not to cook the sweet potatoes too much. Cook just until barely fork tender. Prepare the recipe as instructed and let the potatoes fully cool. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop on low or in the microwave at reduced power.
Serving Suggestions
- Smoked ham
- Roasted pork loin
- Roast turkey
- Ham steak
- Roasted chicken
- Mac and cheese
Storage and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat at reduced power in the microwave.
To freeze first, cool completely. Then, place in freezer bags or a freezer container, removing as much air as possible if using freezer bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in the microwave at reduced power or on the stovetop on low.
More Sweet Potato Recipes
Candied Yams Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 lbs sweet potatoes
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add the sweet potatoes, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla to a large skillet over medium heat. As the sugars and butter melt, stir to combine all the ingredients and coat the potatoes.
- Bring the mixture to a low boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes or until fork tender. Gently turn the sweet potatoes as they are cooking.
- Turn the heat up during the last few minutes of cooking to thicken the sauce. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. For best results, serve promptly.
Notes
- Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into uniform size chunks. Sweet potatoes can be challenging to cut, so be prepared and be safe.
- Stir the potatoes just enough to mix the spices and glaze both sides of the potatoes.
- Is your stovetop extra busy? It’s no problem; prepare them in a baking dish in the oven using the same concept. Bake covered at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes, stirring to combine and baste several times. Then remove the top and cook until fork tender and glazed.
- For an extra special treat, sprinkle with toasted pecans. Or use an oven-proof skillet, top with mini marshmallows, and bake uncovered at 400 degrees until the marshmallows melt and lightly brown.
Nutrition
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Kay
These yams were so delicious. Thanks for the recipe. I will make them again.
Jupiter Hadley
Thank you so much for this recipe, they look really delicious! I also was very curious if Yams were Sweet Potatoes, so it was interesting to read that they are not.
Paula Richie
Yes the names yams and sweet potatoes are always used synonymously in my circles. And I’ve never had a problem finding yams in my California grocery stores. 😉
Star Traci
This is a big winner for my family. Great recipe and everyone really enjoyed it! Thanks for the great recipe!
Tammy
Oh this sounds so yummy! I’ve actually not made sweet potatoes like this for the holidays but I’m going to try this with the butternut squash I have!
briannemanzb
With Christmas and Easter coming at a distance, It’s great to discover new recipes to try and show to my guests. I’m excited to try this.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Brianne! Enjoy!
Rachel
I have tried candied yams once as part of a Thanksgiving meal and absolutely loved them, though they are, I felt, similar in texture to a sweet potato x
Jill
This is a very straightforward recipe to follow and the perfect side dish for this season. I adore sweet potato so this is right up to my alley. Thanks a lot for sharing.
Laura
We don’t have yams here but we do have sweet potatoes. We eat them almost daily so this sounds super yummy.
Samantha Donnelly
We made these for Thanksgiving dinner and they were excellent. Thanks for the great recipe!
Luna S
One of my favorite Thanksgiving dishes! This is so good.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Luna!
Gina Abernathy
A simple and tasty side dish that is expected to be on the table during the holiday season.
Carrie Robinson
It isn’t Thanksgiving dinner without the candied yams! 🙂 Definitely a must-make.
Beth Pierce
Absolutely!
Aimee Mars
This looks incredible! I am bookmarking this for Thanksgiving – I know there will not be a bite leftover.
Jess
I will never eat yams any other way again!!!
Mirlene
The candied yams were so delicious. I used the baking method. It smelled so good in the house. Thanks for the great recipe!