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Holiday Candied Yams

Candied Yams

These candied yams bring together tender sweet-potato slices bathed in a rich brown-sugar–butter–maple syrup glaze, warmed by cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Elevated with the bright juice of half an orange for a subtle citrus lift. Perfect holiday side or year-round comfort dish
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 300
Ingredients Equipment Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs Sweet Potatoes peeled and cut into ½-inch thick slices (or wedges)
  • 1 cup light brown sugar plus more for topping
  • 3 tbsp granulated white sugar
  • 5 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • juice of half an orange
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • chopped pecans or walnuts for topping, or mini-marshmallows optional

Equipment

  • sauce pan
  • 8x11 baking dish or cast iron
  • Aluminum foil
  • Spatula
  • Knife and cutting board
  • measuring cups and spoons

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
  2. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Stir in brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, ginger, and maple syrup. Stir and cook until the mixture is fully combined
  3. Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and the juice of half an orange. Mix well so the citrus integrates into the glaze.
  4. Place the sliced sweet potatoes into the prepared cast iron or 8 × 11 baking dish (a little overlap is cool). Pour the glaze over the sweet potatoes, and top with a little more brown sugar.
  5. Cover the dish with foil and bake for ~45 minutes. At the 45-minute mark, check for doneness (pierce a slice with a fork: it should be tender but not mushy). If not yet tender, continue baking in 5-minute increments. 
  6. Once tender, remove foil. Baste the sweet potatoes with the glaze from the bottom of the dish. Bake for an additional 5–10 minutes.
  7. Serve hot. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Video

Notes

  • Stir in or top with chopped pecans or walnuts for some texture
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • You want your sweet potatoes to be tender but not mushy.
  • The juice of half an orange adds brightness and subtle acidity which cuts through the sweetness and enriches the glaze complexity.